syn: you get wasted at a party one night, and call Manon to pick you up, and KATSEYE discovers your relationship in the loudest way possible.
tags: manon x reader, drunk reader, established relationship, secret relationship, accidental reveal, possessive manon, protective manon, clingy reader, fluff, cuddling, manon is whipped, domestic fluff
taglist (join here): @plqnetputellas @katscopic @micaluvssoccer @aoeiurgnmddk @xiiaann @x-d4cvalentine-x @needmeganskiendiel @randomperson868 @urwavvy @ctrlamira @yournextdooralien @yunjinsfinancialadvisor @belzanita @katsattorney @chaeryenchanted @swiftieortega13 @pnsteblnme
The dorm was finally quiet for once.
Not silent—never silent, not with six girls living together—but quiet enough that Manon could hear the hum of the refrigerator and the soft buzz of the city outside the windows. Practice had run late. Everyone had stumbled home exhausted, peeling off makeup and hoodies before disappearing into bedrooms one by one.
She stood barefoot in the kitchen wearing gray sweatpants and one of her old rehearsal shirts, filling a glass with water while scrolling absently through notifications on her phone. Mostly group chats. Fans posting clips from today’s schedule. Sophia sending another ridiculous meme to the dorm chat from literally ten feet away.
You never called this late.
Texts? Sure. Random voice notes at 2 AM? Constantly. But actual phone calls this close to midnight? Almost never.
A weird feeling settled in her stomach as she answered.
Immediately, noise exploded through the speaker.
Heavy bass. People shouting over music. Glass clinking somewhere in the background.
Manon closed her eyes instantly.
Your voice came out all soft and stretched, words melting together with laughter somewhere behind them.
Manon leaned against the counter already sighing.
“I dunno,” you admitted seriously. “The floor’s moving though.”
From the other room, someone snorted.
Megan had apparently wandered into the hallway and overheard enough to figure out what was happening.
Manon shot her a look before turning away slightly.
“Okay,” she said carefully. “Where are your friends?”
Another pause. Longer this time.
Manon’s stomach dropped harder.
“What do you mean they left?”
“I told them I was fine.” you laughed again, quieter now. “I may have lied.”
The word slipped out automatically—soft, worried, familiar.
Manon lowered her voice immediately afterward out of instinct, glancing toward the hallway to make sure nobody else was listening too closely.
Their relationship wasn’t exactly hidden hidden. The members knew you existed. They knew Manon spent a suspicious amount of time with her. But neither of them had officially said anything yet.
Mostly because every time the topic almost came up, you would panic and change the subject.
Now, though, Manon was too focused on the fact you were stranded halfway across the city.
“Did you call a ride?” she asked.
“…I forgot to get in it.”
Manon stared at the wall.
Somewhere behind her, Megan burst out laughing again before quickly retreating after seeing Manon’s expression.
“Okay,” Manon said slowly, rubbing her forehead. “Send me your location.”
You made a tiny sad noise.
Not dramatic. Not playful. Just small and tired and trusting in a way that immediately cracked through every ounce of annoyance Manon had been trying to hold onto.
She could practically picture you right now—leaning against some wall outside the club, blinking slowly at her phone with smeared eyeliner and cold hands.
Manon’s entire expression softened.
You hummed happily like the answer had never been in doubt.
“You’re the best girlfriend ever,” she mumbled.
Manon’s cheeks warmed instantly despite herself.
“You need to stop saying that so loudly.”
Manon bit back a smile, already grabbing her hoodie off the chair nearby.
“Stay where you are,” she said. “And don’t talk to strangers.”
“That’s offensive. I talk to strangers all the time.”
“Yes, and that’s exactly the problem.”
You dissolved into giggles again.
Manon could hear wind now, traffic passing nearby, the muffled chaos of people coming and going outside the club.
The words hit embarrassingly hard.
Manon pulled her cap down over her curls and headed toward the door before anyone else in the dorm could start asking questions.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” she said softly.
