in all my tomorrows

Over the sound of the pounding music, you faintly hear your name being called across the room. You and Keys turn simultaneously, only to be greeted with a sight you'd reckon was barely any better than seeing pigs doing the devil's tango.

"Hey, how've you been?" the body in front of you exclaims, grinning. It would've been a welcome sight - if it weren't for the fact that he cheated on you during freshmen year at a party similar to this, much to your dismay.

"Hi Josh" he grins even wider, and you resist the urge to roll your eyes.

Even though you'd rather not engage in any further conversation with him, preferably ever - you know it's best to respond before he starts asking even more questions, and you just really don't have the energy to entertain him for any longer than you need to. During your repeated mental prayers for the patience to deal with Josh, you don't notice how his eyes finally fall on Key's arm around your body, his grin slightly faltering.

"I'm doing- "

"Who's this guy" he utters, jabbing a fingers in the general direction of Keys whilst still looking at you, as if he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge Keys as a person.

You grit your teeth, rage at being interrupted and seeing Keys be insulted starting to simmer. Honestly, at this point, you would much rather see the pigs have fun than share oxygen with this moron.

Before you could say anything, you hear Keys chuckle, his thumb still gently rubbing up and down your body, and when your eyes meet, you see the familiar mischievous glint he gets when he's about to be a little shit.

Which is often, especially when the both of you debate on the most random topics during your 3am library study sessions, and he keeps bringing up irrelevant points to try to win. Even the librarian is tired of the both of you at this point and just puts on their headphones to drown out your chatter.

You decide not to interrupt, because clearly Keys is plotting something, and clearly it looks like it's going to be entertaining, so why would you get in the way of that.

"Hey man, I'm Keys..." he extends his free arm towards Josh, a slight smile playing on his lips - which most would not even notice is nefarious, unless unfortunately quite familiar with, unlike you.

"I'm her boyfriend" he says, pecking you on the forehead.

At those words, Josh, who was previously ignoring Key's outstretched hand, suddenly looks at your 'boyfriend' in annoyance. Thankfully, before he can mutter something that, no doubt would have contributed to a further increase in global noise pollution, Keys retracts his hand and continues.

"What did you say your name was again ? Jizz ? Sorry, I didn't quite catch it over the music... "

Your eyes widen, a snort escaping you before you have a chance to disguise it as a cough, and Keys looks over to you - his smile entirely too pleased, as if he accomplished his mission. Your cheeks warm at how gentle his expression looks and force yourself to look at Josh - only to nearly laugh again in your ex's face, his expression of pure indignation far too comedic to miss.

"It's Josh" he seethes. "What kind of moronic name is Jizz ?" he glares at Keys, who simply shrugs.

"I mean, I wasn't going to judge man, some people are called Dick, so I just figured it was similar to that and rolled with it." "Plus, I heard that's what people called you during freshmen year when you were found with that one girl since you weren't able to last very long, or at all really - so I figured you were kind of reclaiming the name in your own way... Honestly, more power to you dude."

Keys nodded solemnly, clapping Josh's shoulder, whose face had only grown more red with every passing second, his rage palpable.

Just then, the familiar notes of your favourite song start playing. Your eyes light up in excitement, and you feel Key's hand - which was on your waist all this time and slowly driving you insane with his gentle touches - intertwining around your hand and dragging you towards the dance floor.

He turns back towards Josh, whose fists are clenched, looking like he wants to introduce his knuckles to your fake boyfriend's face.

"Hey man, this is her favourite song so we gotta head to the dance floor, but it was nice meeting you, have fun" and continued ushering you towards the direction of the song, leaving Josh behind in the crowd.

"I don't remember anyone calling him Jizz during feshmen year though, where'd you hear that from ?"

"Oh, no, that was a lie" he grins.

" Keys!" you gasp in faux admonishment, swatting his shoulder lightly.

" What ?" he replies cheekily. " He deserved it.. Actually, no.." Keys cocks his head to the side in thought, body swaying in tandem to the beat of the music - his hand still holding yours, the slight chill of his palms a pleasant feeling. " He deserved a lot worse for how he treated you" he concludes, like this is a math equation and that's the only possible answer.

A small smile fights itself onto your face at his words and you mumble out a small 'thank you', barely audible over the music - but judging from the way his expression mirrors yours, you're pretty sure he heard it.

Honestly, sometimes you like to joke that he has Spidey senses considering how advanced his senses are. Keys, being him, plays into it - saying that the universe had to restrain his vision capacity to make it fair for the rest of the world, otherwise he would just be too perfect.

You always tend to roll your eyes at that last statement, but with the party lights slowly shifting to a soft pink, and highlighting his features - from his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, to his shaggy hair, and the absolute certainty with which he protected you, in his own way, against Josh - you find yourself agreeing with the sentiment, though you'd never tell him that. Because the last thing Walter McKey needs is an ego boost.

"It's fine though honestly, I guess I just chose the wrong person and suffered the consequences"

"Hey, no." Keys stops dancing, voice cutting through the noise firmly as he brings his hand upto your chin, tilting your face to meet his eyes.

"His choices are not your fault, they never were and they never will be, it sucks that you had to go through that experience, but none of it is your fault, ok ? He chose to do that, and that's on him, not you. Capisce ?" He finishes, cocoa eyes sweeping over your face to ensure you understood, and you give a slight nod.

Satisfied, he lets go of your chin, mumbling "I can't believe he was so idiotic to have let go of someone as incredible as you, the absolute moron" and you laugh heartily at that, the melody going straight through him.

"Yes, yes, thank you for defending my honour, oh valiant knight" you curtsy as best as you can in the throng of sweaty, moving bodies, at which Keys chuckles.

"My pleasure, Your Highness. Thank you for granting me the opportunity to deal with that bastard, even though you very easily would've annihilated that fool to pieces" he bows, eyes twinkling.

As the song comes to an end, you both notice the crowd thickening and decide to head out - such extravagant community events not either of your scene to be honest. If it weren't for yours and Key's supervisors requesting your presence at this fundraiser, the both of you would have probably been studying at the library, throwing Froot Loops into each other's mouth, almost every activity between you two a competition of sorts.

