so i heard steven’s moving, and now i have just rewatched la la land. i want to losing my mind from reality, was planning to into this movie, but i can’t. whenever i tries to that, it just, made me remind of standrew a bit. okay mayve a lot. and at some point, i was only thinking like, what if they’re steven and andrew, what happened to these boys?
maybe they has been filled with hope and dream when they start to living in there. working at buzzfeed. or just disappointment and dejection, get tired of the life, the area. because nothing’s change, overwhelmed by the mighty wall and harsh realit.
but one day, they met one another at some buzzfeed party, instinctively they noticed each other in the crowds. it was love at first sight although they didn’t know at that time. (because andrew had a girlfriend at that time even though they were on the rock, because steven is hellishly oblivious in those thing and too busy to catch up, or simply both of them are idiots.)
in the beginning, they were bickering over such a trivia thing, or two, or everything. with some misunderstanding, they thought they’re didn’t mix well but can’t help the mutual attraction for one another. you know, just like pride and prejudice.
as time passed, a lovely night they met at theater by sheer chance, it’s first time they bumped to another aside from work. after watching movie together rather awkwardly(couldn’t concentrated on the movie at all, god.) suddenly andrew insists to walks over steven to home. what? why? what’s going on? of course steven couldn’t get a single tiny signal, waved away the offer politely, but as always, andrew didn’t back down easily. in the end they are walking side by side.
the night was still young and beautiful, especially in a lovely summer night, it was satisfied to just walking at here and there without good purpose. with not bad company. at the first they didn’t say anything, when steven asks where are we going(he don’t know why he asks, he was planning to go home straight!) andrew took him his secret place. steven muttered and started puff a little from climb, when he was about to tell he’s going back to home, andrew just pointed at the view, and that was fucking amazing, up there, they can get the night view of the area at a glance. for a time steven was completely in awe. next time steven knew, he’s smile genuinely for a long time. he said thank you to andrew for bringing him here, such a wonderful place. andrew, who had stared at him whole time, instead of the view like he couldn’t stop, smiled at him, it wasn’t different from steven’s. steven get blushed, it only made andrew’s smile wider.
they sit on some bench in there, started talking and talking again like it was first time they speck to one another. forgot tomorrow is still working day. even the night went to go sleep, finally they’re going home at around early dawn. andrew drives him home in the end. steven couldn’t think about that properly because he was too tired, though feel weirdly refreshed at the same time. he invited andrew for crashing, but andrew said that he has to go home for preparing some work.
andrew watched steven until he disappear behind the door. as the door closed, he was punching the air in triumph. of course he was fucking tired. andrew couldn’t believe that he did this, he has to go work tommorow, no. now today. damn it. but it was fucking worth it. even he had to bribed jen for getting steven’s after work schedule. they’re gonna met again at office in few hours. if he get lucky enough, maybe they’re going for coffee together. or lunch. and andrew knows they’ll do the both.
soon, another day of sun is coming for them.
is there anyone for this prompts? please? just ignore above this line. i just need to read this au fic with standrew. or die. so. help me. and yeah i’m talking to you.
“steven is what?” the words, it makes andrew look up from laptop. so engrossed in the work, he didn’t noticed someone walks in. the office has been uncharacteristically quite since most of them had to go out to work. taking advantage of it, andrew enjoyed the rare moment, taking off headphone even. until it isn’t.
a host member of the try guys, keith smirk at bewildered look on his face. before he know it, the others show up too.
“basically i’m not.” and steven. who followed them as camera crew in the early morning. it was take more time than andrew expected. steven was holding a paper cup, he comes to andrew straight, put the coffee down front of him. it was still warm. almost involuntarily, he raises the cup to his lips and murmured thank you, steven smile down at him. then sit against desk which is andrew’s as if he belong to there. he did that often, maybe too often. not that andrew minded though.
“you are. you’re the princess. you should be watch out apples. someone might poison you.” zack, the other try guys member stepped into the scene.
“yeah, since you’re filming worth it…” eugene who’s standing next to zack, agrees too. he takes out his cellphone and showed something to others. ned laughed out loud as keith cackles at the same time. apparently, it seems they all had fun at wildlife rescue center. andrew wonders what happened during the filming. he notices all of them looked tired. it probably was long shoot. helping animals aren’t easy work. especially if they are wildlife. among them, steven looks drawn, a little pale even. andrew is beginning to worry him.
