captain - jaeyong

twenty two.

taeyong really couldn't figure out whether it made it easier or harder to cope with that their 'not-date' felt like a date. jaehyun had paid them into the cinema and paid for their shared popcorn much to taeyong's displeasure, he spoke of how it was payback for taeyong painting the jacket for him but the older still hated that he had to back down.

"no really, it would be awful of me to make you pay, it's just a little thing of popcorn and you've sat for hours and hours painting my jacket for me," jaehyun spoke when taeyong began whining once again, "think of it as a thank you."

"you do realise that i painted the jacket for you because i wanted to, you're my friend jaehyun and i like doing things for my friends."

jaehyun's smile faltered a little at the word 'friends' yet taeyong didn't notice it at all. the older boy was far too busy pondering his own feelings and how he wished that he didn't just have to call jaehyun his friend.

"well i don't like taking things for free so let me treat you today." jaehyun smiled and after a few moments deliberation, taeyong finally decided to give in. he couldn't deny that it was nice of jaehyun to want to treat him and pay him back and if taeyong pushed back all of his lesser wanted thoughts, he could spend the next two hours pretending that he really was on a date with jaehyun.

his ability to pretend only got easier as they entered the cinema. almost as soon as they sat down, jaehyun decided that he wanted to use the same arm rest as taeyong and the older boys heart nearly beat free from his chest when on multiple occasions, jaehyun reached into the popcorn at the same time as him and their hands brushed. it was all so beautifully cliche and taeyong nearly couldn't handle it.

annoyingly, the film was awful. after about 30 minutes, both of the boys began to get noticeably bored. every time something serious would happen, instead of being invested in the plot, they would find the actors awful acting completely hilarious and earn themselves glares from those sitting around them. taeyong didn't have it in him to care.

perhaps there was something about the fact that jaehyun would nudge him now and them with a huge smile spread across his face to point out stupid mistakes or plot holes or maybe it was the fact that the younger's laugh was the best thing taeyong had ever heard, he didn't know. all he was sure of was the fact that he was having the most fun that he had had in ages and the fact that he was in jaehyun's company only made it impossibly better.

when the movie finally ended and they left the cinema, jaehyun instantly pointed out a restaurant across the road and suggested that they go there. taeyong felt his stomach grumble before he agreed and they absentmindedly wandered over.

again, as they walked inside, jaehyun took the time to pull taeyong's chair out for him before he sat down. the older couldn't help but blush. this chivalrous side of jaehyun wasn't something he'd seen before but taeyong simply loved being on the receiving end of it.

"you know," he began speaking when jaehyun took his seat too, "with how you're treating me, your future lover is going to be the happiest person in the world."

jaehyun seemed to still at this and for a brief second, taeyong felt terrified that he had said something wrong.

"i hope he will be," the younger met his gaze and taeyong just smiled back.

it was truly sad that he couldn't do anything but cling onto the bleak hope that he would be that person. maybe the fact that their hang out had felt so much like a date had given taeyong a taste of what he could have and the boy never wanted to lose that. he wanted to always be the one who jaehyun was pulling a chair out for or the one whose hand brushed against the younger's when they shared popcorn.

everything just felt so so brutally unfair.

"what are you thinking about?" jaehyun interrupted him after a minute.

"it's nothing," taeyong lied.

"are you sure?" jaehyun asked then but the older only nodded in response. the other boy didn't push him after that and they simply ordered then ate their food without saying much at all.

despite the silence, it wasn't awkward. maybe it was just the fact that taeyong felt super comfortable in jaehyun's presence but it seemed that they didn't need words at all in that moment. instead, they were just content to exist in each others presence.

when they finished up, it was jaehyun who drove taeyong home. they kept small talk as jaehyun made his way through the winding streets towards taeyong's house. they spoke of school, of their friends, of taeyong's progress on the jacket and before they knew it, the car had pulled up in front of taeyong's drive.

they fell back into silence for a second as taeyong collected his things together but soon he lifted his head to lock eyes with jaehyun once again, "thank you for treating me today, i've had a great time."

"i'm glad," jaehyun grinned back at him. they stared for another couple of moments before jaehyun seemed to throw caution to the wind and place a light kiss on taeyong's cheek. the older froze for a few seconds.

had that really just happened? jaehyun had kissed him win the cheek? it almost felt fake and taeyong couldn't figure out whether he had wished for it so much that his mind had constructed it itself yet when he looked back up and met jaehyun's nervous gaze he knew that it was real, it had just happened, jaehyun had kissed him.

the older broke into a huge smile then and his face blushed redder than he had ever known, jaehyun began to smile too and the nervous expression on his face morphed into one of fondness.

"goodnight jaehyun," taeyong told him before opening the door and getting out of the car.

"good night taeyong."

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thank you so so much for reading this chapter !! i'm truly so sorry that it took me so long to update, i've been struggling a lot mentally again recently so i really do apologise for the lack of updates, i hope you enjoyed this one though !! thank you so so much for reading <333 ily !