"Hey, you fancy watching a movie ? It's Friday night after all." you say, nudging Key's shoulder, as you both walk back towards your dorm.

"Sure" he agrees, hands shoved in his pocket. A slight breeze surrounds the air around you, making the night seem lighter.

"Ok.. " Keys sighs, "In the interest of total transparency, I've been wanting to say something to that asshole for a while now" he confesses.

"Wait, what?" You laugh, surprised by the sudden declaration.

"Yeah"

" You've been wanting to insult my ex ? My ex of almost two years ?"

" Yup"

"You've been holding a grudge, which even I, said ex-partner, have not, for two years ?"

"Ok, when you say it like that...." He winces, "It's more so along the lines of me wanting to tap his head lightly... with a ten foot pole, but like, only whenever I saw him across campus."

You chortle, "What, do you think you're Wanda Maximoff or something to lift a ten foot pole?"

"Yeah, of course." he flexes his barely-there biceps, "These guns are primed for attack."

"Hmm sure, that's why your attack included running away when Josh got mad."

"Hey, a good knight knows when to retreat, it's called strategy." he quips, glasses catching the moonlight.

"Sure, sure... Whatever helps you sleep at night, dude."

As you both near your dorm, you turn towards him, "Hey, seriously though, thank you helping me out with Josh - I just really didn't want to deal with him, and if he saw me alone, he probably would've been worse", you shudder at the thought of it.

Keys gently nudges you with his elbow "Hey, of course, don't mention it. Besides, what are friends for ? ..Rivals ?" He scrunches his nose.

"Frivals? "

You roll your eyes even as a grin tugs at your mouth. "Oh my god Keys, shut up"

He sticks his tongue out at you, masterfully depicting the nuance of his 165 IQ.

As you reach your door and begin unlocking it, you remember the state of disarray you left your bedroom in while you were hunting for an outfit for the fundraiser. You suddenly halt Keys from trying to enter your place - not looking where your arm shot out, and hear a wrangled 'ack!' sound out from behind you.

Your eyes widen in horror. "Oh my god, Keys, I'm so sorry, fuck-, I didn't mean to hit you in the neck!"

"N- no, it's fine" he rasps, completely red in the face and not at all convincing. "At least, you know you- you've got good re- reflexes" he chokes out, wincing slightly, as he massages his neck.

You grimace apologetically, ushering him towards the kitchen counter and flipping the lights on.

"Hold on, gimme a sec, I'll get some ice" you say, opening the fridge.

"No, it's fine, really, I- ... "

Whatever Keys was about to say cuts out at the fierce glare you give him, and he shuffles away, leaning against the table. You fish out the ice pack, wrapping it in a cloth, and gesture at Keys to sit at the kitchen stool.

As he sits, looking at you expectantly, you step towards him - placing one hand on his shoulder for balance and pressing the clothed ice pack to his throat lightly with the other. The cold seeps through instantly, and he hisses, jerking back reflexively.

"Fuck, that's cold!"

"It's ice, Keys, it's meant to be cold, that's sort of its whole deal."

He rolls his eyes and huffs, crossing his arms. "I'm aware, doesn't mean it doesn't sting, Killer Frost"

You sigh, bringing your hand from his shoulder to the back of his head, lightly grasping the soft strands of his hair and tugging him forward.

"Stop squirming, dumbass" you say, continuing to press the ice against the column of his throat, despite his wincing.

As you keep dabbing, your face basically eye-level with his neck, you feel slight buzzes of electricity running through your veins at the close proximity. You shift your focus towards the ice pack - watching as the redness begins to diminish, and Keys exhales better, albeit a bit shaky.

As his breathing begins to even out, you step back, examining his face to check if he's still in pain. All at once, you're hit yet again with the thought of how pretty his eyes are. Under the amber glow of the kitchen light, his eyes appear to be swirls of hazel - a mixture of greens, blues, and browns staring back at you.

Keys shifts forward slightly, breaking the trance. "You know, I could've have just kept the ice against my own throat, you really didn't have to do this... Unless of course, you just wanted an excuse to touch me". The bastard smirks, winking at you.

You bundle up and throw the rag, drenched from the ice, at his face.

"Hmm.. refreshing, thanks."

You ignore his comment, cheeks warm, walking over to a nearby drawer and pluck out the takeout menus.

"Stop being so delusional, McKey" you purse your lips in contemplation, not noticing how his face falls.

"Hey, what do you want for dinner ? Pizza ok ?"

"Pizza's great" he stands up, hanging the washcloth to dry in the corner, and walks over to you. "What are our options, Ace ?"

The nickname makes you smile, remembering the first time Keys called you that.

Your semester marks had just released, and you were the only one, apart from Keys of course, to score all As. At the end of class, Keys ran up to you, extending his hand.

"Hey, congrats Ace!" You shake his hand in return, your eyebrows furrowing.

"Ace?" You question.

"Yeah well, you're the only one to get all A's apart from me in this class, so I figured it's a fitting name. Didn't think anyone else would honestly, most of them don't pay attention."

His arrogance would annoy you generally, but you can tell from his eyes that he's sincere in his congratulations.

"Honestly me neither, most of our classmates don't try, so I figured there wouldn't be any competition. At least, I got you to keep on my toes."

He grins. "Hey, whaddya say we study together sometime, to maximize our knowledge and all that?"

You cross your arms. "What do I get from this arrangement ?"

Keys scoffs. "What, better grades isn't enough incentive?"

"Eh, not really, I can achieve that on my own."

"Touché."

He contemplates, lost in thought for a few seconds, and suddenly snaps his fingers. "Bragging rights. Winner gets bragging rights and the loser needs to buy them a meal."

Unfortunately, nothing is more convincing to a college student than free food. Plus, you were never one to back down from a challenge.

"Hmm, fair enough"

You both shake hands, sealing the deal.

"I'm Keys, by the way"

"Keys ?"

He sighs. "Real name's Walter McKey, but everyone calls me Keys."

You nod in understanding, giving him your name.

He sounds it out on his tongue, sharp but precise.

"Well, I hope you're ready to lose, Ace. I'm gonna wipe the floor with you next semester."

"Oh, you're on, McKey" you challenge.

One study session into three, which turned into seveby, and 2 years later, here you are deciding on pizza flavours together.

