àč àč àŁ â everyone thinks you and kim ryul can't stand each other. maybe they're right. maybe that's why he keeps an arm around your waist the entire drive, lets you steal all his warmth when your fever gets worse, and kisses your forehead when he thinks you're asleep.
you and ryul had known each other since before either of you could properly walk.
your parents had been best friends since their university days, and somewhere along the way, they'd decided the two of you should become best friends tooâor as your mom like to teasingly say, 'maybe something more'.
well, instead. all you and ryul ever did was bicker.
he stole your fries.
you hid his shoes.
he told everyone at your ninth birthday party that you still wet your bed at night.
you 'accidentally' spilled grape juice on his favorite basketball jersey.
and he would always laugh at you every time you fell off your bike.
it had been like that for as long as either of you could rememberâa never-ending competition where neither of you was ever willing to lose.
your parents kept insisting that the fighting meant you were "close."
you insisted that they were just imagining things.
ryul insisted that you were just dramatic.
then you insisted that he was the problem.
and ten years later, neither of you had changed your minds.
so when both families decided to go on another road trip together, they figured they might as well invite ohyul, woojin, and louis along too. since you and ryul were both only children, having a few more people your age seemed like a good idea. the more, the merrier, you guessed. besides, you weren't exactly surprised.
family trips always ended the same way.
somehow, in some way, you and ryul always got stuck together.
you just hadn't expected it to be quite this literal.
the rented van was packed from floor to ceiling. suitcases were stacked on top of one another. a cooler occupied half the aisle. travel pillows were stuffed wherever there was space.
and someone, probably your mom, had packed enough snacks to survive an apocalypse.
by the time you and ryul climbed into the van, everyone else had already claimed their seats.
you stopped in the doorway.
"...you've got to be kidding me."
there wasn't a single empty seat left.
well...not exactly.
way in the very back sat one lonely seat, squeezed between a wall of luggage.
your mom looked over her shoulder before smiling a little too innocently.
"oh!"
she clapped her hands together.
"i know."
tou immediately pointed at her.
"mom, no."
"...honey, i haven't even said anything yet."
"you don't have to."
your aunt peeked over the seat, tryingâand failing to hide her grin.
"y/n can just sit on ryul's lap."
"auntieeeee, absolutely not."
you answered so quickly that louis snorted from the row ahead.
woojin actually twisted around in his seat just to watch what happened next.
ryul, meanwhile, looked up from his phone.
"...works for me."
you stared at him.
"excuse me?"
he slipped his phone into his pocket and shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.
"it's only a couple of hours."
"problem solved." your dad laughed.
you looked around the van, silently hoping someone would volunteer to switch.
but nobody did.
because ohyul had already put his headphones on. louis suddenly became very interested in the scenery outside. and woojin whistled to himself like he hadn't heard a thing.
freaking traitors.
with one long, defeated sigh, you climbed over the pile of suitcases toward the back.
"careful."
ryul reached out instinctively, one hand settling lightly against your waist as you climbed over the mountain of suitcases.
"...i'm aware." you muttered, trying to balance yourself without accidentally kneeing him in the face.
"you almost stepped on my foot."
"consider it payback."
"for what?"
"existing."
"harsh." he clicked his tongue, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward anyway.
once you finally managed to squeeze into the tiny space, you let out a long sigh before carefully lowering yourself onto his lap.
"happy?" you asked dryly.
"...not really."
he shifted slightly beneath you, trying to make room where there really wasn't any.
"comfortable?"
"absolutely not."
"same."
the van pulled away from the driveway a second later, earning a chorus of cheers from louis and woojin somewhere in the middle row.
within minutes, music filled the speakers.
your moms were already laughing over stories from university.
your dads had started discussing which rest stop supposedly had the best coffee.
everything was loud.
lively.
exactly how every family trip usually started.
except, you weren't arguing anymore.
ryul noticed after about fifteen minutes.
normally, you would've complained at least three times by now. that he was sitting weird. that his finger kept poking your arm. that his knees were bony. that somehow, this entire seating arrangement was his fault.
instead... you stayed unusually quiet.
he glanced down.
"did you lose your voice?"
"...hm?"
"you've been unexpectedly quiet."
you rolled your eyes weakly before turning your attention back toward the window.
the scenery blurred past. green trees. small shops. the occasional motorcycle weaving between lanes.
your eyelids felt heavier with every passing minute.
another bump in the road.
your body tipped sideways before you could catch yourself.
ryul's hand found your waist immediately.
steadying you.
firm enough to stop you from sliding into the luggage.
"...careful." he murmured.
"...thanks."
you didn't move away.
usually, you would've. usually, you'd complain about him touching you. instead, you simply stayed where you were. leaning just slightly against him.
that...
wasn't like you.
his eyes drifted toward your face again.
your cheeks looked pink.
at first, he blamed the weather.
then he noticed the way you kept rubbing your arms beneath your hoodie.
"...cold?"
you hesitated. "...little bit."
"it's thirty degrees outside."
you stayed quiet.
then ryul frowned.
without really thinking, he lifted the back of his hand toward your forehead.
you blinked. "...what are youâ"
his hand brushed your skin. he froze.
warm. far warmer than it should've been.
his hand slid carefully to the side of your neck.
still warm. too warm.
"...baby."
the nickname slipped out before he could stop himself.
quiet and instinctive.
"...you're burning up."
you blinked at him slowly. "...am i?"
"don't play dumb."
his brows knitted together.
"since when?"
you looked down at your hands.
"...this morning."
"this morning?"
a tiny nod.
"why didn't you tell anybody?"
you shrugged weakly.
"everyone's been excited about this trip... didn't wanna ruin it."
ryul stared at you for a long moment. then quietly sighed through his nose.
"...you're impossible."
there wasn't an ounce of annoyance in his voice. only something softer. something that sounded suspiciously like concern.
he reached behind him, feeling around the pile of bags until his fingers found one of the travel blankets.
he shook it open with one hand before draping it carefully over your shoulders.
the blanket slipped almost immediately.
"hold still." he muttered.
you obediently stayed still while he tucked it around you properly.
one corner over your shoulder. another around your arms. making sure it wouldn't fall again.
"...there."
"...you're fussing." you mumbled.
"didn't know you knew how."
ryul huffed a quiet laugh. and you only hummed in response.
the blanket settled comfortably around your shoulders, trapping what little warmth it could.
still... it wasn't quite enough.
a shiver ran through you before you could stop it.
ryul felt it.
without saying anything, he shifted you a little closer, one hand resting against your side as he adjusted your position on his lap.
"...c'mere."
it was barely a whisper. more instinct than invitation. and you went without thinking. your body naturally leaned into his. your cheek found his shoulder first. then, after another quiet moment, you tucked your face into the crook of his neck.
his shirt smelled faintly of detergent and whatever cologne he'd sprayed on that morning.
warm and comfortable.
you let out the smallest sigh.
ryul glanced down.
"better?"
you gave a sleepy nod against him.
that was enough.
his arm slipped around your waist, drawing you impossibly closer until there wasn't any space left between the two of you.
his hand settled against your side, rubbing slow, absentminded circles through your hoodie.
every pass seemed to chase away a little more of the chill clinging to your body.
you didn't realize when your own arms moved.
one of them slowly wrapped around his middle beneath the blanket, fingers curling lightly into the fabric of his shirt.
ryul's eyes dropped to your hand. a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
he didn't tease you. didn't point it out.
he simply covered your hand with his for a second, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting it rest where it was.
another bump in the road made the van sway.
instinctively, you burrowed even closer, your nose brushing against his neck.
your grip tightened ever so slightly.
ryul's arm around your waist tightened with it.