You sighed contentedly into the phone.
“Knew you’d come for me.”
The second Manon pulled up outside the club, she regretted agreeing to this alone.
Music spilled out every time the doors opened, mixing with traffic noise and groups of people lingering on the sidewalk. Neon signs reflected off damp pavement. A couple people nearby were already glancing in her direction—not recognizing her yet, but looking enough that it made her pull her hood lower.
Oversized black hoodie. Cap pulled down. Mask covering half her face.
Normally that was enough.
Because the second you stepped outside, your entire face lit up like Manon had personally descended from heaven.
“There she is!” you yelled.
Manon’s eyes widened immediately.
You stumbled forward at full speed anyway.
You nearly wiped out on the curb, catching yourself at the last second before crashing directly into Manon’s arms with a dramatic little noise of relief.
“There’s my girlfriendddddd,” you announced loudly into Manon’s shoulder.
A group near the entrance turned slightly at the sound, and Manon reacted instantly, wrapping an arm around you and tugging you closer against her chest.
“Baby,” she muttered under her breath. “Quiet.”
You just blinked up at her lazily, completely unbothered.
The words were so soft and pleased that it almost distracted Manon from the fact her girlfriend had apparently forgotten what volume control was.
“Obviously I came,” Manon said, trying to guide her toward the car. “Can you walk?”
You took one step and immediately drifted sideways into Manon again, laughing at absolutely nothing.
Manon tightened her grip around your waist before she could fall.
“You’re terrible,” she muttered.
You tilted your head back to look at her, eyes glassy and unfocused but still warm in that way that always made Manon feel weirdly exposed.
Then you reached up suddenly and patted Manon’s mask.
“You look hot suspicious.”
Before Manon could respond, the club door swung open behind them again.
A guy from earlier—someone reader vaguely recognized from inside—walked out holding a drink.
He spotted you immediately.
“Yo,” he called. “You leaving already?”
You turned automatically, smiling politely.
And something ugly and immediate twisted in Manon’s chest.
The guy’s eyes flicked between them curiously, lingering just a little too long on the hand around your waist.
Manon moved without really thinking about it.
She pulled you fully into her side, body angled protectively between her and the stranger.
“Yeah,” Manon answered before reader could. “She is.”
The guy lifted his hands.
Then your expression shifted into something delighted.
“Oh my god,” you whispered dramatically. “You’re jealous.”
Manon started walking again immediately.
“But you’re jealous though.”
You pointed at her like she’d just proven a major point.
Manon could feel heat creeping up the back of her neck underneath the hoodie.
Behind them, the guy snorted quietly and disappeared back inside.
You, meanwhile, looked absurdly pleased with yourself.
“You got all protective,” you continued happily while stumbling alongside her. “That was sooo hot.”
Manon nearly walked directly into a parking meter.
You dissolved into giggles at her expression, grabbing onto the front of Manon’s hoodie to steady herself.
For a second, the noise around them faded.
Just you looking up at her all soft and drunk and trusting.
Manon exhaled quietly through her nose before reaching up to fix the hood slipping off your head.
“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she muttered.
Then, without warning, you leaned forward and rested your forehead against Manon’s shoulder.
The sudden affection hit harder than expected.
Manon’s hand slid instinctively to the back of your neck, keeping you close while opening the car door with the other.
You sighed happily as Manon helped you inside.
“Best girlfriend ever,” she mumbled again.
Manon glanced around the street one more time before climbing into the driver’s seat beside her.
And despite literally everything about tonight—the risk, the attention, the fact you were going to be impossible for the next several hours—Manon still couldn’t stop the tiny smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
The car got quiet surprisingly fast.
Not fully quiet—the low hum of the engine filled the space, turn signals clicking softly every now and then while streetlights slid across the windshield in blurred streaks—but compared to the chaos outside the club, it felt calm.
You had gone from energetic drunk to sleepy drunk in less than ten minutes.