You shift your body, giving him more space to look at the menu, and sneak away into your bedroom, muttering that you want to change into comfier clothes.

Once you change into one of your old favourite band tees and pajama shorts, you yell out asking if Keys wants any of your baggy t-shirts to change into. He yells out a 'no, thanks' and you make your way into the kitchen, and if you additionally spent an extra 10 minutes shoving all your clothes into the closet - well, Keys didn't have to know that.

As you go to pour yourself a glass of water, you notice that Key's mop of brown hair is nowhere to be seen and head towards the couch. You find him sitting there, on his phone, the sounds of Subway Surfers echoing across the dimly lit room.

"Hey"

He looks over, straightening up on the couch.

"Hey"

As he shifts forward, you notice that he's not wearing his jacket anymore, instead you're met with the sight of his Project Hail Mary t-shirt he won from a bidding war on E-bay.

The only reason you remember this is because a few months ago, during a library study session, Keys appeared out of nowhere, pumping his fists excitedly, whispering 'I got the t-shirt!'. He then promptly disappeared to get more coffee before he crashed from having stayed up until 3am to acquire the t-shirt.

He surfaced 10 minutes later, still giddy and tired, with an expresso for him and a cup of hot chocolate for you. You looked at him quizzically for the drink, and he shrugged, responding with "it gets cold in here, thought it would help warm you up".

You accept it with thanks, your heart as warm as the beverage.

...Which you regret remembering currently, because now you're hungry as fuck.

"So..." Keys drawls, exiting the game. He crosses his arms, his previously seemingly non-existent biceps definitely looking a lot more solid now. "I was thinking of going a little wild tonight."

You raise your eyes to his, throat a little dry. "Uh, what ?"

"I'm thinking... Pineapple Pizza", he gestures dramatically.

Your eyes instantly narrow, "Walter McKey, so help me, I will throw you out of my dorm, nevermind that it's ... " You glance at your phone, "... 1.12 in the morning, if you dare to get Pineapple Pizza."

Keys laughs, eyes glinting behind his frame, "Relax Ace, I'm joking.. I was thinking of doing half mozzarella and half of whatever you're in the mood for."

You exhale with relief, padding over to the couch and drop down next to him. He hands you his phone, pizza app already open, and you input your preferred pizza flavour. Keys then types in your address. As you go to enter the payment details, Keys holds his phone away from you. Your brows furrow " What the- ? Keys, give it back, I need to pay, I'm hungry, man!"

"I know, I know.. gimme a sec"

He starts pressing a few button, and you realize what he's trying to do and lunge towards him, grabbing fistfuls of his prized t-shirt.

"Keys, don't you dare! You're my guest, I'm not going to let you pay for the food!"

Keys immediately extends his hand behind his head, grinning, and as you move closer to grab the phone, you hear a shrill 'ding!' sound. Keys smiles at you, face smug with victory.

You huff with indignantion, slowly releasing his t-shirt. Only then do you realize how close your face is to Keys, and you find yourself exploring his features - a tiny scar on his upper lip, barely visible, and the plethora of freckles that decorate his face glimmering in the moonlight. Almost absentmindedly, you begin to count the pixelated constellations, and your eyes flit up to his - only to see he's already looking at you, something unbelievably tender and fragile in his gaze.

Your breath hitches. Despite yourself, you lean forward, ever so slightly, and Keys mirrors the motion - a hair's breadth away from your lips, when suddenly, a confirmation notification alert sounds, reminding you of what the man in front of you did, despite the sweetness in his eyes.

You shuffle back, realising that you were essentially perched on his leg - 'nope, don't think about that, do not think about that' - and promptly flick him in the head.

"Ow!"

"Yeah well, you deserve it, you prick - I take having people over to my place seriously."

Keys rubs his head gently, "Is attacking the people coming over a part of your hosting rituals ?"

"Well no." You smile sweetly, "Generally, it's offering them something to drink before they settle in."

"Hmm, well, I don't seem to recall you offering me something to drink.. More so basically yanking me by the head and using any excuse you can to caress my neck and be in my general proximity. Actually, not too different to how you were just a few seconds ago.. on my lap!"

You grab the nearest couch pillow and begin attacking his sides "Oh my god, Keys, shut up!"

He yelps, burrowing into himself for protection from your vicious attacks, his laughter audible and infectious. Before you know it, you're laughing too, and the both of you end up dissolving into a pile of hysterics on the couch.

"Alright, alright" you say, getting up and dusting your knees, "Let me at least get you something to drink then."

Keys nods his assent, still smiling, and you pluck two energy drinks out of your fridge and pass one along to Keys, before sitting down at the foot of the couch and switching on the TV.

Keys furrows his eyebrows. "Ace."

"Hm ?" you respond, taking a sip of your drink, the refreshing taste of it settling in your mouth.

"Why are you sitting on the carpet ?"

"Oh, I just prefer sitting down here, better posture and the table is right next to me in case I want something."

Keys hums, "So, what I'm hearing is that you're just short ..."

You snort.

"That too, I guess."

The sound of limbs shuffling and the couch squeaking inform you of Key's presence next to you.

"You know you don't have to sit on the floor too right ?"

"I know.. I wanted to."

"Pfft, now look who's coming onto me?" you grin, forever unable to not tease Keys. You're only human after all.

The side of his mouth lifts.

"Touche", he concedes, taking a sip from his drink.

Silence settles in the room, only the soft glow of the TV and the faint notes of the fundraiser's music in the distance your companions for the night.

A second passes.

"So... What movie are we watching, Shark Boy?"

Keys rolls his eyes "That was one time" he mumbles into the quiet.

"Yes, but one time too many - I can't believe you wore shark pajamas to class, Keys ! You chuckle, That too, the hour before your presentation !"

"I know, I know... I'm eternally grateful Graham was willing to lend me his freshly laundered extra khakis - I ended up making an excellent impression on the judges."

"You were one lucky bastard, I'll give you that"

He scoffs.

"Hardly, luck favours the prepared as they say."

"Keys.. You literally had 3 different sets of colour-coded notes, that's as prepared as it gets" you teased.

"I- "

'Buzz!'

Your bell rings, signaling the arrival of the pizza.