"...easy." he murmured.
his chin came to rest lightly on top of your head.
one hand remained around your waist while the other drifted up to smooth your hair back from your face.
his fingers lingered for a moment against your temple before disappearing into your hair, gently combing through the strands.
he kept doing it absentmindedly.
slow strokes. over and over.
the kind that made it harder to stay awake.
your eyes fluttered shut.
you barely noticed yourself melting further into him until your entire weight was resting against his chest.
he adjusted without complaint.
one arm securely around you, the other pulling the blanket higher over both of you this time.
covering your shoulders, then his own, sharing the warmth.
the rest of the drive stretched on around you.
louis and woojin were still arguing somewhere near the front.
your parents laughed over stories from years ago.
every now and then, the van would hit another bump, but ryul's arm tightened around your waist before you could even be jostled awake.
at some point, you'd fallen asleep completely.
your face was tucked into the crook of his neck, one arm still wrapped loosely around his middle.
you looked impossibly comfortable.
ryul glanced down.
carefully, he brushed a loose strand of hair away from your face, tucking it behind your ear so it wouldn't keep tickling your cheek.
you barely stirred.
just another sleepy little sigh before unconsciously snuggling even closer.
"...clingy." he murmured, though the fond smile on his face gave him away.
not that he minded.
if anything...he only pulled you closer.
his chin rested lightly against the top of your head while one hand continued its slow, absentminded circles along your back beneath the blanket.
he stayed like that for a while.
just holding you. making sure you stayed warm.
the sky outside had begun to darken, painting the windows in shades of orange before slowly fading into blue.
ryul looked down at you one last time.
"...hey."
his voice was barely above a whisper.
you didn't wake.
only hummed softly against his neck.
he smiled. then, very gently, he leaned down.
his lips brushed against your forehead.
the kiss lingered for just a second.
warm and careful.
"...get well soon, baby."
his thumb swept once across your side before settling there again.
"i'll take care of you until then."
you never opened your eyes.
instead, your arms tightened around him just a little, almost as if your sleeping mind had heard him anyway.
ryul let out the quietest laugh. "...yeah"
he rested his cheek against the top of your head, keeping you tucked safely against his chest as the van carried everyone farther down the highway.
a/n : HIII EVERYONEE !! took me long enough to finally post another ryul fic for u guys! also... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 1K LIKES ON MY LAST RYUL FIC. i seriously wasn't expecting that at all đ i love ya'll so much đ
i really, really, hope ya'll enjoy this one as much as the last ficccc <3
when ryul gets drunk, he becomes brutally honest. not the kind of honest that starts arguments or reveals secrets, but the kind of honest that makes it painfully obvious of how much he likes you.
which is unfortunate, for everyone else.
because sober ryul at least pretends to have self-control.
but drunk ryul?
absolutely not.
the second alcohol hits his system, he suddenly needs to be touching you at all times.
a hand on your waist. his arm around your shoulder. his chin resting on top of your head. his fingers tangled with yours. anything and everything.
he just simply refuses to leave you alone.
it starts about an hour into the party.
the music isn't too loud, and people are scattered around the room talking. and you're standing near the bar with one of your friends when you suddenly feel a familiar pair of arms wrapping around your waist from behind, without any warning and shame.
you don't even need to turn around to know who it is.
"hi, baby." his voice slightly slurred. not concerning, but enough to tell that he's definitely tipsy.
you laugh softly and glance over your shoulder.
"hi, ryul," he only hums in response, tightening his arms around your waist before resting his chin on your shoulder.
"you okay, babe?" you asked softly, turning your head slightly to look at him. one of your hands came up to gently cup his cheek, your thumb brushing across his skin.
ryul immediately leaned into your touch.
"mhmh..."
his eyes fluttered shut for a second, and he looked way softer than he did five seconds ago.
and you couldn't help but smile.
"yeah?" you teased quitely.
another hum.
and before you knew it, he was practically melting against you, all of his weight leaning onto your shoulder as if standing by himself had become way too much work.
"girl," your friend stared at the two of you, looking completely bewildered.
"does he always do this?"
you glanced down at the arms currently wrapped around your waist before laughing softly.
"pretty much."
"we're literally in the middle of a conversation."
before you could answer, ryul spoke up from behind you.
"doesn't matter."
your friend blinked.
"...i can hear and see you."
"good."
ryul tightened his hold around your waist immediately.
dramatically & possessively.
like he genuinely believed somebody might steal you if he let go for more than three seconds.
"she likes me more."
your friend burst out laughing.
"oh my god."
"it's true," ryul insisted.
you rolled your eyes.
"ryul."
"what?"
"you're being weird."
he gasps. like actually gasps. then lifts his head from your shoulder just to stare at you in disbelief.
"you think i'm weird?"
"...a little."
"wow."
he shakes his head dramatically before burying his face against your neck.
"i've never been more betrayed in my life."
it only gets even worse from here. because now that ryul has attached himself to you, he refuses to leave. and everywhere you go, he follows.
when you walk to the bar to get another drink, he's right behind you with his arm wrapped securely around your waist.
when you sit down on one of the couches, he immediately drops beside you, throwing an arm over your shoulders.
at one point, you leave to use the bathroom.
and when you come back?
he's already waiting outside the bathroom door. leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
you stop in front of him, trying to hold back a smile.
"were you waiting for me?"
"yeah."
"...why?"
he blinks. once. like you've just asked the most ridiculous question imaginable.
"cause you left."
you stare.
ryul pouts slightly. like actually pouts.
"and i missed you."
your heart immediately betrays you.
"ryul."
"what?"
"i went to the bathroom for three minutes."
"longest three minutes of my life."
you laugh despite yourself.
and ryul immediately brightens. because apparently, making you laugh was worth standing outside a bathroom waiting for you.
which, honestly?
explains a lot about him.
"you're ridiculous."
"but you love me."
you roll your eyes, though the smile on your face gives you away immediately.
"maybe."
"maybe?"
he narrows his eyes dramatically.
"that's crazy. after i suffered for three whole minutes."
"you survived."
"barely."
before he can continue complaining, you reach up and gently cup his cheek.
the words die in his throat immediately.
then, before he can process what's happening, you lean forward and press a quick kiss against his cheek.
soft and warm, gone in a second.
and ryul freezes completely.
"...baby."
you laugh softly.
"what?"
he just stares at you. speechless for once in his life.
but then a slow grin starts spreading across his face. the kind that means he's about to become even more unbearable.
"do that again."
"absolutely not."
"please?"
"no."
"baby."
"ryul."
"baby."
you groan. immediately regretting it when he wraps his arms around your waist again, looking entirely too pleased with himself. because now he has a new reason to stay attached to you for the rest of the night.
the grin on ryul's face never disappeared after that.
not even a little.
if anything, it got worse.
because apparently one kiss on the cheek was enough to make him completely insufferable for the rest of the night.
he stayed attached to your side the entire time, his hand always finding yours the second you started walking. his fingers immediately intertwined with yours, holding on like he was afraid you'd somehow disappear again.
you can only laugh and let him.
because honestly? you were starting to get used to it.
the others, however, were not.
especially louis.
"hyung."
"what."
louis stared at the two of you in disbelief.
"you've followed y/n noona into four different spots tonight."
ryul glanced over.
"and?"
"and that's not normal."
"yes it is."
"NO IT ISN'T."
woojin who's beside him immediately nodded.
"he's right. this is actually getting concerning."
"thank you," louis said, pointing at woojin dramatically before turning back to ryul. "i saw you standing outside the bathroom waiting for her."
ryul frowned slightly.
"that's because she was in there."
louis and woojin blinked in disbelief.
"THAT'S NOT AN EXPLANATION."
you couldn't help but laugh.
which only made ryul smile.
"see?" ryul said, gesturing toward you proudly. "she gets it."
"she absolutely does not get it," louis shot back immediately.
"i do a little bit," you admitted.
"NOONA!"
"baby, thank you."
"STOP ENCOURAGING HIM."
ryul ignores him completely.
instead, he immediately reaches for your hand again.
things reach their peak when a random guy decided to sit beside you.
that's it. that's the crime.
and suddenly ryul looks offended. like someone personally insulted him.
you notice immediately.
mostly because his arm tightens around your waist.
"ryul."
"hm?"
"why are you glaring?"
"i'm not."
you look directly at him.
he looks directly at the random guy.
and the guy looks terrified.
"...babe."
"what?"
"you're definitely glaring."
"only a little."
"RYUL."
he sighs dramatically before finally looking away.
then, without warning, he gently cups your face and presses a kiss on your lips.
right there. in front of everybody. just because.
and your face immediately felt warm.