“very funny. and why is a princess by the way?” apparently, steven dosen’t seem to have fun as much as the others.
“because it’s away more fun than just call you a prince.” zach says, wearing shit-eating grin on his face. steven groaned, cross his arm and obviously pouts now. he retorted something back to them. although he didn’t seem to really upset with them, apart from camera, annoyed steven isn’t something you can see everyday. andrew couldn’t help but staring the view.
“call me princess again, i’m going to…”
“…sleep and wait for prince charming.” zack interrupts him, just for completes the sentence by himself. steven huffs, he shakes his head and stare them flatly like he’s a parent who can’t deal with the immature acts of his children. which is absurd and also hilarious, because he’s steven lim. most childish adult andrew ever met. and he works in buzzfeed.
“i hate you all. except andrew. because andrew is nice unlike you guys.”
steven says and nods solemnly. andrew can’t help allows to himself admit it’s a cute sight.
“you mean, because andrew is ‘the one’?”
“you know what? i’m done here.”
steven raises himself upright from andrew’s desk, glares at them. then without a word, he walks out through office door dramatically. considering his overeacting, almost playful expression, he isn’t really upset. andrew relaxes. he can’t remember when it started exactly, but steven’s well being is important to him somehow. before steven stumped off, muttering something under his breath. something like ‘troll guys.’ well, andrew thinks they deserve it.
when steven is out of sight, andrew turned back, raise his eyebrows to them. “snow white, huh?”
“i thought it better than ‘living catnip’ because it was called already.” keith shrugs, of course, there’s no sigh of dependance. actually it doesn’t need to be. to be honest, it happens all the time, ‘teasing steven’ to put it bluntly. although they never intended to mean to him or hurt him (if someone did, the freak is gonna be buried alive under the buzzed HQ. andrew would be the first one who grabs a shovel and starts digging ground. probably adam too, he’ll be the second.) people doing that just to see his reaction. includes andrew himself. in his defense, it wasn’t their fault. his reaction is too fun and adorable when being teased. steven knows that too. people tease him because they fond of him. even though doesn’t get the reason. in other worlds, as long as there’s no harm, steven didn’t mind the teases.
(okay, maybe he sulked once or twice) this time is no different. but andrew knows better than that. something bothers steven. and it bothers him.
maybe not for everybody, but it’s obvious to his eyes. andrew wonders if even steven realize his own feeling. for a remarkably smart person, also preternaturally keen to other’s emotion, steven doesn’t have a clue about himself. sometimes it looks like, he simply forgot that he has a feeling too. to him, it’s a very interesting process to watch. sympathy too. at least he’s an open book, so andrew can take care of him. it isn’t necessary job though. andrew knows that, he doesn’t need to watch over steven, or babysit him. no. no matter how many time steven acts like a child, he’s a respectable adult and he can do things properly when he has to.
it just, it feels wrong, to seeing steven is being hurt. he hates it. don’t even want to think about it. andrew just wants to make sure that troubles keep out of his way, make sure something won’t let hurt him. keep him safe. that’s what friends do. right? standing by side watching over each others back. although to andrew that’s not enough. steven no need to know about that. so he just waited until steven left the office.
“why steven became disney princess, suddenly? did something happened in there?” adrew asks, the try guys look each others, grin spreads on their faces. like they recalled good old memory. and what is that? it’s been only few hours. before andrew lost his patience, zach smirks at him and open his mouse finally. “something happened indeed. we almost dropped out the filming because steven has new stalkers.”
“he had what.” andrew knows his voice rises, but he don’t care about that. not now.
“relax, nothing serious, i mean, just animals.” ned adds quickly, holding his hands as if trying to calm him down like andrew is about two seconds from turn to some dangerous creature while zack just waves him off.
“yeah, animals like bunny and furries or some kind of deers. isn’t it typical? it is, you know, one of essential conditions for being princess.” he says in sarcastic tone. but andrew can sense affection in there.
“we tried to making friends with them. so we had to cleaning stalls and washing them, feeding food and helping them, something more to build to gain their trust.” eugene says while eating snack. must be hungry. he shoves a handful of chips into mouth. so zach has to tell instead of him. “they did. with only steven. and that wasn’t fair. he didn’t even help the cleaning!” he exclaimed, fake indignantly.
because he had to holding a camera. or boom mic. but andrew don’t say it out loud. hold it to himself. he don’t want to showing of his favoritism. no more than he’s shown it so far.