One second you’ve been rambling about how Manon looked “mysterious and expensive” in a hoodie, and the next you were curled against the passenger door blinking slowly like you might fall asleep sitting up.
Manon glanced over briefly while stopping at a red light.
You made a tiny humming sound.
Then, without answering properly, you unbuckled your seatbelt halfway just to lean closer.
“Hey—” Manon reached over immediately. “Seatbelt.”
You ignored her completely and dropped your head onto Manon’s shoulder instead.
But she adjusted instantly anyway, shifting one hand off the wheel long enough to lace their fingers together over the center console.
You smiled sleepily at that without opening your eyes.
There was something dangerous about moments like this.
Just… intimate in a way that always caught Manon off guard.
You weren't clingy most of the time. Affectionate, yes, but usually playful about it—quick kisses, teasing touches, stealing hoodies and pretending you didn’t. You rarely slowed down enough to say things seriously.
But drunk and exhausted apparently stripped all your defenses away.
The city lights painted soft gold across your face while she rested against Manon’s shoulder, fingers loose but warm between hers.
Manon glanced at you again.
You still had your eyes closed, voice barely above a mumble now.
Manon squeezed your hand once.
“No but…” you swallowed slightly, brows pulling together like you were trying to organize the thought correctly. “You always come for me.”
Like someone reaching directly into Manon’s chest and squeezing.
You said things too honestly when you were tired. Like every thought bypassed embarrassment completely.
Manon’s expression softened before she could stop it.
The traffic light turned green, but she stayed still for half a second longer anyway.
“You’d do the same for me,” she said quietly.
You cracked one eye open just enough to look at her.
“I would,” you agreed immediately. “But you do it more.”
Manon huffed out a tiny laugh through her nose.
Outside, the city blurred past in glowing reflections. Late-night convenience stores. Empty sidewalks. Cars drifting by in the opposite direction.
Inside the car, everything felt strangely small and close.
You shifted again until you were practically folded into Manon’s side, thumb rubbing lazily across the back of her hand.
“You were worried,” you mumbled.
Manon didn’t answer that.
Because yes. Obviously yes.
You alone at some crowded club, drunk enough to forget getting into her ride? Manon had been halfway out the dorm door before the call even ended.
You smiled faintly like you could hear the silence anyway.
“You’re sooo hot when you’re worried.”
Manon nearly missed the turn.
“Oh my god,” she muttered.
You started giggling immediately, shoulders shaking against her arm.
“It’s true,” you insisted. “All serious and protective—”
Unfortunately, that was also true.
Manon rolled her eyes, but her grip on your hand tightened unconsciously.
You noticed, because of course you did.
Your smile softened into something smaller this time. Realer.
“Mm,” you hummed quietly. “Knew it.”
The teasing faded after that.
Sleepiness won out completely, you slowly went limp against her shoulder while the car filled with silence again.
At one point, Manon glanced over and realized you were staring at her instead of sleeping.
“What?” she asked softly.
You looked at her for a long moment before murmuring:
Like she still couldn’t quite believe it.
Manon’s chest ached a little at the sound.
Without taking her eyes off the road, she lifted their joined hands and pressed a quick kiss against your knuckles.
“Always,” she said quietly.
A dreamy little smile spread across your face as you tucked yourself closer against Manon’s side with a satisfied sigh.
And just like that, the emotional atmosphere lasted exactly three seconds before you ruined it again by mumbling
“You should be worried more often. It’s working for you.”
Manon laughed despite herself, shaking her head while you grinned sleepily against her shoulder like you’ve just accomplished something important.
By the time you reached the dorm building, you were barely functioning.
Not unconscious—just heavily leaning into Manon’s side with your eyes half-closed while she guided you through the parking garage like you might drift away if she let go for too long.
Manon kept glancing around nervously the entire time.
Hood up. Cap low. Mask still on.
“You have to be quiet when we go inside,” she whispered while helping you into the elevator.
You nodded very seriously against her shoulder.