"what was that for?"
he shrugs.
"felt like it," ryul simply said.
of course he did.
later that night, when the party starts winding down and people begin heading home, you finally manage to get ryul into the passenger seat of your car.
which should've made things easier. but it doesn't. because now he has you all to himself.
the moment you start driving, he turns in his seat to face you completely.
and just... stares.
you glance over.
"why are you looking at me like that?"
"because you're pretty."
you almost missed a turn.
"ryul."
"what?"
"stop."
"i'm serious."
he sounds genuinely confused. like he doesn't understand why that's embarrassing.
"you're really pretty."
you can feel yourself smiling despite your best efforts.
a few minutes later, the car grows quiet.
you assume he's finally falling asleep.
until you feel his fingers finding yours across the center console.
holding your hand loosely and comfortably.
like he can't help himself.
and when you finally get home, you barely make it through the front door before ryul wraps himself around you again.
his arms slide around your waist immediately while his face disappears into your shoulder.
and for the first time all night, he's completely quiet.
"babe?"
he hums softly.
"you tired?"
another hum. but this one is sleepier.
you smile and run your fingers through his hair.
and he melts in an instant. the tension leaves his shoulders. his grip loosens slightly. and he leans into your touch without even realizing it.
"you know," you murmur softly, "you're very clingy when you're drunk."
you feel him smile against your shoulder.
"only when it's you."
and honestly?
you think that might be the sweetest thing he's said all night.
which is saying a lot.
because he's spent the entire evening attached to your side, kissing you whenever he felt like it, holding your hand every chance he got, and looking at you like you were the best thing in the room.
a few minutes later, he's asleep. half on top of you. arms still around your waist. completely unwilling to let go even in his sleep.
and as you sit there trapped beneath your ridiculously clingy boyfriend, gently brushing your fingers through his hair while he sleeps against you, you can't help laughing quietly to yourself.
because tomorrow morning, ryul is going to be so embarrassed.
but tonight? he's too busy loving you out loud to care.
ryul wasn't angry. he'd like that to be known. he was simply... annoyed. well, slightly. maybe a little? or a lot.
the problem was that nobody seemed interested in taking him seriously.
earlier that afternoon, the members, especially woojin the ragebaiter had spent nearly an hour making fun of him after louis accidentally found an entire album of your pictures in his phone. because according to them, having exactly seven hundred and three pictures of your girlfriend was apparently concerning.
but down bad ryul completely disagrees.
"she's my girlfriend," ryul repeated, looking mildly offended that even he had to explain himself.
the slight furrow between his brows made it obvious that having an album of his girlfriend's pictures is simply reasonable.
"that's not helping," woojin immediately replied.
"hyung, normal people don't have that many pictures."
"i'm literally normal," ryul casually replied.
"hyung... you have screenshots." woojin stated.
"literally screenshots of y/n noona's instagram post before you even knew her. that's creepy."
after that, ryul had stopped participating in the conversation entirely.
which was how he ended up sitting alone, phone in hand, on one end of the couch several hours later with a very obvious frown on his face.
the moment you stepped into the room, you noticed immediately.
honestly, it would've been difficult not to.
ryul wasn't even trying to hide it.
he was sitting there with his jaw resting against his fist, staring blankly at his phone while everyone else talked around him. every now and then he'd sigh dramatically for absolutely no reason before shifting positions and looking mildly offended by life itself.
you already knew what happened, because louis had texted you.
you almost laughed, then you walked over. and ryul noticed instantly.
of course he did.
his eyes followed you from the moment you entered the room, though he quickly looked away the second you glanced in his direction.
without saying a word, you sat beside him. close, not touching. but close enough that your shoulders almost brushed.
ryul immediately shifted. away from you.
"...did you just move away from me?"
"no."
he absolutely had. you bit back a smile.
"ryul, are you sulking?"
"no."
he answered far too quickly.
"right."
silence. a few seconds passed, then another.
eventually, you leaned over slightly and rested your head against his shoulder.
immediatelyâyou felt him freeze.
for a moment, he didn't move at all. didn't say anything. didn't even look at you.
then, very slowly, his shoulders relaxed beneath your weight.
and after another second, he tilted his head just enough for it to rest lightly against yours.
we're making some progress.
"you know," you said softly, "i think it's cute."
ryul narrowed his eyes.
"what is?"
"the photo album."
"...they told you?"
"louis sent me some screenshots."
his expression immediately became horrified. which finally made you laugh.
"baby, that's private."
"seven hundred pictures, huh?"
"it's not even that much."
you burst out laughing.
and just like that, the pout deepened.
"stop."
before he could complain again, you reached over and gently grabbed his face with both hands. completely trapping him.
ryul blinked. once. twice. all thoughts immediately gone.
"ryul."
you smiled.
"what?"
"you're cute."
ryul stayed silent. for a second, he just stared at you. like his brain had completely short-circuited.
then the corners of his mouth slightly twitched like he was trying very hard not to smile, while whatever remained of his bad mood visibly struggled to survive.
it was such a small reaction that most people probably wouldn't have noticed it. but you did.
because unfortunately, you knew exactly what calling ryul cute did to him.
"don't do that."
"do what?"
"that thing."
"what thing?"
"where you say something nice and suddenly i'm not allowed to be mad anymore."
you laughed again.
because honestly? that was exactly what happened.
the second your thumbs brushed across his cheeks, whatever was left of his bad mood immediately started crumbling. you could practically watch it happen. the tension in his shoulders disappeared. the tiny pout he'd been holding onto for the last three hours weakened considerably.
and when you leaned forward to press a quick kiss on his cheek, it practically vanished altogether.
all because you were looking at him like that.
"i'm serious." your voice softened slightly.
"i think it's sweet."
ryul stared at you. like really stared.
then he groaned.
a long. suffering. dramatic groan.
before suddenly leaning forward and burying his face directly into your shoulder.
you laughed so hard you nearly fell over.
"ryul."
"leave me alone."
his arms wrapped around your waist anyway. pulling you closer until there wasn't even a sliver of space left between you.
unable to resist, you tilted his chin up again.
"one more?"
ryul eyed you suspiciously.
"...what."
instead of answering, you leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. soft and sweet.
when you pulled back, his expression had completely short-circuited.
"..."
"see?" you grinned.
"all better!"
ryul immediately buried his face back into your shoulder.
"i hate you."
"no, you don't."
"yeah. i really don't." his voice came out muffled.
"you're literally hugging me."
"i'm suffering."
"mhm."
"terribly."
"obviously."
by now, he was practically folded into your side, cheek pressed against your shoulder while his arms stayed securely around your waist. every trace of the earlier pout had disappeared. every now and then, he'd nuzzle a little closer, as if making sure you weren't going anywhere. honestly, if anyone looked over right now, they'd immediately know he'd lost the battle.
which, to be fairâhe never really stood a chance.
HIIIII, MY LOVELY BABYGALS!! đ i am so sorry for ghosting y'all like thattt đ
my final exams and assignments have been absolutely beating my ass lately, so i genuinely haven't had much time to sit down and write more ryul fluff for you guys đđ
since so many of you have been asking for more ryul fluff, here's my little redemption hehe đ€đ
i really hope you all enjoy it, my lovessss <33
alsooo, i tried out a new header style this time HAHAH. and i think i actually like this one a lot better đâš
as always, thank you so much for reading and supporting my stories. it genuinely means the world to mee đ„čđ
àč àč àŁ â everyone thinks you and kim ryul can't stand each other. maybe they're right. maybe that's why he keeps an arm around your waist the entire drive, lets you steal all his warmth when your fever gets worse, and kisses your forehead when he thinks you're asleep.
you and ryul had known each other since before either of you could properly walk.
your parents had been best friends since their university days, and somewhere along the way, they'd decided the two of you should become best friends tooâor as your mom like to teasingly say, 'maybe something more'.
well, instead. all you and ryul ever did was bicker.
he stole your fries.
you hid his shoes.
he told everyone at your ninth birthday party that you still wet your bed at night.
you 'accidentally' spilled grape juice on his favorite basketball jersey.
and he would always laugh at you every time you fell off your bike.
it had been like that for as long as either of you could rememberâa never-ending competition where neither of you was ever willing to lose.
your parents kept insisting that the fighting meant you were "close."
you insisted that they were just imagining things.
ryul insisted that you were just dramatic.
then you insisted that he was the problem.
and ten years later, neither of you had changed your minds.
so when both families decided to go on another road trip together, they figured they might as well invite ohyul, woojin, and louis along too. since you and ryul were both only children, having a few more people your age seemed like a good idea. the more, the merrier, you guessed. besides, you weren't exactly surprised.
family trips always ended the same way.
somehow, in some way, you and ryul always got stuck together.
you just hadn't expected it to be quite this literal.
the rented van was packed from floor to ceiling. suitcases were stacked on top of one another. a cooler occupied half the aisle. travel pillows were stuffed wherever there was space.
and someone, probably your mom, had packed enough snacks to survive an apocalypse.
by the time you and ryul climbed into the van, everyone else had already claimed their seats.
you stopped in the doorway.
