[✔] ROOMMATE FOR HIRE ── chanlix

achtundzwanzig.

To say that Felix was nervous would easily be an understatement.

On top of the pressure from the dance competition, he had Hyunjin on his back about the bet that they had made two days earlier.

Chan was the one who drove him to the building that the competition was scheduled at, after insisting that it would have been a waste of gas otherwise. And there wasn't a reason for Felix to turn it down, not that was valid.

The students in his dance class were either putting on the rest of their cakey makeup (not even Felix was reading something heavy; he had Chan help him put on glossy eyeshadow and lipgloss, that was it) or trying to wiggle themselves into their tight fitting costumes.

Felix was thankful that the group portion was first, and had even breathed out a sigh of relief when Minho gave him the shirt he was loaning him.

What made him even more nervous was the fact that Chan was out in the audience- that was thankfully full of more competitors than it was outside watchers -and he knew he wouldn't be able to hunt out his gaze.

He knew for a fact that he was nervous about what Chan would think about him performing under pressure.

He had seen him dance once, the week before, sure- but that was nothing compared to dancing in front of actual judges and other competitors, that he was going up against.

Actual judges and other competitors.

Felix swallowed thickly as Minho messed with his hair, combing it back and out of his face before picking out little flyaway strands. 

"Minho, can I ask you something?" Felix asked softly, turning to look over his shoulder at the other, larger group behind them.

The older male hummed in response, now fluffing up Felix's hair before taking a step back.

Releasing a breath, Felix swallowed again, clearing his throat before he rubbed his forearm. "Do you think we're going to be okay? I know we worked hard on this and all, but I'm just worried."

"I mean, you're performing in front of your man. Felix," Minho gently pressed his hands against Felix's shoulder, "You wrote an entire short story your junior year of high school and read it to the entire school and then some. You didn't even stutter. I know this is different, two different art mediums, but you'll still do fine. I didn't ask Yager to pair the three of us up for nothing."

With a deep breath, Felix nodded his head softly, rolling his bottom lip between his teeth before nodding again. "Thank you for that, Minho."

The rest of the time until they were called to perform went by slowly- and Felix could only hear the sound of the bass from each performance in his ears. It reminded him very much of his own heart at the moment.

Loud. Fast.

Their performance had gone by as if it were a blur. Felix was glad that it had gone by so fast, but at the same time, he was disappointed.

Not once when he was looking into the crowd was he able to catch Chan's gaze, wherever it may have been.

Minho was patting his forehead with a cloth, gently patting the sweat away from his skin.

Felix still had an hour or so before his next performance- and to that he said 'thank fuck' -but Minho had insisted on babying him and making sure he didn't go up there looking like an absolute mess.

"Hey, Lixie, I snuck someone back here for you," Hyunjin bounced up and down as he approached him, giggling wildly before pointing behind him with his thumb. "He said something about messing with your makeup a little bit."

Scrunching his nose up at the male, he leaned over slightly and looked at Chan, offering him a small smile before he fidgeted with his fingers, keeping his gaze turned away from him. "You really don't have to do anything, Chan. It's okay."

Minho and Hyunjin let out a laugh, and Felix immediately turned his head to cut them both glares. This just caused them to laugh again.

Pulling the little makeup container from his pocket, Chan leaned forward with a small breath. "I wanted to. I have a couple of things to say about your performance."

"Oh, was it that bad? I knew it wasn't going to be-"

Chan flicked Felix's lips, and Felix flinched back in shock. 

"I never said that it was bad, maybe let me finish," Chan said, leaning himself forward again to gently draw his thumb over Felix's lip gently, presumably checking for any traces of lipgloss. "It was amazing, really. I'm not a dancer, but you really did look great."

"Hey!" Hyunjin called from their side, "What about me? Did I look amazing?"

The older male chuckled softly. "You looked like a beached whale."

Felix and Minho laughed as Hyunjin's face fell because of Chan's words. Felix's laughter soon faded into giggles, and he turned to look at Chan again.

"He looked a little better than me, and I know for a fact that he did."

The older male lightly poked Felix's nose, shaking his head. "Why would I say he looked better than you when I wasn't even watching him?"

Heat rose to Felix's cheeks, and turned his eyes away from Chan with a shy smile, but was unable to form any words; not even to thank the older.

Chan gently tilted Felix's chin back up, forcing him to look into his eyes.

The action caused Felix's cheeks to heat up more- if that were even possible, he didn't think that it was -and he tried to keep his eyes on Chan's- but was unable to maintain eye contact.

"Dance well for me again, yeah?" Chan's lips turned into a smile, and Felix nodded his head softly as a response.

The latter then stood up, and this time pulled out the small tube of light colored lipgloss.

He gently pressed some of it onto his index finger, and then leaned forward and lightly brushed his finger against Felix's lips- much different from the way he applied it earlier.

Chan then straightened himself and stuffed the lipgloss back into his pocket. "Break a leg, Lee."

Clenching his jaw, Felix glanced down at the ground, before he raised his head and stood up. "Wait, Chan?"

The older male hummed, turning around to look at Felix.

Inhaling, Felix took a few steps forward and lightly grabbed Chan's chin, barely turning his head to press a gentle kiss against his cheek. "Thank you."

"But I didn't do anything?"

Felix chuckled lightly, gently grabbing the white dress shirt that Chan decided on wearing. He then tugged on it and looked up at him, lightly biting his bottom lip. "Can I have your shirt?"

The older male's lips were drawn into a confused line. "I don't have another shirt."

"I'll trade you," Felix turned around and walked towards his duffel bag that was now laying on the floor, before he tugged out a navy blue hoodie. This one, despite how many of Chan's he had stolen, was indeed his. "Hoodie for a shirt."

Chan let out a breath, shook his head, but began to unbutton his shirt anyway.

On the inside, Felix was throwing himself a little party.

-    /    -

a/n || you wont wait much longer i promise

of ash and roses 🤝 roommate for hire
not kissing until damn
near the end of the book