“I’m very good at secrets.”
Manon made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a groan.
The elevator dinged softly.
You followed her down the hallway slowly, one arm looped around her waist while she dug through her bag for the dorm keys.
Good. Everyone was asleep.
That meant she could sneak you inside, get you water, maybe force you to eat crackers or something, and nobody would ever have to know she’d spent the last hour playing chauffeur for her completely wasted girlfriend.
She unlocked the door carefully and pushed it open.
The living room lights were on.
Every single member was awake.
Sophia and Lara were curled up on the couch under blankets. Dani sat cross-legged on the floor with snacks scattered around her. Megan was stealing popcorn from Yoonchae’s bowl while a movie played quietly in the background.
Five heads turned toward the doorway at once.
Dressed like she was avoiding the paparazzi.
Holding up a visibly drunk girl attached to her side.
Manon stopped breathing for a second.
You blinked slowly at the room, clearly trying to process why so many people were suddenly staring at you.
Then your face brightened.
You lifted one arm dramatically and pointed directly at Manon.
“Did you know,” you announced proudly, “that’s my girlfriend?”
Sophia screamed so loudly Manon physically flinched.
“I KNEW IT,” Lara yelled immediately, practically launching herself off the couch.
Dani folded over laughing before she could even say anything coherent.
Megan pointed between the two of you like she’d just solved a murder case.
Yoonchae looked genuinely shocked.
Meanwhile Manon looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole.
“Baby,” she muttered under her breath.
You ignored her completely.
“She came and rescued me,” you informed the room proudly, leaning harder into her side. “Because she loves me.”
Sophia was losing her mind.
“HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER?”
“A while,” you answered vaguely.
“A YEAR,” Lara guessed immediately.
The screaming somehow got louder.
“Oh my god,” Megan gasped. “YOU HID A WHOLE RELATIONSHIP?”
“You guys are terrible at hiding things!” Dani laughed.
“No, she is,” Manon corrected instantly before realizing that probably wasn’t helping.
You looked up at her with a sleepy grin.
“You think I’m cute though.”
Manon closed her eyes briefly.
That alone made everyone start yelling again.
The automatic hand around your waist.
The way Manon kept adjusting your hood and steadying you every time you stumbled even slightly.
Every suspicious moment from the past year suddenly made horrible, perfect sense.
Lara pointed dramatically at Manon.
“You literally look at her like she hung the moon.”
Manon looked personally offended.
“You SO do,” Sophia shouted.
You gasped softly like you’d just remembered something important.
“You were jealous outside the club,” you continued happily while she started dragging you toward the hallway. “It was hot.”
Dani actually fell onto the floor laughing.
Megan yelled after you both:
“WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TOMORROW.”
“No we’re not,” Manon called back immediately.
“Yes we are!” five voices shouted together.
You looked up at Manon dreamily while she guided you toward her room.
“You’re famous,” you whispered suddenly, sounding genuinely surprised all over again.
Manon stared at you for a long second before laughing despite herself.
“You are unbelievably drunk.”
Getting you to Manon’s room should have taken maybe thirty seconds.
Instead, twenty minutes later, you were still in the hallway.
Mostly because every single time Manon managed to move you two more feet forward, you exposed another deeply private detail about your relationship.
“And THEN,” you announced dramatically to nobody and everybody at once, “she stole my hoodie.”
“I borrowed it,” Manon corrected tiredly, keeping one hand around your waist while trying to pull her bedroom door open with the other.
“You never gave it back.”
“Because it smells like you.”
Sophia actually had to throw a pillow over her face to scream into it.
“Oh my GOD,” Dani yelled from the couch.
Manon looked seconds away from collapsing into the floor permanently.
“You’re all being very loud,” she informed the room weakly.
Lara pointed at her immediately.
“You literally just admitted you sleep with her hoodie.”
Manon groaned into her hands.
You, meanwhile, looked delighted by the attention.
“Wait wait wait,” Megan interrupted, sitting forward excitedly. “How long have you guys been hiding this?”