"Well, would ya look at that ? Pizza's here, I should probably get that" he says, jogging to your front door and covertly trying to excessively tip the delivery person. You smile into your drink, musing what a dork he is - secretly treasuring the small instances you get to see of his kind nature, regardless of how snarky he is generally.

He makes his way back to the coffee table, sorting and setting everything down, before plopping to the floor.

"Wait, what are we watching ?" You ask, grabbing a slice of mozzarella pizza, not noticing the traitorous smile gracing Key's face. You turn towards him, awaiting his response.

"I was thinking of To All The Boys I've Loved Before ?" he suggests, promptly taking a bit of his slice.

"What?"

"Yeah, I figured we could watch the fake dating movie of the 21st century considering the situation we were in today" he grins.

"And this is based on, what - your 40 minutes of being my fake boyfriend ?" you quip.

"Yup" he nods solemnly.

You grab the remote and select the movie, exhaling loudly - attempting to seem very done with Keys, but the smile on his face tells you he's not fooled.

As the movie progresses and the pizza slices disappear one by one, you notice your eyelids growing heavy with exhaustion - the last thing you remember seeing being Lara Jean and Peter talking in the kitchen.

By the next time you're aware of your surroundings, it's dawn.

You squint, feeling a weight surrounding your body, and notice that the couch duvet had been placed upon you - 'Keys' you think, melting at the gesture. As the sounds of birds chirping become clearer, you awaken entirely, eyes finally opening fully.

The immediate sight that greets you is Key's neck, which thankfully seems to be significantly less red than last night. Realising that you and Keys must've fallen asleep halfway through the movie, you move to get up from where your head was on his shoulder, or rather you intend to. Because when you try moving, you realize that Key's head is resting on top of yours, his breathing calm and even - with the slightest currents of air being directed towards your crown.

The sun starts to glint harshly at your face through the windows, so you lightly nudge Keys from the side to wake him up. " Keys.. Keyssss" you whisper, trying to get his attention.

"Hmm?" He drowsily responds.

"You gotta get up, sun's shining and everything"

"Hmm" he mumbles, slightly shifting upright... only to shuffle closer to you - his head resting on your shoulder blade, close to your neck, as his hand weakly clasps the side of your waist. His thumb strokes your skin, as if it were muscle memory - immediately reminding you of last night. His voice, hoarse and rough with sleep, mutters in a deeper tone "5 more minutes, baby", face snuggling even further into the crook of your neck, glasses firm against your pulse.

Huh, you thought, Walter McKey is a cuddler. Walter McKey... Is a cuddler.

Walter McKey is a cuddler, who is currently imposing his entire body weight on you, with his hand around your waist.

This is fine, obviously. It's completely fine. It's not like you can smell the faint mix of sandalwood and jasmine emanating from him, or feel the softness of his brown locks against your cheek - instigating you with a sudden urge to run your hand through the waves on his head. Or the fact that he called you baby has your pulse hammering so fast that you feel like a hummingbird.

'Baby' ? That's fine, people call each other baby all the time - sure, usually it's towards kids or their partners, but like he definitely meant it platonically, right ?

After all, this is Keys you're talking about, your biggest rival... And probably your bestest friend on campus if you let yourself think about it - the one who drives you mad but also stays by your side. The one who's one of the most consistent academic motivators, and also the one who brings you hot chocolate because you might get cold. Who remembers your favourite song and drapes a duvet over you when you fall asleep. The one who's responsible for your heart currently trying to claw it's way out of your throat.

Pshh yeah, you totally got this situation handled.

A deep groan sounds out from under you, and you immediately still.

'Ok, ok, so ... You do not have this situation handled, you do not- '

You push Keys off to the side slightly, and his body slumps against the couch, still asleep. As you stand up, you notice his glasses are still on his face, which can't be comfortable - you crouch slightly, gently extracting his glasses and placing it on the coffee table.

Somehow he looks softer like this, face bare and devoid of the sharp frames, which only makes you want run your fingers through his hair even more. Shaking your head, you turn on your heel, walking back to the kitchen - looking for things to do to occupy your hands and thoughts.

The smell of toast and eggs begin permeating the air - the fizz, crackle, and pop from the oil dancing lively throughout the room.

A few minutes later, Keys shuffles into the kitchen, barely stifling a yawn and his glasses vaguely lopsided from sleep.

"Morning" he offers, stretching his arms up to work out the stiffness in his muscles. You turn to greet him, only to notice his happy trail and the soft planes of his stomach. You move back to the pan, scrambling the eggs and offer a feeble 'morning', willing yourself to get a grip.

Keys walks towards you, leaning against the counter, sleep still evident across his face.

"So, what's on the menu, Chef ?"

"Who said you're getting any of this mind-blowing food ?" you smirk, turning to look at him.

He raises his hands in surrender, eyes alight with mischief.

"My sincerest apologies, your Highness. I should not have assumed that a peasant like myself would receive a bite of your treasured eggs and toast"

You shift, moving the eggs and toast onto the plates you set.

"Yes, I'm glad you finally know your place"

Keys snorts, bumping his hip against yours slightly, "Seriously though, what can I do to help ?"

"There should be some oranges in the middle compartment of the fridge, and the blender's there," you gesture, tilting your head.

"You up to make some out-of-this-world orange juice, Peter Parker ?"

"Which version? " he asks, as he meanders towards the fridge.

"What? "

"Which version of Peter Parker? Because that might seriously hinder my ability to make incredible orange juice."

You blink in disbelief. "I'm seriously considering throwing this spatula at you."

"I'd catch it. Spidey senses, remember?"

You groan, running a hand across your face. Keys chuckles, busying himself with peeling the oranges.

A little while later, once the toast and eggs were devoured, and the admittedly refreshing orange juice was drained, Keys helps you clean the dishes. After drying your hands, you both return to the coffee table with steaming hot mugs in your hands, the routine resembling a bubble of domesticity.

"Also, I meant to ask you last night.. " Keys begins, running a hand through his hair as you take a sip of your coffee.

"How long are we going to fake date for ? "

You choke on your coffee, drops of it spraying over the table and on Key's arm. Your eyes widen. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry - wait, lemme go grab some tissues." You walk towards the kitchen fast, finding the tissues and running them under the tap, making your way back to a grinning Keys.