“if it wasn’t funcking adorable. i’d stop filming and came back to the office without him. we had to wait for hours.”
“maybe we should have to sing to them.” ned added, everyone laugh again.
even they say like that, it’s obvious they were enjoying the filming. finish his snack, eugene approached to him with camera. “let me show you, here.”
first one. the view starts from entrance of the center. then scene shifted to a forest, look like almost nature thing. andrew impressed. if he don’t see fences and some facilities across divided districts, he might believe it is. and there’s some animals too. camera zoom in on them. they’re scatters here and there on an area. some deers, rabbits. maybe it’s herbivorous zone. at first, the animals didn’t recognize someone watching them. it was a calm, peaceful scene. then suddenly the video footage was shaking a bit like the camera man was ambushed by something. angle down rapidly, almost falls to ground. fortunately the crew managed to catch the camera before hitting on ground. the angle back to normal with a sigh go relief, andrew knows the voice, at the same time his eyes catch sneakers and immediately notices who’s the sneakers’s owner. soon, the sneakers covered by mottled fluffy balls. andrew finds himself melts a bit at the scene. then he heard, ‘i knew it’ somewhat resignedly, steven mumbled in camera.
move on to next one, steven appears in middle of the footage, he sat down surrounded by small animals. a bunny on his lap, others perches on his legs. steven was busy to petting them by turn. deeply concentrated on what he is doing, steven didn’t seem to notice camera at first. he occasionally nodded, lifted his head to only speak to someone who outside of the footage. probably center staff, andrew guesses. from the way steven’s hands moving over anlmals, it looks like he asking things about the animals around him. andrew don’t understand what they’re talked, but it rather affected steven considering his expression; sad, sympathy. worry, all emotions mixed on his face and it looks almost painful. but his touch for them is so gentle and tender. andrew tries not to feel jealous of. these grass eaters. don’t be stupid, illyckyj. after steven did comfort them for a while, finally he tried to up. but a deer nudged him to sitting position again.
the try guys are right. it’s unfair. for he can’t see this in person.
“see? snow princess.” keith says. andrew don’t agree with that, he just says nothing. just stare at the camera. “it seems like, steven has them wrapped around his finger too, huh.” he don’t disagree either.
camera zoom in on, so he can see that steven speak something to her(or him. he don’t know.) with smiling fondly. when andrew thinks their face too close, as i on cue, they brush each others nose accidently. at moment steven looked dumbfound. then he burst out laugh. it sounds happy.
“you’re smiling.” ned says with teasing tone. like he knows that what’s going on there, inside of his head.
“no, i’m not.” andrew frowns instantly, realized that he’s not alone. but it’s too late. even though it’s not exactly secret, still embarrassing to admit to them. even himself. he don’t used to this kind of thing. feeling. of course, he’s been experience of some relationships since teen, through casual to serious term in a way. he dated before, the last one is not too long ago. but it’s different. it’s feels different. andrew never been in here before. that’ why he can’t define his feeling for steven. because steven, for an open book, he’s still an enigma to andrew. and he even don’t know that he really wants to solve this or not. maybe both. what an irony. like steven himself. it’s frustrated him no end. maybe he’s just curious. or not. curiosity never make him fluttering like this.
“i know. this is my favorite too.” ned adds, ignoring his answer. then he smirks at andrew, like he knows what’s going on inside of his head. technically it’s not possible. andrew turns his eyes to other way.
“mine is this one.” thankfully eugene, stepped in appropriate timing. he picks cell phone up again, open video polder and touch the most recent one to play,
in this video. steven tried to sneak out from herbivores zone. he looked around in nervous, tiptoed over to the borderline of forests. but in the middle of escape, he was caught by a bunny, steven’s eyes widen. he stepped backward few steps but tripped over himself to avoid step on little ones, fell over on ground miserably. as if on cue. soon his almost entire body disappeared by the animals. steven yelled ‘i can’t move!’
this time, andrew huffs out little laugh.
the truth about andrew is, he’s always stuck in middle. and he hates it.
it’s mean not only literally but metaphorically too. well, he’s just born that way. the middle child of three brothers. perhaps it wouldn’t be so surprising if there was middle child crisis as expected. he was. no matter how he wants to deny about that. he can feel that it’s still exist somewhere inside him. although not much, just tiny presence now. but it wasn’t from being neglected or left behind though.