Manon answered immediately.
“Ages,” you said at the exact same time.
“What?” you blinked innocently.
Manon looked at you like she was reconsidering every life decision that led to this moment.
Then Yoonchae gasped softly.
“Oh my god wait, is that why Manon disappeared for like three hours after that awards show last fall?”
Sophia lowered the pillow slowly from her face.
“I was sick,” you explained seriously. “And she came over at like midnight with medicine and soup and those gross little crackers.”
Manon pinched the bridge of her nose while everyone else collectively lost their minds again.
“That is the most relationship thing I’ve ever heard,” Lara said dramatically.
“And she cried after our first fight,” you added helpfully.
Manon’s head snapped toward you.
Dani nearly choked laughing.
“You CRIED?” Megan yelled.
“She thought I was gonna break up with her,” you continued dreamily.
“YOU WERE IGNORING MY TEXTS.”
The room dissolved into chaos again.
Sophia pointed accusingly at Manon.
“You’re the emotional one in the relationship.”
“No,” you disagreed immediately. “She just acts tough.”
Manon stared at the ceiling like she was asking the universe for patience.
You suddenly gasped again.
“And she sleeps with that ugly stuffed bear I won her.”
The silence this time was devastating.
Manon went completely still.
“Okay. Bedtime. Right now.”
“She named it after me,” you informed everyone while Manon physically started steering you down the hallway.
“You cuddle it when I’m gone.”
The screaming behind you became genuinely unbearable.
Lara was literally falling off the couch laughing.
Manon whipped around instantly.
“She bought me that stupid bear at a carnival and then cried when I didn’t win her the giant one!”
“Because you missed every shot,” you defended.
Dani slid off the couch entirely at that point.
Manon finally managed to get you to her bedroom door, visibly exhausted.
“Okay,” she said firmly, hands on your shoulders. “You are done talking now.”
You stared at her for a long moment.
Then suddenly grabbed her face with both hands.
Manon blinked in surprise.
“She’s soooo pretty,” you told the room behind her with complete sincerity. “Look at her.”
Manon’s entire face went red instantly.
“Stop encouraging her,” she muttered toward the living room while trying very hard not to smile.
You squished her cheeks slightly between your hands.
“She came and rescued me.”
“She’s the prettiest person alive.”
The room somehow got louder.
Sophia was fully kicking her feet on the couch now.
“They’re actually disgusting.”
“You guys are like… embarrassingly in love,” Megan added.
Manon finally pried your hands off her face, though very gently.
“You need water,” she informed you.
Manon physically shoved the bedroom door shut behind you while the rest of the members kept yelling from the living room.
The second the door clicked closed, the dorm noise muffled slightly.
You blinked sleepily up at her.
Manon stared back for two seconds before finally laughing into her hands.
“You are never drinking again.”
The bedroom door staying closed lasted maybe four minutes.
Because apparently privacy did not exist in this dorm anymore.
A knock sounded before the door cracked open slightly, Sophia peeking through with the biggest grin Manon had ever seen in her life.
“So,” she said casually, “we ordered fries.”
Sophia ignored that completely and looked directly at you instead.
You were currently sitting on the edge of Manon’s bed wearing one of her hoodies now, hair messy from where she’d pushed it back out of your face while trying to get you settled.
Your eyes lit up immediately.
“See?” Sophia pointed triumphantly. “She wants to hang out with us.”
“She needs water and sleep,” Manon argued.
“BORING,” Megan yelled from somewhere down the hallway.
Against Manon’s better judgment, you ended up back in the living room anyway.
Mostly because you’d heard the word fries and suddenly become emotionally committed to the concept.
Now you sat bundled in a blanket on the couch while the movie nobody was actually paying attention to continued in the background.
Manon stayed right beside you.
One hand resting against your knee. Fingers occasionally brushing your arm. Constantly checking whether you looked too warm or too tired or like you were about to tip sideways again.