"You know, I didn't think you'd hate the idea of fake dating me that much" he puts his hand on his heart, feigning hurt. "Ouch, Ace."

You dab at the droplets on his arm, grateful that miraculously none of it reached his beloved t-shirt. "Sorry, you just caught me off-guard, I wasn't expecting that question... At all."

You squint. "Wait, why would we even need to fake date ? Josh seemed convinced enough last night."

Keys sucks in a breath.

"Oof, come on, Ace. Did you not catch the lesson last night?" He says, gesturing to the TV. You stare back at him, face puzzled.

Keys tilts his head to the side "We can't have just been "together", he says making air quotes with his fingers " - for only one day. No one would buy that, and once that information reaches Josh, do you think he's going to stay put considering his behaviour last night ?"

You sigh, hating that he makes such a valid point. Josh never did really know how to mind his own business.

You take another sip of your coffee - its taste a faint comfort against the nerves rising at the thought of being Key's fake girlfriend, and the definite close proximity it would involve.

"Ok" you say, nodding your head. "Let's say 8 weeks."

"8?"

"Mm"

"Why 8 ?"

"People who saw us "together" yesterday" you say, emphasizing the word " - would probably assume we've been together for a few weeks at least. So, if we fake date for another 8 weeks and then "break up", they'll assume it was because we hit the make-or-break 3 month stage of modern relationships" you end, setting the mug down.

You see Keys nodding out of your peripheral view, and a "Oh wait, hey" is all the warning you get before you suddenly feel a calloused thumb gently wipe a bead of coffee from the corner of your lips - you hadn't even felt it. Your eyes follow Key's finger to see him suck the drop into his mouth.

Your face instantly feels like it's on fire, and you resign to your new favourite hobby: staring at the floor in hopes he doesn't notice how flustered you feel.

Keys continues rambling on about the logistics of how you both should act in public, including several notes from last night's movie.

But you're barely listening, heart still pounding from his little stunt moments ago. He has to know what he's doing, right ? Surely, he cannot be this oblivious to his own actions - but this is Keys you're talking about.

The same guy who once had the library receptionist ask him if he would tutor her in Discrete Structures whilst batting her eyes at him, regardless of the fact that she wasn't even in your division and didn't study anything comp-sci related. Keys just apologized, saying that he's not very good at it himself and pointed to you saying that you'd be much better at helping her out. The girl seemed disappointed but he didn't even notice, thanking her for scanning the textbooks he borrowed and walked out with you towards your next class. Flabbergasted, you asked him why he didn't agree to tutor her, she seemed sweet, and Keys just seem befuddled. He then repeated his words about you being much better at that course than him.

"I mean, you got all As for the assignment last semester, how did you forget about that ? It's literally the entire reason I call you 'Ace', Ace" he says, nudging your elbow.

You halt - this man cannot be serious.

" Keys, I- , you know that she was flirting with you, right ?"

His eyebrows furrowed. " What ? No, she wasn't - she was asking to be tutored, how is that flirting ?"

You place a hand on his shoulder, "Walter... She doesn't even study in the comp-sci department! Why would she ask you to tutor her in Discrete Structures, when she doesn't even study what we do - for fuck's sake, she batted her eyes at you, dude!"

"Oh."

Keys then proceeds to shrug and continue walking forward towards the lecture hall.

"Aren't you going to go back and ask her out ?"

His eyes find yours, "Nah, I'm not interested in her - plus, we got exams coming up, Ace, I've got to beat your ass and become Professor Ramon's favourite."

You roll your eyes, "As if, McKey, dream on."

Ok, so maybe he is just this oblivious, you think.

Keys taps your knee gently, "Hey, you got all that ?"

"Uh -, sorry, I spaced out a bit, I think."

His face softens. "No worries, I was just saying that - "

Your phone suddenly rings, "Sorry" you whisper.

"Hey Luce,.. Oh yeah no, I'll be there, definitely. Around 2 ? ... Yeah, ok, see you then !"

You end the call, turning back to Keys, tone apologetic.

"Hey, sorry about that - I promised Lucy that I'd go thrift shopping with her today and I'll need to go in a bit, so I have to get ready soon - do you, like, mind if we pick this up on Monday ?"

"I caught the part where you said we need to be seen together publicly - so that word spreads and people know, and I think we got that covered already honestly. I mean, we hang around each other all the time anyways, we're basically "dating" at this point, right ?", you jest.

Keys nods in understanding, but something changes in his expression at what you say - a look you can't really decipher.

"Yeah, yeah, no worries - I should probably get out of your hair anyways. Definitely overstayed my welcome, especially on a Saturday morning" he chuckles, beginning to stand up.

You mirror him, catching his wrist, "Hey no, I really enjoyed spending time with you, I always do, even when you drive me crazy" you grin.

"It's just that the outing with Lucy completely skipped my mind... Thank you though, for yesterday and today" you reach up, pressing the lightest kiss into his cheek as thanks. Your forehead knocks against the frames of his glasses lightly.

Keys freezes, the warmth from your body seeping from the close proximity, willing himself to calm down. 'It's just a kiss, not even a kiss, it's just a peck on the cheek - which you probably don't even mean anything by it, so stop reading into things, goddamn it', he tells himself.

"Y- Yeah, no worries" he stutters, voice slightly pitched higher than usual. 'Great', he thinks - mentally smacking himself in the head, 'that was as smooth as seal gliding in the desert.'

You smile at him - the soft, shy one you get when professors compliment you or when you're really proud of software designs you made but are nervous to show means a lot to you. Lest the feedback be negative. 'God', he thinks, 'The things he would do to have you smile at him like that'

Outside, the sounds of the campus starting to wake up emerge, clinking of cutlery and the scuffing of footwear creating its unique tune.

He pushes his glasses up a bit, nodding, mostly to himself and gathers his jacket from where it was draped on the couch. As he passes by the kitchen, he notices an extra orange on the counter and picks it up.

"I'm taking this one as payment for the mind-blowing orange juice I made earlier"

"Dude, you literally made the orange juice as thanks for breakfast"

Keys takes a bite of it, the juice slightly dripping down his bottom lip. "Potato, Potatoe" he mumbles, walking backwards to the door.