his parents are most amazing person he could ever have. they love each other in all sincerity. they are really love him. love he and his brothers all fairly, there’s never a hint of favoritism. treat them with patience and understanding, always supported and encouraged them with open mind. in return, andrew love them wholeheartedly as his other brothers. andrew knows very well how lucky he is. people knows. he lived in small town. when he was younger, his friends often told him it made them feel jealous how perfect, wonderful family that he has. his family may not wealthy, but there was nothing real hardship either. they are humble but confident, on good term with neighbors. a loving and caring family. truly, his family are perfect. probably too perfect, too good for him.
so, it wasn’t really their fault that he had secret inferiority complex. and if they did, at least it’s not on purpose. more likely, it’s andrews problem.
the brothers, although they worked well as a dream team, each performed better separately. they are each two years apart. alex, the oldest one, he’s such a perfection itself. the smartest in brothers, not only he’s fulfill his duty as eldest brother by taking care of his sibling, but also basically everyone around him. as an honer roll student, he always one step ahead of his peers. there’s nothing he can’t do. everything about his brother is perfect and elegant. perfect student, perfect friend, perfect veterinarian, perfect boyfriend, perfect brother and perfect son. he’s the proud one in family. someday even if his older brother throwing his hat in the ring, to running for president, andrew wouldn’t be surprise.
on the contrary max, the youngest, he’s a rascal and rebel. not to family or innocents, but against society, to irrational system, like convention and corruption things. the trouble maker in brothers. he’s bold, daring and brave. it’s not fake or immature thing. he’s a genuine one. some people might consider him a bad boy by his acts and wild looks but not really. seemingly he’s lone wolf. the truth is, he’s such a darling to everyone. it was impossible not to love this guy. he’s the charming one in family. as social butterfly by nature, the younger one loves party and people. his irresistible smile attracts people, especially to women since he born. ladies boy to ladies man now. also he’s a journalist too. he put his heart and soul into these works. andrew is sure that his baby brother gonna surprise the world.
as if that’s not enough, both of them belonged to the football team when in high school. the linebacker and the quarterback. and andrew? people might expected that he was in there too. maybe the center. but no. although he can play if he wants ( his brothers used to practice on the others. so yeah) he was in drama club.
andrew is well, just andrew. it wasn’t mean that he was the ugly duckling. if anything, andrew had a good time in his own way. not exactly the popular one, but close to. he has a dry sense of humor that people thinks really funny. he looks cool, calm and collected but still friendly one. he had good grade, he has good friends, he was one of main players in dram club. he was good in many things. sometimes andrew thought that he just playing a role in real life. mostly original, but still mixing copy in a character. almost perfect as much as the older one. almost charming as much as younger one. but not enough to satisfied himself. he can’t impressed people like them. middle isn’t means center anyway.
like he said. his parents love them equally, never compared them to others. andrew compared himself to them. andrew knows he shouldn’t treat himself like that. but he couldn’t stop either.
sure, the family lives in harmony but that didn’t mean they are flawless. yes. he said the word perfect maybe too many times. ‘perfect’ as humanly possible. of course they have trouble too, they fight and sulk to each others as other people do that. over ridiculous things like toothpaste flavor to some serious issue. and apologize, back to life as if nothing had ever happened. likewise, of course andrew knows they are just mortal as much as he is. but can’t help the noticing that they all way better than him. no one wouldn’t agree with him though. no one understand his feeling ether. that’s why he thought this is his problem.
when andrew was in college, he played several roles in several plays than high school. his professor told him he’s talented one. even though andrew couldn’t sure about that, but occasionally he found himself that how easily he into the roles. it was fun to become another person which he never gonna be in reality. it felt good. like drug, he was kind of addicted to it a bit. sometimes he felt that he’s breathing easier in roles than just himself. first time andrew realized that, he immediately felt guilty, like he betrayed his family. although he did his best to hide it. god. what’s wrong with him. he used to ask this to himself. but there was no answer. it’s like poverty midst plenty, surrounding people, somewhat he felt lonely. if it’s any consolation, at least his acting is good.
he might too busy to struggling with himself.(low key self-conscious, loneliness, self-induced pressure) andrew tends to catching up with things later. for example, his confused sexuality. actually it started at his sophomore year(his best guessing) didn’t nocticed until senior year. of college. he was a mess at that time. he’s in shock, not really ashamed of that but don’t know how to deal with. he already had enough shit.
or
“what do you mean, you have known this what, whole time?”