"...you've got to be kidding me."
there wasn't a single empty seat left.
well...not exactly.
way in the very back sat one lonely seat, squeezed between a wall of luggage.
your mom looked over her shoulder before smiling a little too innocently.
"oh!"
she clapped her hands together.
"i know."
tou immediately pointed at her.
"mom, no."
"...honey, i haven't even said anything yet."
"you don't have to."
your aunt peeked over the seat, tryingâand failing to hide her grin.
"y/n can just sit on ryul's lap."
"auntieeeee, absolutely not."
you answered so quickly that louis snorted from the row ahead.
woojin actually twisted around in his seat just to watch what happened next.
ryul, meanwhile, looked up from his phone.
"...works for me."
you stared at him.
"excuse me?"
he slipped his phone into his pocket and shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.
"it's only a couple of hours."
"problem solved." your dad laughed.
you looked around the van, silently hoping someone would volunteer to switch.
but nobody did.
because ohyul had already put his headphones on. louis suddenly became very interested in the scenery outside. and woojin whistled to himself like he hadn't heard a thing.
freaking traitors.
with one long, defeated sigh, you climbed over the pile of suitcases toward the back.
"careful."
ryul reached out instinctively, one hand settling lightly against your waist as you climbed over the mountain of suitcases.
"...i'm aware." you muttered, trying to balance yourself without accidentally kneeing him in the face.
"you almost stepped on my foot."
"consider it payback."
"for what?"
"existing."
"harsh." he clicked his tongue, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward anyway.
once you finally managed to squeeze into the tiny space, you let out a long sigh before carefully lowering yourself onto his lap.
"happy?" you asked dryly.
"...not really."
he shifted slightly beneath you, trying to make room where there really wasn't any.
"comfortable?"
"absolutely not."
"same."
the van pulled away from the driveway a second later, earning a chorus of cheers from louis and woojin somewhere in the middle row.
within minutes, music filled the speakers.
your moms were already laughing over stories from university.
your dads had started discussing which rest stop supposedly had the best coffee.
everything was loud.
lively.
exactly how every family trip usually started.
except, you weren't arguing anymore.
ryul noticed after about fifteen minutes.
normally, you would've complained at least three times by now. that he was sitting weird. that his finger kept poking your arm. that his knees were bony. that somehow, this entire seating arrangement was his fault.
instead... you stayed unusually quiet.
he glanced down.
"did you lose your voice?"
"...hm?"
"you've been unexpectedly quiet."
you rolled your eyes weakly before turning your attention back toward the window.
the scenery blurred past. green trees. small shops. the occasional motorcycle weaving between lanes.
your eyelids felt heavier with every passing minute.
another bump in the road.
your body tipped sideways before you could catch yourself.
ryul's hand found your waist immediately.
steadying you.
firm enough to stop you from sliding into the luggage.
"...careful." he murmured.
"...thanks."
you didn't move away.
usually, you would've. usually, you'd complain about him touching you. instead, you simply stayed where you were. leaning just slightly against him.
that...
wasn't like you.
his eyes drifted toward your face again.
your cheeks looked pink.
at first, he blamed the weather.
then he noticed the way you kept rubbing your arms beneath your hoodie.
"...cold?"
you hesitated. "...little bit."
"it's thirty degrees outside."
you stayed quiet.
then ryul frowned.
without really thinking, he lifted the back of his hand toward your forehead.
you blinked. "...what are youâ"
his hand brushed your skin. he froze.
warm. far warmer than it should've been.
his hand slid carefully to the side of your neck.
still warm. too warm.
"...baby."
the nickname slipped out before he could stop himself.
quiet and instinctive.
"...you're burning up."
you blinked at him slowly. "...am i?"
"don't play dumb."
his brows knitted together.
"since when?"
you looked down at your hands.
"...this morning."
"this morning?"
a tiny nod.
"why didn't you tell anybody?"
you shrugged weakly.
"everyone's been excited about this trip... didn't wanna ruin it."
ryul stared at you for a long moment. then quietly sighed through his nose.
"...you're impossible."
there wasn't an ounce of annoyance in his voice. only something softer. something that sounded suspiciously like concern.
he reached behind him, feeling around the pile of bags until his fingers found one of the travel blankets.
he shook it open with one hand before draping it carefully over your shoulders.
the blanket slipped almost immediately.
"hold still." he muttered.
you obediently stayed still while he tucked it around you properly.
one corner over your shoulder. another around your arms. making sure it wouldn't fall again.
"...there."
"...you're fussing." you mumbled.
"didn't know you knew how."
ryul huffed a quiet laugh. and you only hummed in response.
the blanket settled comfortably around your shoulders, trapping what little warmth it could.
still... it wasn't quite enough.
a shiver ran through you before you could stop it.
ryul felt it.
without saying anything, he shifted you a little closer, one hand resting against your side as he adjusted your position on his lap.
"...c'mere."
it was barely a whisper. more instinct than invitation. and you went without thinking. your body naturally leaned into his. your cheek found his shoulder first. then, after another quiet moment, you tucked your face into the crook of his neck.
his shirt smelled faintly of detergent and whatever cologne he'd sprayed on that morning.
warm and comfortable.
you let out the smallest sigh.
ryul glanced down.
"better?"
you gave a sleepy nod against him.
that was enough.
his arm slipped around your waist, drawing you impossibly closer until there wasn't any space left between the two of you.
his hand settled against your side, rubbing slow, absentminded circles through your hoodie.
every pass seemed to chase away a little more of the chill clinging to your body.
you didn't realize when your own arms moved.
one of them slowly wrapped around his middle beneath the blanket, fingers curling lightly into the fabric of his shirt.
ryul's eyes dropped to your hand. a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
he didn't tease you. didn't point it out.
he simply covered your hand with his for a second, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting it rest where it was.
another bump in the road made the van sway.
instinctively, you burrowed even closer, your nose brushing against his neck.
your grip tightened ever so slightly.
ryul's arm around your waist tightened with it.
"...easy." he murmured.
his chin came to rest lightly on top of your head.
one hand remained around your waist while the other drifted up to smooth your hair back from your face.
his fingers lingered for a moment against your temple before disappearing into your hair, gently combing through the strands.
he kept doing it absentmindedly.
slow strokes. over and over.
the kind that made it harder to stay awake.
your eyes fluttered shut.
you barely noticed yourself melting further into him until your entire weight was resting against his chest.
he adjusted without complaint.
one arm securely around you, the other pulling the blanket higher over both of you this time.
covering your shoulders, then his own, sharing the warmth.
the rest of the drive stretched on around you.
louis and woojin were still arguing somewhere near the front.
your parents laughed over stories from years ago.
every now and then, the van would hit another bump, but ryul's arm tightened around your waist before you could even be jostled awake.
at some point, you'd fallen asleep completely.
your face was tucked into the crook of his neck, one arm still wrapped loosely around his middle.
you looked impossibly comfortable.
ryul glanced down.
carefully, he brushed a loose strand of hair away from your face, tucking it behind your ear so it wouldn't keep tickling your cheek.
you barely stirred.
just another sleepy little sigh before unconsciously snuggling even closer.