You raise an eyebrow, "You're holding an orange."

Keys waves his hand in dismissal, "The point still stands".

You scoff - unfortunately endeared - trying to hide your smile. A very weak attempt, if you do say so yourself, one which Keys sees right through, seeing as how he winks in victory. He reaches the door, giving you a two-fingered salute, before closing the door after him.

You wave, bidding him adieu.

So, 2 weeks into the whole fake dating scheme, and you were regretting going through with this entire plan, and frankly, your entire existence.

Because everything was so much more worse. Better ?

You didn't even know, and the worst part is Key's behaviour hadn't even changed drastically.

In fact, he was behaving pretty normally, save for the occasional hand on your waist, walking together holding hands, or tracing patterns on your knuckles. He didn't even cross any boundaries, going so far as to being the one to suggest no kissing, except maybe a peck on the cheek or forehead whenever the situation deemed it in public. But otherwise, everything was perfectly and utterly normal.

It was terrifying.

He still booped your nose randomly, brought you your coffee the way you liked it whenever he stopped by the cafe, stuck his tongue out at you whenever you got an answer right that he didn't. And yet, it didn't feel like usual, rather, you didn't feel like usual around him anymore, and that was starting to become a problem.

Even when your friends got to know that you were dating Keys, none of them weren't surprised - on the contrary, they all seem relieved, saying that it was "about time" you two got together.

"I mean, seriously.." Rye said, taking a sip of their coffee, "I'm surprised it took y'all this long to get together considering how that boy looks at you". Jace and Lucy nodded in tandem. Your brows furrowed, confusion etched on your features "Wait, what do you mean ?"

Riya pursued her lips, "I mean, girl, come on, surely you've noticed the way his eyes follow you wherever - it's like watching a puppy."

You scoff, "Ok, I feel like that's a bit dramatic-,

"It's really not" Jace cuts in, "I've seen him in class, and except for you, he does not look at anyone with such softness in his eyes. Honestly, it's really sweet. Most people are actually slightly intimated by Keys, coz he's kind of difficult to figure out sometimes... Even that guy, Mooser, Mouser, or whatever his best friend's name is, doesn't really receive the puppy dog eyes you do, no one does."

Warmth spreads throughout your body, something unfurling in your chest.

"And not to mention, how joined you two are at the hip, constantly bantering - I feel like I'm watching a sitcom of sorts, it's very old married couple coded honestly" Lucy adds, winking at you.

Later that evening, once you're back in your dorm, making yourself a cup of hot chocolate - you find your mind drifting back to Keys, as does appear to be the norm these days. And as much as what your friends said stir up hope, you know you're probably being delusional. Yes, him and you have good banter and he's sweet to you, well sometimes, but that's just the kind of bond you two have. And maybe fake dating him and getting to see him in a new light has just shown you a glimpse of what you could have.

And that's the issue, isn't it ?

Because you like it. You like feeling like this and being around Keys like this. You actually like it - maybe a bit too much, if you're being honest. You like the feeling of his calloused hand in yours, his touch so gentle and secure. You like it when he brushes a few wisps of your hair behind your ear, that you don't even notice it yourself has fallen when you're in the zone during assignments. You like the cadence of his laugh and how he runs his hands through his hair when he's trying to make hard decisions. How his tongue pokes out when he's concentrating, and how witty he is, matching you bar for bar, every time.

You like all of it, you... like him. Plainly, simply, and wholeheartedly.

And that's what sucks because Keys doesn't like you like that - how could he if he's the one who imposed the 'no kissing rule'. He's just genuinely such a good friend and a sweet guy that he's doing all this to help you out with Josh, who thankfully hasn't looked your way since, only seemingly pissed at Keys rather than even acknowledging your presence at this point. And he doesn't like you, and that's ok, he's not expected to - but god, does it suck. Not to mention, it's only going to hurt more once this fake dating jig is up, and you go back to being friends, except you'll carry this immense weight in your heart - your soul fracturing every time you hear his laughter and remember that in the future, you're not going to be the one he shares all his laughs with, his sorrow, his joy, and his goddamn stupidly endearing nerdy facts.

So, you double down on your efforts, you figure if it's going to end, might as well make the best of it. Even if it hurts your heart in the future, at least you won't regret not knowing what it was like to date Walter McKey.

You lean into his side more often, ruffle his hair, and intertwine your pinkies when you walk to lectures. Not knowing how much this was worsening the torture Keys himself was experiencing.

It happens on a Tuesday, as all seemingly unexpected yet significant events do. It's been pouring outside for about an hour now, and thankfully your professor cancelled class because of the weather conditions.

! Knock, knock, knock ! 

There's a sudden banging on the door, and you startle. You quickly check your phone to see if any of your friends mentioned dropping by, but upon seeing the lack of notifications, you shuffle closer to the door, checking the peephole - only to see the idiot that has been plaguing your thoughts over the past 3 weeks, the literal bane of your existence. He's soaked, water dripping from his head to toe, forming little puddles outside your door. You immediately unlock the door, "Keys?"

"Hey" he responds, chest heaving like he ran here, and smiles at you, as if he's not just standing outside your door like a wet dog with no prior notice.

"What are- ? You know what, just- just come in" you usher him into your living room, running off to grab a spare towel from the bathroom. You hand it to him, and he takes it, his fingers connecting with yours and you hate how a little bolt of electricity runs up your hand from the slightest touch.

For the next few minutes, all that's audible is the pitter patter of the rain, the movement from the towel drying his hair, and his heavy breathing beginning to even out steadily.

"Keys, are- are you ok ? You look like you ran here in the rain... You know class is cancelled, right ?"

He stops drying his hair, holding the towel in his hand. "Yeah, I know.. I just- I just had to tell you something and it couldn't wait, and the next thing I know, I was here."

Your eyes widen. "Yeah, yeah of course, what's wrong ?"

"I can't do this anymore, Ace - I can't be your fake boyfriend anymore."

In that moment, you swear you feel your heart drop. You thought you had more time with him, more time to be his in a way you'd never be again once the remaining weeks were up.