“i’m your mom andy, what do you expect from me? and stop looking at me like that.”
“like what?”
“like i ate your whole candy!”
“were you?”
or
“dad?”
“well, son. we couldn’t sure about that. just guess, you didn’t show any particular sign about that, but you know, we’re your parents. and you was in drama club anyway.”
“i hate this family.”
“no, you’re not.”
or
“so..you can have men and women both, huh? you hit the jackpot, bro!“
“you’re not helping.”
“if you want to join community, talk me anytime. i know some people who can help.”
“you just want to use me to date with them. you jerk.”
or
“if you want to meet someone, maybe i can introduce my friends or visitors.”
“thank you, but no thank you.”
“which do you prefer, cat person or dog person?”
“stop.”
huh.
he knows that his family not gonna judging him with that. it went well as expected. too well. jesus fucking christ, his parents have known before he realized. his brothers, they accepted it like he changed his hair color. so, no surprising. no shock. no bewilderment, no fussing. and andrew, he found himself a little disappointing about that. seriously what’s wrong with him, he asked himself again as many time did. it wasn’t make any sense. he got the best response as much as he could get, from people who he care most deeply about. and upset with that? what the hell.
but he couldn’t show it, as always.
after some wandering, andrew began to working for that company called buzzfeed. it was niki, his best friend suggestion. who already had been there. he met her senior year of college. they was in class for studying filmmaking (his major. theater was minor) they really clicked immediately. they have similar personalities and dispositions andrew is comfortable around her. he knows her, she knows him. niki understand him in that way no one did before. they talked about almost everything. also she realized his sexuality faster than him.
it was surprisedly easy for him to adjusted to life in california. there’re so many people. so many food. and sun. the sunshine is so bright it got him almost blinding. floods into everywhere, you can’t hide nothing from that. for a quite while, he hadn’t notice that he changed mood. he’s been too busy to think about anything else but adapt new life. it was refreshing. warming him up under the sun, he thought maybe it’s time to stop hiding. he should to living his own life. now he feels more independent, more freedom than before. it reminded him first college year, but better. he living on his money now. maybe that’w why. maybe for the first time in his life, he’s simply in the right place at the right time.
steven wasn’t.
“i think you’re the right person for this show.”
when steven approached him and said like that, it takes a moment for the words sink in. and andrew realized that steven is still there, sitting in next to him. so he has no a choice but turn his body steven’s way to facing him. if others did as steven did, he may get suspicious first.(fuck candid camera.) but he’s steven lim. it’s not like andrew knows him well. aside from his name, tall, thin asian, blond, awkward but smart guy. and that’s all. nothing above average except height. he’s no problem with that. what and don’t understand is, it seems everybody in buzzfeed loves steven a lot. without any special reason. nothing wrong with the love. but something in there, or something off in there. some people acts as if they’re possessed by whatever, how andrew can know what is it? just it feels little bit unnatural. but again, he really don’r know about steven lim. but andrew also knows that; he’s not kind of backstabbing person. as an actor, andrew is sure that steven is incapable of telling a lie. well, technically he can. just he’d be a terrible liar.
he can see steven tried to look casual, but obviously it’s not works when steven wiggling in his chair like a nervous child. moreover he fidgeting his hands constantly and he’s eyes, are looking everywhere in the office but him.
stop that. andrew feels an urge to snap at him, or hold his armchair to stop him
“are you sure? don’t get me wrong. but i never expect this.” not from you.
instead, he tries answered calmly. he’s already guilty of one thing to steven. don’t have a plan for make another sin. adam’s going to kill him. who talked to him about the show steven and him are planning. “why me? i mean, we barely know each other.” andrew asks, because it’s true.
steven nods, enthusiastically. “i’m sure. and you’re right. we don’t know each other. that’s why we need you. we compare food on food. but our difference, i think it gonna inject some life there.” steven nods again, not to andrew this time. like he wants to make sure at himself too. he knits his brows like he thinks hard something. andrew realizes that he stopped the wiggling. so he is serious. “and i heard that you’re not picky.” steven adda, in seriousness. like it’s most important problem in there. and okay. andrew has to keep a straight face.