"...clingy." he murmured, though the fond smile on his face gave him away.
not that he minded.
if anything...he only pulled you closer.
his chin rested lightly against the top of your head while one hand continued its slow, absentminded circles along your back beneath the blanket.
he stayed like that for a while.
just holding you. making sure you stayed warm.
the sky outside had begun to darken, painting the windows in shades of orange before slowly fading into blue.
ryul looked down at you one last time.
"...hey."
his voice was barely above a whisper.
you didn't wake.
only hummed softly against his neck.
he smiled. then, very gently, he leaned down.
his lips brushed against your forehead.
the kiss lingered for just a second.
warm and careful.
"...get well soon, baby."
his thumb swept once across your side before settling there again.
"i'll take care of you until then."
you never opened your eyes.
instead, your arms tightened around him just a little, almost as if your sleeping mind had heard him anyway.
ryul let out the quietest laugh. "...yeah"
he rested his cheek against the top of your head, keeping you tucked safely against his chest as the van carried everyone farther down the highway.
a/n : HIII EVERYONEE !! took me long enough to finally post another ryul fic for u guys! also... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 1K LIKES ON MY LAST RYUL FIC. i seriously wasn't expecting that at all đ i love ya'll so much đ
i really, really, hope ya'll enjoy this one as much as the last ficccc <3
ryul wasn't angry. he'd like that to be known. he was simply... annoyed. well, slightly. maybe a little? or a lot.
the problem was that nobody seemed interested in taking him seriously.
earlier that afternoon, the members, especially woojin the ragebaiter had spent nearly an hour making fun of him after louis accidentally found an entire album of your pictures in his phone. because according to them, having exactly seven hundred and three pictures of your girlfriend was apparently concerning.
but down bad ryul completely disagrees.
"she's my girlfriend," ryul repeated, looking mildly offended that even he had to explain himself.
the slight furrow between his brows made it obvious that having an album of his girlfriend's pictures is simply reasonable.
"that's not helping," woojin immediately replied.
"hyung, normal people don't have that many pictures."
"i'm literally normal," ryul casually replied.
"hyung... you have screenshots." woojin stated.
"literally screenshots of y/n noona's instagram post before you even knew her. that's creepy."
after that, ryul had stopped participating in the conversation entirely.
which was how he ended up sitting alone, phone in hand, on one end of the couch several hours later with a very obvious frown on his face.
the moment you stepped into the room, you noticed immediately.
honestly, it would've been difficult not to.
ryul wasn't even trying to hide it.
he was sitting there with his jaw resting against his fist, staring blankly at his phone while everyone else talked around him. every now and then he'd sigh dramatically for absolutely no reason before shifting positions and looking mildly offended by life itself.
you already knew what happened, because louis had texted you.
you almost laughed, then you walked over. and ryul noticed instantly.
of course he did.
his eyes followed you from the moment you entered the room, though he quickly looked away the second you glanced in his direction.
without saying a word, you sat beside him. close, not touching. but close enough that your shoulders almost brushed.
ryul immediately shifted. away from you.
"...did you just move away from me?"
"no."
he absolutely had. you bit back a smile.
"ryul, are you sulking?"
"no."
he answered far too quickly.
"right."
silence. a few seconds passed, then another.
eventually, you leaned over slightly and rested your head against his shoulder.
immediatelyâyou felt him freeze.
for a moment, he didn't move at all. didn't say anything. didn't even look at you.
then, very slowly, his shoulders relaxed beneath your weight.
and after another second, he tilted his head just enough for it to rest lightly against yours.
we're making some progress.
"you know," you said softly, "i think it's cute."
ryul narrowed his eyes.
"what is?"
"the photo album."
"...they told you?"
"louis sent me some screenshots."
his expression immediately became horrified. which finally made you laugh.
"baby, that's private."
"seven hundred pictures, huh?"
"it's not even that much."
you burst out laughing.
and just like that, the pout deepened.
"stop."
before he could complain again, you reached over and gently grabbed his face with both hands. completely trapping him.
ryul blinked. once. twice. all thoughts immediately gone.
"ryul."
you smiled.
"what?"
"you're cute."
ryul stayed silent. for a second, he just stared at you. like his brain had completely short-circuited.
then the corners of his mouth slightly twitched like he was trying very hard not to smile, while whatever remained of his bad mood visibly struggled to survive.
it was such a small reaction that most people probably wouldn't have noticed it. but you did.
because unfortunately, you knew exactly what calling ryul cute did to him.
"don't do that."
"do what?"
"that thing."
"what thing?"
"where you say something nice and suddenly i'm not allowed to be mad anymore."
you laughed again.
because honestly? that was exactly what happened.
the second your thumbs brushed across his cheeks, whatever was left of his bad mood immediately started crumbling. you could practically watch it happen. the tension in his shoulders disappeared. the tiny pout he'd been holding onto for the last three hours weakened considerably.
and when you leaned forward to press a quick kiss on his cheek, it practically vanished altogether.
all because you were looking at him like that.
"i'm serious." your voice softened slightly.
"i think it's sweet."
ryul stared at you. like really stared.
then he groaned.
a long. suffering. dramatic groan.
before suddenly leaning forward and burying his face directly into your shoulder.
you laughed so hard you nearly fell over.
"ryul."
"leave me alone."
his arms wrapped around your waist anyway. pulling you closer until there wasn't even a sliver of space left between you.
unable to resist, you tilted his chin up again.
"one more?"
ryul eyed you suspiciously.
"...what."
instead of answering, you leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. soft and sweet.
when you pulled back, his expression had completely short-circuited.
"..."
"see?" you grinned.
"all better!"
ryul immediately buried his face back into your shoulder.
"i hate you."
"no, you don't."
"yeah. i really don't." his voice came out muffled.
"you're literally hugging me."
"i'm suffering."
"mhm."
"terribly."
"obviously."
by now, he was practically folded into your side, cheek pressed against your shoulder while his arms stayed securely around your waist. every trace of the earlier pout had disappeared. every now and then, he'd nuzzle a little closer, as if making sure you weren't going anywhere. honestly, if anyone looked over right now, they'd immediately know he'd lost the battle.
which, to be fairâhe never really stood a chance.
HIIIII, MY LOVELY BABYGALS!! đ i am so sorry for ghosting y'all like thattt đ
my final exams and assignments have been absolutely beating my ass lately, so i genuinely haven't had much time to sit down and write more ryul fluff for you guys đđ
since so many of you have been asking for more ryul fluff, here's my little redemption hehe đ€đ
i really hope you all enjoy it, my lovessss <33
alsooo, i tried out a new header style this time HAHAH. and i think i actually like this one a lot better đâš
as always, thank you so much for reading and supporting my stories. it genuinely means the world to mee đ„čđ
when ryul gets drunk, he becomes brutally honest. not the kind of honest that starts arguments or reveals secrets, but the kind of honest that makes it painfully obvious of how much he likes you.
which is unfortunate, for everyone else.
because sober ryul at least pretends to have self-control.
but drunk ryul?
absolutely not.
the second alcohol hits his system, he suddenly needs to be touching you at all times.
a hand on your waist. his arm around your shoulder. his chin resting on top of your head. his fingers tangled with yours. anything and everything.
he just simply refuses to leave you alone.
it starts about an hour into the party.
the music isn't too loud, and people are scattered around the room talking. and you're standing near the bar with one of your friends when you suddenly feel a familiar pair of arms wrapping around your waist from behind, without any warning and shame.
you don't even need to turn around to know who it is.
"hi, baby." his voice slightly slurred. not concerning, but enough to tell that he's definitely tipsy.
you laugh softly and glance over your shoulder.
"hi, ryul," he only hums in response, tightening his arms around your waist before resting his chin on your shoulder.
"you okay, babe?" you asked softly, turning your head slightly to look at him. one of your hands came up to gently cup his cheek, your thumb brushing across his skin.
ryul immediately leaned into your touch.
"mhmh..."
his eyes fluttered shut for a second, and he looked way softer than he did five seconds ago.
and you couldn't help but smile.