'Did -, oh god, did you make him feel uncomfortable?' "Keys, I'm so sor -,"

He cuts you, voice pleading. "Please, just -, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I just need to get this off my chest now, okay? "

You nod gently.

Keys runs his other hand through his hair, the ends of his dried brown locks sticking up slightly.

"I'm sorry, ok ? I tried, I really, really tried but I don't think I can do this anymore."

Your eyes start to sting slightly, the hurt seeping through even more at his words.

"I just- , I just can't pretend anymore. Each time you- you smile at me, or lean your head on my shoulder, or do literally anything, my heart twists - because all it does is remind me that I'm not yours."

Your breath hitches, pulse beginning to race.

"- that these moments I get to see of you aren't mine to cherish... I've been trying so so hard to rein it in, but I just- I just can't, Ace - I can't stop wanting you, I don't think I ever could."

He finally looks at you, nervousness evident across his face.

"And I'm sorry, I know that this messes things up, this messes our friendship up, and I never wanted to put you in this position. But I just don't think it'd be right for me to date you, even if for pretense, without you knowing how I actually feel about you. Because the fact of the matter is that I like you, a lot, and you mean so much to me."

Your heart soars, beyond touched that even despite liking you, his priority was not wanting to deceive you by being dishonest about his feelings. You can't help it, a smile breaks out on your face, because holy shit: Keys likes you. Keys likes you. Keys likes you.

Seeing your smile, Keys shuts his eyes, mentally preparing for your rejection - which would probably be polite and sweet, because at your core, you're always thinking of others.

"Don't look at me like that" he whispers, eyes still closed and his fists clenched.

"Like what ?" you say, tilting your head, your smiling only widening with each passing moment.

"You know what" he mutters, "You don't know how hard it is for me to not give in and kiss you when you look at me like that, with your eyes all soft, and your smile like honey."

You take a step closer to him, air thrumming with a certain tension as you feel the heat emanating from his body.

"What's stopping you ?" you challenge, a smirk playing on your face. Key's eyes open instantly, finding yours, his gaze dark and hopeful at once.

You take another step forward - eyes still on his, the usual chocolate brown now drowning in pools of ink - calmly extracting the towel from his hand, and tossing it to the side.

Keys swallows thickly, before stepping closer to you - both of your chests nearly touching - and brings his hand to your waist, pulling you in gently. His thumb rubs little circles on your skin, and you sigh inadvertently, eyes fluttering shut. You feel his lips barely a hair's width away from yours, your breaths mingling.

"Is this okay?" he asks, utmost vulnerability etched in his eyes. You nod, eyes opening slightly, as your hands make its way around the back of his neck.

"Please" you utter, and that's all that Keys needs before he dips his head down. Your lips meet, and you find yourself melting at the tenderness of it, your eyes fluttering close automatically.

His lips feel like pillows of velvet, caressing yours.... and it's soft and it's sweet and it's nice, but you want more.

Maybe it's the emotional distress you've caused yourself over the past few weeks, but you're greedy for more. You've always been ambitious and had a thirst for knowledge, so you suppose it's only natural that this extends to Keys - wanting to know what he sounds like, what kind of reactions you can draw out of him, wanting to see how good of a kisser he is.

So you let your hands fall slowly towards the collar of his t-shirt, though thoroughly damp, you find that you can't bring yourself to care, and fist it tightly - drawing him further into you.

Keys makes a sound of surprise and immediately groans, the sound travelling directly through you. His other hand comes up to your jaw, cradling it reverently, just before he essentially steals the breath out of your lungs - kissing you harder now, tugging and biting your lower lip. You gasp, lips parting on instinct, and he uses the opening to slide his tongue in, smoothly exploring your mouth. You detect a hint of blueberry, probably from his favourite flavour of Red Bull. You feel yourself running out of oxygen, and detach your lips for a second, inhaling deeply - only for Keys to immediately follow your mouth, capturing your lips in another bruising kiss, focusing on your upper lip.

Not one to be bested, because after all, you were still rivals in every sense of the word, you grasp some of his brown locks at the back of his head and pull back - only to see molten pools of brown staring back at you. Tugging him back to you, you lick into his lips ferociously, the hard press of his glasses against you only spurring you on.

Keys groans deeply, the sound vibrating throughout your body, and begins peppering kisses over your jaw and your neck. You feel him still at the moan you let out, before suddenly moving back, breathing heavily - his forehead resting against yours.

"Sorry, was that too much ? I- I didn't mean to get carried away... Fuck, I'm so sorry."

You burst out laughing.

"Calm down, you dork, you act as if I wasn't actively trying to suck the soul out of you" you smirk, hands reaching out to fix his glasses that had definitely gone a tad astray during your little 'information gathering' endeavour. The tips of Key's ears redden instantly, and he awkwardly clears his throat.

"Right - well yes, I guess you do have a point there."

'Plick, plick, plick'

The sound of water dripping from Key's clothes gathers both of your attention, presumably because neither of you are currently distracted by exploring each other's mouths. You see the realization hit Keys at the exact same type, and the blush that rapidly spreads across his face is a sight to behold. Not that you aren't affected yourself, your cheeks are hot enough to cook pasta on it at this point.

"I could give you one of my baggy t-shirts, and a pair of sweatpants that my friend Jace had put in the wash the other night but forgot to take back, I think it'll fit - is that ok ?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine, thank you" Keys mumbles, still clearly flustered. It's honestly unfair how endearing he is in moments like this. You take his hand, guiding him to your room and dump the clothes in his hand.

20 minutes later, Keys emerges from the bathroom, the towel slung around his neck, the sweatpants slightly loose and hanging low on his waist. Your t-shirt looks quite snug on him, which is unfortunately quite unfair, because he looks even better now - all sharp points of his physique quite defined now. Plus, seeing him in your clothing feels vaguely domestic and you bite down on the smile making it's way on your face, and will the butterflies in your stomach to settle.

"The t-shirt fit you okay ? Is it uncomfortable?"

" No, it's a little tight, but the material feels very comfy, so I'm okay. Thank you for the clothes" 

"No problem" you smile, setting down two steaming mugs on the counter, "I made us some hot chocolate to help warm up" you wink.

"Thanks." he smiles, boyish and fond.