“and?” it’s come out softly more than he thinks he would be, almost encouragingly. it works.
“and i heard you love foods. i need someone who would be really, truly professional about this show. we gotta do a lot of things just for this. we don’t need expert. we need passion, sincerity and devotion to go on the this show. i am. but when i go too far, i need someone drag me down to ground.” he explains, sincerely, while steven talked to him, steven looking at him straight in his eyes. somehow andrew impresses.
“and you think of me?” amused too. it’s not like andrew isn’t tempt by that. andrew did filming with him once. steven’s good. the concept is appearing. and adam would be there too. it’s gonna be a good shot.
“yes. i’m sure that we’ll get along fine. i don’t know you well. but i know you’re good from my experience.”now he blushes. it’s pretty. and his desperate, hopeful expression says more than words. steven’s eyes are too dark andrew almost can’t find the iris. but it’s most transparent eyes that he ever seen. vulnerable even. andrew can see through his eyes.
“i’ll think about that.” andrew finds himself says like that. how can he say no to this?
“really? wow, thank you, wow. i know it’s not easy decision. but you won’t be disappointed when you join the team!” steven beams at him. then he jumps to his feet like he’s so excited that he can’t sit still. god, how old he is, twelve? and he don’t know where is it come from but, suddenly it feels like,
“it’ll be worth it.” steven says softly.
exactly.
then steven is gone. as suddenly as he appears. andrew’s mind lost for while; mulling over the suggestion. andrew don’t know well about steven, but he seems nice and passionate. also a bit perfectionist like andrew himself. he can feel that. and even he don’t know about steven. he knows adam. adam is caution man in every respect, he’s nice to everyone, but open his heart to others is whole another story. and andrew knows that adam really, really fond of steven. after all, they are very close. he can trust adam. but andrew knows he already made his mind before this consideration. then andrew realizes, he has never been apologize to steven. about last time incident. maybe steven forgets it already, given that he acting around d him. but still, andrew should to apologize to him regardless of the show. that was unfair to steven. next time he see steven, he’d to do. andrew remind himself.
or more to be accurate, gifted!steven au (it’s still standrew even there’s no andrew) or what i am doing....but can’t stop thinking about this
steven lim has a little secret
when he’s around, there’s something in the air. don’t know how to explain it, to most people sending time with him often has a soothing or pleasing effect on them. don’t matter how they felt or what they through before. sometimes it feels as if soft tingling with delicate, feathery touch. as if the giddy moments, walking on the cloud that don’t wanna come down ever. sometimes it feels as if floating in warm water under the sun. when in those condition people can’t upset with him. or get depressed. it feels addicted to good drug, if there is good drug. it has influences like the one. people don’t know what is it. even can’t recognized it. they just know that there’s something about steven lim besides he’s such a sweet, charming guy. well, briefly described, he was gifted with strong personal magnetism. literally.
not his words by the way. steven agreed with that only partly, and the rest, he’d willingly like to correct that it felt like cursed.
it’s not like steven is a superhero or something. neither he can do something like witchcraft. he is not witch, his parents are definitely not. his entire family are not. at least as far as he knows, no. It’s just one of the traits that runs in his mom family for generation. it wasn’t always succeeded in every generation. his mom and grandma don’t have that ability. first time he heard the story, he was nothing but a innocent kid. and steven loves it, even he didn’t believe that fully, it sound like awesome fairy tale. until it is not.
without any warning, on he’s 13th birthday, suddenly he had a worst fever he has ever had. his family worried as hell, closed to calling ambulance. but day after he got rid of the fever as if nothing had ever happened. no harm done, so it just passed like that.
in the beginning, nobody knows about that. somehow it is immune to people who he had been known before the power is awaken in him. like his family, his best friend jen, school friends and neighbors. no one had a smallest doubt about that. steven is always cheerful and jolly. love to learning and challenging. he was not popular kids. but he’s good one. everyone know that. sweet as honey, honest and kind, quite but friendly one. he wasn’t afraid to talk and meet people. he was.
it slightly changed when he entered high school. yes, he was living in a small town, but somehow he met new people. they are, both students and teachers were really happy to see him. when he walked by, people turn and react appreciatively. call him up, talked to him sweetly. they seemed to quite enjoy being with him. not gonna lie, at first steven was really enjoying this. it was really fun that watching people around going to almost melt. he couldn’t help feeling a little bit smug. it’s not like he really has power over them but still, it feels like that.