"yeah?" you teased quitely.
another hum.
and before you knew it, he was practically melting against you, all of his weight leaning onto your shoulder as if standing by himself had become way too much work.
"girl," your friend stared at the two of you, looking completely bewildered.
"does he always do this?"
you glanced down at the arms currently wrapped around your waist before laughing softly.
"pretty much."
"we're literally in the middle of a conversation."
before you could answer, ryul spoke up from behind you.
"doesn't matter."
your friend blinked.
"...i can hear and see you."
"good."
ryul tightened his hold around your waist immediately.
dramatically & possessively.
like he genuinely believed somebody might steal you if he let go for more than three seconds.
"she likes me more."
your friend burst out laughing.
"oh my god."
"it's true," ryul insisted.
you rolled your eyes.
"ryul."
"what?"
"you're being weird."
he gasps. like actually gasps. then lifts his head from your shoulder just to stare at you in disbelief.
"you think i'm weird?"
"...a little."
"wow."
he shakes his head dramatically before burying his face against your neck.
"i've never been more betrayed in my life."
it only gets even worse from here. because now that ryul has attached himself to you, he refuses to leave. and everywhere you go, he follows.
when you walk to the bar to get another drink, he's right behind you with his arm wrapped securely around your waist.
when you sit down on one of the couches, he immediately drops beside you, throwing an arm over your shoulders.
at one point, you leave to use the bathroom.
and when you come back?
he's already waiting outside the bathroom door. leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
you stop in front of him, trying to hold back a smile.
"were you waiting for me?"
"yeah."
"...why?"
he blinks. once. like you've just asked the most ridiculous question imaginable.
"cause you left."
you stare.
ryul pouts slightly. like actually pouts.
"and i missed you."
your heart immediately betrays you.
"ryul."
"what?"
"i went to the bathroom for three minutes."
"longest three minutes of my life."
you laugh despite yourself.
and ryul immediately brightens. because apparently, making you laugh was worth standing outside a bathroom waiting for you.
which, honestly?
explains a lot about him.
"you're ridiculous."
"but you love me."
you roll your eyes, though the smile on your face gives you away immediately.
"maybe."
"maybe?"
he narrows his eyes dramatically.
"that's crazy. after i suffered for three whole minutes."
"you survived."
"barely."
before he can continue complaining, you reach up and gently cup his cheek.
the words die in his throat immediately.
then, before he can process what's happening, you lean forward and press a quick kiss against his cheek.
soft and warm, gone in a second.
and ryul freezes completely.
"...baby."
you laugh softly.
"what?"
he just stares at you. speechless for once in his life.
but then a slow grin starts spreading across his face. the kind that means he's about to become even more unbearable.
"do that again."
"absolutely not."
"please?"
"no."
"baby."
"ryul."
"baby."
you groan. immediately regretting it when he wraps his arms around your waist again, looking entirely too pleased with himself. because now he has a new reason to stay attached to you for the rest of the night.
the grin on ryul's face never disappeared after that.
not even a little.
if anything, it got worse.
because apparently one kiss on the cheek was enough to make him completely insufferable for the rest of the night.
he stayed attached to your side the entire time, his hand always finding yours the second you started walking. his fingers immediately intertwined with yours, holding on like he was afraid you'd somehow disappear again.
you can only laugh and let him.
because honestly? you were starting to get used to it.
the others, however, were not.
especially louis.
"hyung."
"what."
louis stared at the two of you in disbelief.
"you've followed y/n noona into four different spots tonight."
ryul glanced over.
"and?"
"and that's not normal."
"yes it is."
"NO IT ISN'T."
woojin who's beside him immediately nodded.
"he's right. this is actually getting concerning."
"thank you," louis said, pointing at woojin dramatically before turning back to ryul. "i saw you standing outside the bathroom waiting for her."
ryul frowned slightly.
"that's because she was in there."
louis and woojin blinked in disbelief.
"THAT'S NOT AN EXPLANATION."
you couldn't help but laugh.
which only made ryul smile.
"see?" ryul said, gesturing toward you proudly. "she gets it."
"she absolutely does not get it," louis shot back immediately.
"i do a little bit," you admitted.
"NOONA!"
"baby, thank you."
"STOP ENCOURAGING HIM."
ryul ignores him completely.
instead, he immediately reaches for your hand again.
things reach their peak when a random guy decided to sit beside you.
that's it. that's the crime.
and suddenly ryul looks offended. like someone personally insulted him.
you notice immediately.
mostly because his arm tightens around your waist.
"ryul."
"hm?"
"why are you glaring?"
"i'm not."
you look directly at him.
he looks directly at the random guy.
and the guy looks terrified.
"...babe."
"what?"
"you're definitely glaring."
"only a little."
"RYUL."
he sighs dramatically before finally looking away.
then, without warning, he gently cups your face and presses a kiss on your lips.
right there. in front of everybody. just because.
and your face immediately felt warm.
"what was that for?"
he shrugs.
"felt like it," ryul simply said.
of course he did.
later that night, when the party starts winding down and people begin heading home, you finally manage to get ryul into the passenger seat of your car.
which should've made things easier. but it doesn't. because now he has you all to himself.
the moment you start driving, he turns in his seat to face you completely.
and just... stares.
you glance over.
"why are you looking at me like that?"
"because you're pretty."
you almost missed a turn.
"ryul."
"what?"
"stop."
"i'm serious."
he sounds genuinely confused. like he doesn't understand why that's embarrassing.
"you're really pretty."
you can feel yourself smiling despite your best efforts.
a few minutes later, the car grows quiet.
you assume he's finally falling asleep.
until you feel his fingers finding yours across the center console.
holding your hand loosely and comfortably.
like he can't help himself.
and when you finally get home, you barely make it through the front door before ryul wraps himself around you again.
his arms slide around your waist immediately while his face disappears into your shoulder.
and for the first time all night, he's completely quiet.
"babe?"
he hums softly.
"you tired?"
another hum. but this one is sleepier.
you smile and run your fingers through his hair.
and he melts in an instant. the tension leaves his shoulders. his grip loosens slightly. and he leans into your touch without even realizing it.
"you know," you murmur softly, "you're very clingy when you're drunk."
you feel him smile against your shoulder.
"only when it's you."
and honestly?
you think that might be the sweetest thing he's said all night.
which is saying a lot.
because he's spent the entire evening attached to your side, kissing you whenever he felt like it, holding your hand every chance he got, and looking at you like you were the best thing in the room.
a few minutes later, he's asleep. half on top of you. arms still around your waist. completely unwilling to let go even in his sleep.
and as you sit there trapped beneath your ridiculously clingy boyfriend, gently brushing your fingers through his hair while he sleeps against you, you can't help laughing quietly to yourself.
because tomorrow morning, ryul is going to be so embarrassed.
but tonight? he's too busy loving you out loud to care.
summary : when your best friend ryul kisses you on the cheek one night, it sets off a chain reaction you can't control. suddenly, every touch feels intentional, every glance feels loaded with meaning, and the line between friendship and something more becomes dangerously blurred.
word count : 2k
warning(s) : mutual pining, some curse words here & there, please forgive mee if there are any typos (^-^)
· · · â ·â¶Â· â · · ·
for the next few days, you couldnât stop thinking about it. the kiss he planted on your cheek. which is ridiculous, because a kiss on the cheek doesn't really mean anything right?
but somehow, your brain keeps replaying it anyway. the warmth of his lips against your cheek, the way he looked at you afterward, and the stupid grin that spreads across his face while you were actively trying not to combust right in front of him.
it was bad. very bad. because now, every little thing he did felt worse somehow. or better? honestly, you couldnât tell anymore. because all you knew was that ryul had become completely unbearable after that night.
the touching got more obvious, like he had stopped trying to hide it. or maybe he never was hiding it in the first place, and now you were just painfully aware of everything.
his hand would rest against the small of your back whenever he walked behind you, fingers brushing against your waist absentmindedly like it was the most natural thing in the world. and whenever you sat next to each other, he somehow ends up sitting too close without fail, knees pressed together, shoulders touching, his arm lazily thrown behind you on the couch like he didnât even notice what he was doing.
there was no way he didnât notice and was doing that on purpose, right?
but the worst part is, you let him do that every single time.