The members were absolutely noticing.
“So,” Lara said slowly from across the room, “can we keep her?”
Manon answered instantly.
The room went quiet for a beat.
Then Megan burst out laughing.
Manon blinked once like she’d only just realized how aggressive that sounded.
“I just mean—she has an apartment.”
“Mmhm,” Dani said, fully unconvinced.
You looked up at Manon with sleepy amusement.
“It’s literally bare minimum human decency.”
Still, Manon shifted closer anyway when you leaned against her shoulder again.
Sophia watched the entire interaction like she was witnessing a live drama unfold.
“You guys are actually ridiculous.”
You hummed happily, clearly taking that as a compliment.
A few minutes later, Manon pressed a water bottle into your hands.
You took exactly one sip before making a face.
Manon sighed deeply before kneeling down in front of you.
And that’s when it really hit everyone.
Because suddenly the teasing died down a little.
Manon tucked the blanket more securely around your legs before taking the water bottle again and holding it out patiently.
“C’mon,” she said softly. “A little more.”
Her voice had changed completely.
The kind of tone people only used with someone they loved very, very much.
You stared at her like she hung the stars.
Manon brushed your hair back carefully after it fell into your face again, thumb grazing your cheek for half a second before she tilted the bottle toward you once more.
“There you go,” she murmured after you finally drank properly.
The room had gone suspiciously quiet.
Dani looked emotionally distressed.
Sophia clutched a pillow dramatically to her chest.
“This is actually insane to witness.”
Even Lara looked a little stunned now.
Because Manon—cool, composed, effortlessly confident Manon—was kneeling on the floor at nearly two in the morning making sure you stayed hydrated like it was the most important thing in the world.
And maybe to her, right now, it was.
You reached out suddenly, fingers catching loosely around the sleeve of her hoodie.
“You came for me,” you said quietly.
Manon looked up at you immediately.
Something in her expression shifted the second she realized how sincere you sounded.
Her hand settled against your knee again automatically.
“Always,” she said just as quietly.
The entire room erupted into fake gagging noises.
“Oh BROTHER,” Megan groaned loudly.
“They’re sickening,” Sophia agreed.
Lara pretended to wipe tears from her eyes.
“True love is dead and then somehow reborn in this living room.”
Manon rolled her eyes, but she was smiling now.
Small and helpless around the edges.
You noticed instantly, of course.
“There’s my pretty girl,” you mumbled sleepily.
Manon’s face softened so fast it made everyone scream all over again.
Eventually, the chaos started dying down.
Mostly because you were very obviously reaching the point where your body was about to completely give up.
Your eyes kept drifting shut mid-conversation. Your words had slowed into sleepy mumbles. At one point you accidentally leaned against Sophia instead of Manon and looked genuinely confused for a full thirty seconds.
Manon finally stood up with a sigh, sliding a hand under your arm.
“Okay,” she announced. “She’s done.”
“Awwww,” Dani complained immediately.
“You can interrogate us tomorrow,” Manon said.
“Bold of you to assume we’re sleeping tonight,” Lara replied.
You looked back at the couch sadly while Manon guided you toward the hallway.
“They understood me emotionally.”
Manon laughed under her breath and pulled you closer when you stumbled slightly.
The dorm quieted behind you as she brought you into her room, shutting the door gently this time.
Instantly, everything felt softer.
The faint smell of Manon’s perfume lingering in the sheets.
One of her hoodies tossed over the desk chair.
Your stuffed bear sitting against her pillows like it paid rent here.
You stared at it immediately.
“There he is,” you whispered emotionally.
“Because you missed every target at the carnival.”
“There was a child beside you doing better.”
Manon pointed toward the bathroom.
You dissolved into sleepy giggles while letting her guide you toward the sink.
The next ten minutes passed slowly.
Manon stood between your knees while you sat on the bathroom counter, carefully wiping off your makeup with practiced patience.
You’d done this for her before after schedules sometimes. Late nights when she was too exhausted to move properly.