strangely enough, he felt something too. when there was people who hard time with feeling, steven can make them happy by just existing. it makes him happy too but sometimes it was too much. for example, he got tired easily. he didn’t think much of it though. he had been very busy in recent months and had to spending energy to get along friends. maybe this is growing pains.(actually he start to growing taller and taller, finally out of puberty and starts thinking rationally) maybe this is normal for being popular in reality? but it was not getting better. as time passed, he was feel quite exhausted all the time as something took his energy. he starts to sleeps a lot that really a lot. sometimes he was so sleepy can barely drive so his friends had to take him. his parents worried, but theres nothing wrong with him physically.
at the same time, strong things had starting to happened. there was a teacher who taught science, mr. daimler (hahaha) he was average man, nothing special mid 30s at a guess, he’s mostly don’t give a shit to students. but steven loves science so usually had paying attention in class. but sometimes..frankly too often he feels intense stare from front. really, it was too intense. their eyes met always when steven raise his head accidentally. theres no threatening, nothing like criminal, though something off, it made steven uncomfortable, nervous. steven even thought that he was drunk (oh my god is he really drunk at 10am?) but no. his friends in same class didn’t think like that (what? are you drunk steven?)
one day steven fall asleep during class. when he wake up, don’t know what time is it. but it felt long hour, enough to finish school day. too quite to think people hanging around (why his friends don’t wake him up? seriously jen? why he’s still in the classroom. and why the teacher still in the classroom too? why he is staring me like that? like he…wants eating me alive?!) it makes him wanting to hide. okay. maybe it was little bit threatening. mr. daimler was sitting at his desk. his both hands on the desk, the knuckles of his clechecf fists almost gone white. like he held it back something. he couldn’t remember much about that what next happen. maybe his instinct wake up. he had almost jumping from his seat, pretending to call jen while running out of the classroom. he couldn’t looking behind because too scared. he thought he never forgot the expression on teacher. the moment it’s remind steven of a horror movie he saw, about zombies. and it was like, the cue. he can't help but notice the change around him.
when he go out with friends, some strangers who was passing by him stop walking and turn to searching him, even following him. as if someone had bewitched them. maybe he was paranoid after the classroom accident(he couldn’t talked to anyone. it was ridicules. it sounded like ridicules and it was not like that he was in real danger, right?) but not only him, his friends noticed that behavior. nobody thought seriously, teased him by calling him like ‘magnet for weirdo’, ‘the pied piper’. they just thought this things happened because of his soft looking. steven was not. that time, he had an idea but he can’t believe that. the story he was told from mom and nana, that was just story. like unicorn, like mermaid. right?
between his childhood friends, steven not really has a personal space. they are his closest friends. grew up together since he was little. they don’t mind to invade to each others bubble. people became more and more…handsy with him. touching his shoulder and hair constantly, petting him involuntary. most of them done without his consent. people apologized after realizing what they did, and added to say that makes them felt pleasant tingle. honestly it was freak him out. suddenly it isn’t fun anymore. in his senior year. steven had start to avoid people.
one day he went to party for celebrate their graduation. big party he had ever been to. and it was really going a balm. house rang with music and laughter. even steven who had been careful with people for a time, loosened. for what reason he was drunk. he was not exactly fan of alcohol, but he survived from high school. of course he deserve that. and things weren’t so bad, after all. he enjoyed the party among friends. it felt good let things flow. release the tension, let the guard down. and without any warning, suddenly a stranger approached him and catch his wrist. she looks like a girl possessed. steven just had frozen there. something came crowding into his mind. and he hates it immediately she tried to touch him more. felt weird, gross. he can’t stop it. thankfully there was his friends too. they stoped her. she looks as if woken from a dream, apologized immediately and wondered why she had done that. maybe she was drunk too. but when steven turned to left party, it stopped by some boy nearby. he banged him into wall, caged steven with his body, buried his nose in the steven’s neck. his friends had to repeat what they did before. and another same things happens. and another one. after this disaster all of them thought, okay this is fucking creepy. what the fuck steven? but steven couldn’t answer. the next thing he knows, he passed out in the middle of party. fuck.
finally he and his family realized how serious the situation. they talked about this, sought more information, investigated the cause with symptoms all the while.
it only activated in person
it’s not working with physical pain. (thank god)
it’s working on not only human. but animal, plant too. (okay this is cool.)
as he grows older, it will become stronger.
drunk state makes it too. (not cool)
there’s people who immune to his influence. there’s some levels though. rare to find.