· · · â ·â¶Â· â · · ·
"ryul, can you move?"
"make me."
you stared at him from the kitchen doorway, arms crossed while he stood there blocking the entire entrance with the most annoying expression youâd ever seen on someoneâs face.
"ryul, iâm serious."
"so am i."
"youâre literally smiling."
"maybe because this is funny."
you rolled your eyes and tried stepping around him anyway, but he shifted at the exact same time, blocking you again effortlessly.
"oh my god."
he grinned immediately. "what?"
"why are you like this?"
"like what?"
"insufferable."
"mean."
you scoffed. "you started it."
instead of replying, he just tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing in amusement as he looked at you for a second too long.
"youâve been avoiding me."
your stomach dropped instantly.
"...i have not."
"you have," he said easily. "ever since the kiss."
"it was on the cheek."
"still counts."
you groaned quietly, already feeling your face getting warm. "can you stop bringing it up?"
"why?" he asked, clearly entertained now. "you get all nervous every time."
"i do not get nervous."
"your ears are literally red right now."
"...shut up."
he laughed softly under his breath, and Godâyou hated how much you liked hearing it.
there was something so unfair about the way ryul always looked at you after making you flustered, like he genuinely enjoyed seeing you fall apart because of him.
maybe that's what made the whole thing so confusing. it really felt like he was genuinely flirting with you. but then he'd act completely normal afterwards, which made you second guess everything all over again.
because what if this was just how he was?
what if you were ruining your friendship over something that only existed in your head?
you tried stepping around him again, but this time he gently caught your wrist just before you could pass him.
and suddenly everything felt weirdly quiet.
"ryul."
"hm?"
"...move."
instead of answering, his thumb brushed lightly against your wrist without even thinking about it, and the tiny gesture almost made your heart explode.
"you know what i think?" he asked softly.
you swallowed. "...what?"
he stepped a little closer.
too close.
close enough that you could smell his cologne, close enough that if you moved even slightly your chest would brush against his.
you looked up at him, trying your very best to hold eye contact without looking nervous. but it was hard when he was taller than you, hard when he was standing that close, looking down at you like that.
and somehow, having to tilt your head up just to meet his eyes made everything feel worse.
"i think youâve been avoiding me because you kissed me first."
your eyes widened immediately.
"i have not been avoiding you because of that."
"oh?" his lips twitched slightly. "so you admit you have been avoiding me."
"...no..."
he laughed quietly, shoulders shaking a little, and you wanted to disappear on the spot.
"caught you."
"youâre so annoying."
"and you still kissed me anyway."
your heart genuinely skipped.
before you could respond, he finally stepped aside, letting you pass. but not before lightly tugging on your sleeve as you walked by him.
it was small, but enough to make your chest ache all over again.
· · · â ·â¶Â· â · · ·
movie nights with him became unbearable, too, because ryul slowly developed habits that were dangerously easy to get used to.
at first, it started with him laying his head on your lap every single time you watched something together.
it was natural, like your lap belonged to him.
heâd just walk into your room, flop down beside you on the bed or couch, then a few minutes later youâd suddenly feel his weight against your thighs while he gets comfortable beneath you, completely uninvited.
and the annoying part is?
he always looked way too relaxed there.
one arm thrown lazily around your leg, eyes half-lidded while you played with his hair absentmindedly because apparently that had become a thing too.
"you know," you mumbled one night, fingers brushing through his hair carefully, "normal people use pillows."
ryul cracked one eye open to look up at you.
"youâre way softer."
"...that sounded kinda weird."
"youâre making it weird."
you rolled your eyes, but your fingers never stopped moving through his hair.
eventually, though, laying his head on your lap apparently wasnât enough for him anymore.
because somewhere along the way, it turned into him pulling you onto his lap instead.
especially whenever the two of you were on the couch together.
heâd complain there wasnât enough space, even when there very obviously was, then grab your wrist before you could argue and tug you right onto him like it was the most normal thing ever.
and every single time you complained, heâd just wrap an arm around your waist tighter and mumble something about you moving around too much.
"ryul, i can literally sit beside you."
"you are sitting beside me."
"exucuse me... this is not beside."
he only grinned, chin resting against your shoulder while his arms stayed securely around your waist.
"stop complaining."
"youâre so clingy."
the worst part was how gentle he got whenever you sat on his lap.
completely different from his usual teasing self.
heâd absentmindedly play with your fingers while watching the movie, rub small circles against your waist whenever you shifted around, pull the blanket over you first before covering himself, and if you got sleepy, heâd immediately tilt your head against his shoulder without even thinking about it.
as if taking care of you had become second nature to him and pampering you was something he genuinely enjoyed.
and now you're confused all over again.
· · · â ·â¶Â· â · · ·
one night, the two of you were sitting on your bedroom floor together, building one of those flower bouquet lego sets you bought because you wanted something cute to decorate your room with.
the box had been sitting unopened in the corner for weeks until ryul noticed it and immediately insisted on helping you build it.
except his version of âhelpingâ mostly consisted of stealing pieces from your pile, purposely handing you the wrong colors, and acting unbelievably proud whenever he managed to attach two parts correctly.
and somehow, despite all the complaining and bickering, neither of you were really focused on the lego bouquet anymore.
ryul was sitting way too close as usual, one arm resting behind you while your legs brushed every few seconds whenever one of you moved.
"ryul...what are we doing?"
the words suddenly came out of you, quieter that you intended. but ryul heard them immediately.
he turned his head toward you, eyebrows pulling together slightly. "what?"
you let out a small laugh, but there wasnât really any humor in it.
"this," you said quietly, gesturing between the two of you. "whatever this is."
he stayed silent.
you looked down at your hands. "you hold my hand, you sit way too close to me all the time, you keep touching me and kissing my cheek andâand you look at me like..." your voice faltered slightly. "like i actually mean something to you."
his expression shifted immediately.
but now that you started talking, you couldnât stop.
"and i donât know if iâm insane for thinking thereâs something here or if youâre just naturally like this with everyone."
the silence afterward felt horrible, thick and heavy.
you immediately regretted saying anything at all.
"...forget it," you muttered quickly, standing up. "i shouldnât have said anything."
but before you could walk away, ryul grabbed your wrist again.
"y/n."
you didnât look at him.
you just couldnât, because suddenly you felt embarrassed. way too exposed. like you just handed him every feeling youâd been trying to hide for weeks.
"...look at me."
you shook your head immediately. "no."
"please..."
that got you.
slowly, you looked back at him.
and ryul looked overwhelmed.
like he didnât know where to start.
"you really think i act like this with everyone?" he asked quietly.
you didnât answer.
because honestly? you didnât know anymore.
he stood up then, stepping closer until his hands rested lightly on your arms.
"i donât," he said softly. "i swear i donât."
"then why didnât you say anything?"
he let out a quiet laugh, but it sounded nervous this time.
completely unlike him.
"because i didnât want to ruin this."
"...ryul."
"i mean it," he interrupted quickly. "i like you so much itâs actually embarrassing."
you stared at him.
and something in him finally broke a little.
his forehead dropped against your shoulder as he let out a quiet groan.
"god, you make me insane."
you couldnât help but laugh softly at that, your hands slowly moving to hold onto him.
"so, what are we now?"
ryul looked at you for a second longer after you said that.
"i guess weâll figure it out."
his hand was still resting against your waist, thumb moving slowly against the fabric of your hoodie while he stared at you like he was trying to memorize the look on your face right now.
"together," he finished quietly.
and then he leaned in to kiss your lips.
your fingers instinctively curled into the front of his hoodie as he kissed you gently, one of his hands sliding up to your cheek while the other stayed securely around your waist, pulling you just a little closer.
you think your heart mightâve melted a little.
when he finally pulled away, his forehead rested lightly against yours, both of you still a little breathless.
his lips twitched into the smallest smile.
"together," he whispered again.