“You’re smudging,” you informed her seriously while she cleaned eyeliner from under your eye.
“You are actively making this harder.”
You smiled lazily and caught the sleeve of her hoodie in your fist anyway, refusing to let go.
Manon didn’t even comment on it.
She just kept one hand steady against your jaw while pushing your hair back gently with the other.
The intimacy of it settled warm and heavy in your chest even through the haze of exhaustion.
“You’re nice,” you mumbled.
Once your makeup was finally off, Manon helped you change into one of her oversized shirts.
The entire process was embarrassingly difficult because you kept getting distracted halfway through.
At one point you forgot what you were doing entirely and just stared at her.
“What?” she asked, amused.
Manon rolled her eyes, but her cheeks still pinked slightly.
A few minutes later, you were finally sitting on the edge of her bed in borrowed clothes while Manon folded your discarded outfit onto the chair nearby.
You watched her quietly for a moment.
Manon looked over immediately.
You nodded slowly, suddenly looking much smaller than before.
Not drunk-chaotic anymore.
“I didn’t mean to tell them,” you admitted quietly. “It just… happened.”
Something in Manon’s expression softened instantly.
She crossed the room without hesitation and stopped in front of you, hands settling automatically against your knees.
“Baby,” she said gently. “They’re not mad.”
“They’re dramatic,” she corrected with a laugh. “There’s a difference.”
You stared down at your hands.
“I wanted it to be… better, I guess.”
That hit harder than she expected.
Because underneath all the chaos and embarrassment and teasing, there it was:
You’d wanted your relationship to matter enough for a real introduction. A proper moment. Not stumbling drunk through the dorm at two in the morning yelling about stuffed animals and soup.
Manon reached up, brushing her thumb softly against your cheek.
“It’s okay,” she said quietly.
You finally looked up at her.
And after a second, Manon smiled a little.
“Honestly…” She exhaled softly through her nose. “I’m kinda relieved.”
Your expression melted instantly.
She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against your forehead.
“At least now I don’t have to pretend you’re just my friend every time you come over.”
You smiled sleepily at that.
Then immediately ruined the emotional moment by mumbling:
“You were very bad at pretending.”
This time, you actually listened.
The next morning felt like punishment from a higher power.
You woke up slowly, painfully, with your head pounding hard enough to make you question every decision you’d ever made.
Sunlight leaked through the curtains.
And you were wearing one of Manon’s shirts.
Memory returned in horrifying flashes.
“Oh my god,” you whispered into the pillow.
Sophia walked past first, spotted you awake, and immediately grinned.
“Morning, Manon’s girlfriend.”
You made a strangled noise and buried your face deeper into the bed.
A second later, Lara’s voice drifted from the hallway.
“One year anniversary soon, huh?”
“I’m leaving the country,” you mumbled into the mattress.
“Ratatouille made her emotional?” she asked before bursting into laughter and disappearing again.
You genuinely considered dying.
The door opened one more time.
She looked completely fine.
Fresh hoodie. Hair tied back. Holding water, medicine, and a sports drink like some kind of annoyingly beautiful caretaker.
She leaned against the doorway for a second, watching you suffer with obvious amusement.
You sat up slowly while accepting the water bottle with the dignity of someone moments away from collapse.
Manon sat beside you on the bed, one hand automatically settling against your back while you swallowed the medicine.
You narrowed your eyes at her.
“You look happy about this.”
“I warned you not to mix drinks.”
“You could’ve warned me I exposed our entire relationship.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
Your head snapped toward her.
“You never told me I exposed our entire relationship last time,” you accused.
“I didn’t realize you forgot.”
You stared at her in betrayal while she leaned closer, clearly fighting a smile.
Then, softer this time, she brushed her fingers through your hair and murmured:
“At least now I can hold your hand in the dorm without everyone acting confused.”
Your heart melted instantly despite the hangover trying to kill you.
Because now you were emotional and dehydrated.