- the closer to him, it feels stronger. longer to stay near him, it feels stronger.
touching him, beyond that. depends on the scale, it can get taking people high like on dope.
it is not some free gift. if he could influence on people, they could have the same opportunity. it was drained of his energy both mentally or physically. somehow it is remind steven of energy conservation. when give them positive energy, also they gave him the same amount of negative energy. like balance of yin and yang.
that’s why he was tired all the time. felt something invaded him. that’s why his hair color changed when he woke up from pass out and hangover. it’s gone to very lighter than before. almost light brown. huh. there’s more things but in short, it works as empathy regardless of his will. fuck.
so his college life, went to hell as expected. he tried to don’t mind the thing that he have (he don’t know how to call it. power? talent? mutantion? no, NO) it wasn’t easy as say that. he couldn’t ignore it as much as he wanted. campus was full of strangers. and he can’t lose control himself. he need to learning that how to control it. but again, it wasn’t easy as say that. it’s skip almost 5 generation. then suddenly popped into his life.
most of time steven acted carefully around people. protect his personal space. when he had letting the guard down unwittingly, people acting as if they are bunch of happy zombies. steven is the prey. obsessed being with him, as if they want to cuddle him like some kitten and never let him go.
when he was in really good chance, he found some immunes, or half immune. they thought it was funny though. (‘dude, are you oozing out some pheromone that only i can’t catch?’ ‘where’s your pipe, stevie?’ do you gonna take them to your own kingdom somewhere hidden? that’s not fair. we’re your friends but weren’t invited yet’ ‘stop’) or somehow, became protective of him. he can take care of himself thank you very much.
he didn’t go party, didn’t go bar, didn’t get drunk, didn’t date. actually he was asked out several times, turned down all though. too busy to deal with his own problem. didn’t even notice them. some people didn’t understand him. and god, it was really frustrated. because he can’t understand himself either.
it’s not like, he don’t hate his ‘things’. in a manner of speaking, he has a love/hate relationship with it. he really likes to help people. watching the sadness or something gone, happiness shined on them because of him, that moment he is happy too. especially with the people he cared about.
but it’s not like, they want to be with steven himself, right? the thing that is what people wants. not steven lim. what if, what if the thing is gone, people still want to be with him? still love him?
his family and friends told him don’t be an idiot, but sometimes he felt as an idiot. well, most of time. the worst part is, if he wants, he might using the things for benefit himself. he never did like that in purpose. never would. but the temptation, very few time he felt, made him feel like a freak. it feels so wrong. disgusted with himself, it made him lose of appetite for love.no matter how much he wanted, can’t trust himself. can’t trust people. although he loves them, no interest falling love with them. and this inner argument that he deals with, somehow makes him was introvert on the other hand, very sociable man at the same time.
god. why it is gonna be so long?
long story short after graduation,
buzzfeed, the bunch of immunes, praise them. more than half of them are immunes. and still wants to be his friends. it’s miracle. he thought that finally found his place. for a long time in his life he felt normal again.
by the time his hair gone nearly pure blond with soft rosy hue. (‘wow. you hair color is amazing. isn’t it hard to get like that?’ ‘it was.’ was it your idea?’ ‘i don’t want to.’) there was some accidents when he was still in college. still learning to how to control it, he really tried to coping with ‘the thing’. he can’t live like that forever after all. (just gave his free will up? no thanks) after some trials and errors. he could block others feeling and his own. not fully, but it is better than nothing. it was useless when it comes to drunk though. and how naive he was. only thought that he might take advantage of them. didn’t think take advantage of him ever. he wouldn’t repeat the same mistake again. so he keeps his secret himself besides jen who has been known that from beginning. and adam. the blissful immune, after steven revealed the secret accidentally, adam calmed him down and swore that he won’t speak a word to anybody about the part of him. they became best friends quickly. time passing. and you know,
enter andrew. the one who is not only a handsome immune, but somehow fascinated with him. it’s confusing steven. frustrating for andrew and adam too. (for both of them. the idiots.)