Silence settled between the two of you, just the hum of the fridge and the sounds of rain slowly dying down your only company. You and Keys took a sip from your mugs at the same time. "So, when did you start liking me?" you ask abruptly, feigning calmness.

Keys chokes on his hot cocoa slightly, coughing and sputtering. "I-, you can't just ask something like that out of nowhere !"

You roll your eyes, "Come on, McKey, I wanna know..  or are you worried that your feelings couldn't possibly match up to mine" you gesture dramatically.

Keys smirks, "Oh, I can assure you, sweetheart, it's no contest." Heat rushes through you at once, the nickname uttered so casually and devastingly making you want to kiss him all over again.

You scoff, in a bid to seem unaffected, but it doesn't land strongly, "Psh, you don't know that, I could've liked y- "

"I've liked you since junior year, Ace" he utters calmly, as if he didn't just upend your entire perception of reality.

"Oh" you whisper.

"Yeah, oh" he replies, winking at you over the rim of his mug.

Suddenly, your limbs feel like jelly.

"I, uh, I guess you beat me at something for once" you state.

He shrugs, a cocky smile plastered on his face. His very handsome, freckled, gorgeous face.

"I think the more interesting topic here is how long you've liked me for - I mean, I wasn't sure if you did to be honest, but after taking today's data into consideration, well the results speak for itself, I think" he quips, reaching across the table to wipe off a drop of hot chocolate from your lip, dragging his thumb slowly and sucking the bits of foam into his mouth.

What the hell is happening ?

How did the tables flip just like that ?

Since when is Walter McKey such a flirt, and why is he so good at it ?

"Uh.." you utter dumbly. Great, he's wrecked you with a few words. Fantastic.

"A couple weeks now ? I mean, I was very much aware of how good looking you are, and often found you cute, but I didn't really think much of it, until the party that night, and you kept.." you trail off, unsure if you should give Keys such precious ammunition.

"I kept..? " he asks, tilting his head to the side.

Your throat is dry, "Uh, well you know, you kept doing that thing with your thumb.."

"The thing with my thumb ?" he asks in faux confusion, very clearly aware of what you're talking about.

"Ugh, are you gonna make me say it ?"

"Well, you know the rules, Ace. You gotta show your work to get full marks, that means spelling out the details." He responds condescendingly. The bastard grins widely, the dimples on his face showing.

"Ugh, fine, I liked that you kept rubbing circles with your thumb on my skin, ok ? It was hot - and then you came over and fell asleep, basically cuddling me and nuzzled your face into the side of my neck, and I froze. I liked it, more than I probably should've, and it scared me. And then the first 2 weeks that we were fake dating were hell for me, because you would stare at me with your puppy dog eyes, hold my hand, kiss my forehead, and I liked all of it. I liked being your girl." you sigh.

"I like the banter we have with each other and that we get each other's stupid references, and that you like olives and I hate them so I can just give them to you, and you'll eat them. And I liked it all so much that you just would not leave my thoughts, like at all - do you know how annoying it is to have someone stuck in your mind ? And you can't get them out of your head, and when you see them, all you want to do is kiss them silly ?" you round on Keys, all your feelings pouring out of you like a dam breaking.

Keys looks at you, a smile so tender etched on his features, and he takes your hand gently. "I might have a clue... Two years, remember? But I'm glad you told me all this, really.. you have no idea how happy I am that you like me too, like genuinely."

You duck your head, shy and flustered, at both his words and your deranged confession.

He kisses the top of your head. "Hey, um...," suddenly, he's back to your Keys, the shy, sweet self.

"If it's not raining tomorrow, would you maybe wanna go on a date ? Like for real, this time.. There's a new laser tag place that opened up recently and I figured we'd both enjoy it, if you're up for it ?" He glances at you briefly.

"Yeah, yeah I'd like that" you say, kissing his cheek lightly, the both of you smiling and giggling like children.

A few months later, the both of you are very much not smiling and giggling.

"I cannot believe you just said that." you say, rounding on him, as you look for the textbook you're trying to locate.

"What ?" He scoffs. "Princess Diaries 1 is way superior to Princess Diaries 2, ok ? It's all about accepting herself and believing in her capabilities."

"Princess Diaries 2 has Chris Pine in it, Keys."

"That doesn't feel like a very objective measure."

"It also has her dealing with those problems she never thought herself capable of, and doing it in a way that aligns with her and Genovia's interests." you counter, turning towards him, only to be greeted with the usual chaotic gleam in his eyes.

"What?" you sigh. You prepare yourself to defend against any unrelated information he's about to bring in, when suddenly he cups your face and kisses you softly.

"Keys!" you hiss, drawing back even as your lips are very much protesting. "We're in the library! What if someone walks in on us?"

He raises his eyebrow. "We're near the bookshelves, Ace. What person comes to check out physical textbooks nowadays?"

He does have a point. "But still -"

He kisses you again. This time, you can't really find it in yourself to draw away. Not that you're not aware that this is one of his new dirty tricks to win an argument, you very much are. But as he pulls your body flush against his, his mouth gliding against yours, you think that maybe you don't mind this strategy as much.

That is until you hear someone's throat clearing, and you reel back from Keys in an instant, your face feeling like it's on fire.

"Oh hey, Kai" Keys casually greets the glowering librarian. "How's it going?"

"It'd be going a lot better if people weren't making out in front of me" they respond, scanning some of the books. "Why is it always you two being upto something?"

You shut your eyes in absolute mortification. "Oh my god, Kai, I'm so sorry. We-"

"Don't worry, we'll get out of your hair. Catch you later!" Keys winks, grabbing your hand, intertwining your fingers as always, and dragging you back to your desk.

"That has to be one of the most embarrassing moments of my life" you mutter.

"Hmm, I dunno. I quite enjoyed it" Keys teases, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles in soothing motions. He sneaks you a peck, grinning, looking utterly too pleased with himself.

And you can't help grinning back, after all, shared moments like these were probably your favourite.

dividers by @pixopix

○ 𝑺𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒔. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒅. 𝑪𝒐𝒑𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑨𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒉𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅.

! 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 !

Thank you so so much if you made it all the way to the end! It means a lot, especially because I sacrificed my blood, tears, sweat, and sleep schedule for this lol.