"...youâre making me emotional," you mumbled quietly.
and suddenly, there it was.
that stupid mischievous grin.
you blinked. "...what?"
before you could even process the switch in expression, ryulâs hands moved to your sides, and he started tickling you.
your jaw dropped immediately.
"RYULâ"
you jerked away instantly, but he only laughed and followed after you, fingers digging lightly into your sides while you practically folded in on yourself.
"oh my god, stopâSTOPâ"
your words kept breaking apart between laughter while he looked way too entertained by this entire situation.
"what?" he said innocently. "you said i was making you emotional. had to fix that."
"youâre literally evilâ"
you gasped sharply when he tickled your waist again, immediately trying to shove him away while laughing so hard your stomach hurt.
"ryul, i swear to godâ"
"swear to god what?" he laughed, dodging your weak attempts at fighting back. "you canât even threaten me properly right now."
"i hate you!"
"liar."
you shrieked when he suddenly grabbed your wrist before you could escape off the bed, pulling you right back against him.
the movement made both of you collapse sideways onto the mattress, tangled together in blankets and limbs while your laughter slowly dissolved into breathless giggles.
"stop moving," he complained through his own laughter as you tried pushing at his shoulder.
"you started it!"
"yeah, and iâd do it again."
"youâre the worst."
ryul grinned immediately. completely shameless.
"and you love me anyway."
your face warmed instantly.
"...youâre so annoying."
"that wasnât a denial."
you groaned and hid your face against his shoulder immediately, which only made him laugh softer this time.
his arms wrapped around you easily after that, pulling you closer until you were practically curled against his chest while both of you tried catching your breath.
the way ryul kept brushing his fingers against your side absentmindedly while smiling into your hair like he couldnât help it.
genre : fluff, romance, friends to lovers, ryul Ă reader
summary : oh why'd you have to be so cute? it's impossible to ignore you. why must you make me laugh so much? it's bad enough we get along so well. just say goodnight n' go
inspired by : ariana grande's song goodnight n go !
warning(s) : none :D
· · · â ·â¶Â· â · · ·
the problem with ryul is that he made everything feel like flirting.
maybe it was the way he leaned too close when he looked at your phone, his shoulders pressed against yours like it belonged there, how he'd grin after saying something ridiculously stupid just to hear you laugh, and how he somehow always found excuses to touch you like flicking your forehead, fixing your hair, tugging your sleeve when you walked too far ahead.
it's getting exhausting (for your heart) and unfair. because every time he does those kinds of things, you get flustered, but kim ryul acts like this towards everyone, doesn't he?
"why are you staring at me like that?" you asked, trying to keep your voice steady.
a lop-sided grin spreading across his face. he didn't look away. he just leaned back against his chair, scanning your eyes with an annoyingly amount of mischief.
"is it working?" he asked.
"is what working?"
"the staring." he stood up and stepped closer to your direction.
your breath hitched slightly as he stopped right in front of you, too close, as usual.
"you look nervous," he murmured.
"i'm not."
"you are."
"no, i'm not." LIES, you are nervous.
he hummed, tilting his head a little like he was studying you.
"your ears are red."
"...shut up."
he laughed softly, satisfied, like he just proved a point.
and there it was again.
that stupid feeling in your chest.
· · · â ·â¶Â· â · · ·
you were both sitting on your bed now, backs pressed against the wall, legs stretched out in front of you, a random movie playing in the background that neither of you were actually paying attention to. it had been on for what, like an hour? maybe more? and somehow, you still had no idea what it was about because the two of you kept getting distracted, talking over it, pausing it, then forgetting to press play again.
and at some point, the conversation had completely derailed into nonsense.
like actual nonsense.
something about whether cereal counts as soup. (it doesnât.)
"youâre wrong," ryul said, nudging your shoulder.
he turned his head so fast it almost made you laugh.
"...donât start."
"iâm just applying your logic."
"youâre twisting it."
"no, you just hate being wrong."
he scoffed, but there was already a smile creeping onto his face, like he knew exactly where this was going and didnât mind it one bit.
and you noticed it again.
how easy this was.
like talking to him didnât require effort, like laughing with him came naturally, like the space between you always somehow disappeared without either of you noticing.
and maybe thatâs why it felt dangerous, because it didnât feel like something you could control.
"what?" you muttered.
"...nothing."
he didnât look away.
you swallowed.
"ryul."
"hm?"
"itâs late."
"so?"
"so⊠go home."
he blinked once.
then leaned his head back against the wall, sighing dramatically.
"wow."
"what?"
"youâre kicking me out now?"
"iâm not kicking you out, iâm telling you to go home like a normal person."
"i am a normal person."
"no, normal people donât stay until 2 a.m. just to argue about cereal."
"...itâs important."
you rolled your eyes, but you didnât miss the smirk thatâs still on his lips.
or how he didnât move. at all.
"ryul."
"yeah?"
"...just say goodnight and go."
he turned his head slightly, looking at you again.
"what if i donât want to?"
your heart did something stupid. like completely forgetting how to function.
"then thatâs your problem," you said, a little too quickly.
he smiled faintly.
"youâre mean."
"youâre annoying."
"and yet you let me stay."
"...barely..."
he let out a soft chuckle, then shifted closer. his shoulder pressing against yours again.
"you know," he started, voice quieter now, "you could just say you like having me here."
you froze.
"...i donât."
"liar."
"shut up."
he laughed under his breath.
and then, he stood up.
finally.
you let out a breath you didnât realize you were holding.
"see? was that so hard?" you muttered.
he stretched his arms above his head, then grabbed his jacket.
"yeah, yeah."
you walked him to the door, trying to ignore the weird feeling creeping up in your chest. like something was about to happen.
he opened the door, but didnât step out. instead, he turned back to you.
"goodnight," he said.
"goodnight."
he didnât move.
you frowned slightly. "ryulâ"
"hey."
"...what?"
he hesitated. just for a second. which was rare.
thenâ
you stepped forward.
and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
your heart immediately started racing like you just did something illegal.
"...there," you muttered, avoiding his eyes. "goodnight."
silence.
you dared to look up.
ryul hadnât moved.
completely frozen, hand still on the doorknob, eyes wide in a way youâve never seen before.
"...you justâ"
"donât make it a big deal," you cut him off quickly, already embarrassed.
he blinked. once. twice.
then a slow grin started forming on his face.
"wow."
"shut up."
"you kissed me."
"it was on the cheek."
"still counts."
you groaned, trying to push him out the door. "just go home."
but he didnât budge.
instead, he leaned down slightly.
and before you could react, he pressed a soft kiss to your cheek. mirroring you.
"...now itâs even," he murmured.
your brain short-circuited.
"ryulâ"
"goodnight," he said again, this time softer, a little smile still on his lips.
and then, he finally left.
leaving you standing there, frozen in place. your cheek still warm. heart beating way too fast.
because now, everything definitely changed. and honestly? youâre not sure if you want it to go back to how it was before.
iâm backkkkk!! thank you guys so much for all the love on my jeno drabble that i posted exactly a month ago đ„č i seriously didnât expect it to get that many likes, it made me so happy hehe.
iâve been so obsessed with lngshot latelyyyy, especially ryul & ohyul, so i decided to write a little something!
you are on your last day of exams before christmas break, and youâve been so caught up with studying and finishing all your assignments just so they wouldnât burden you laterâclearly neglecting your boyfriend, jeno.
which you didnât even realize.
you guys havenât talked for two days straight, and since he wasnât texting or talking to you first, you assumed he also wanted to focus on studying for exams.
but you were wrong.
finally, the last exam of the semester is done! youâve given your all, and honestlyâyou donât give a shit anymore whether you get good grades or not. youâre already too stressed to even care about your schoolâs bullshit.
youâre definitely ready to enjoy some healing and relaxation time.
just the thought sleep makes your mood better.
well, you and your friends have been planning this villa trip together. and the ones coming are minjeong, ningning, aeri, jimin, hyuck, renjun, jaemin, jeno, and you.
the crew is set, and you guys are ready to go.
you guys decided to rent a van, leaving at noon so you'd arrive at the villa in the evening.
you sat next to jeno the whole ride, but he was very quiet, not talking to you at all. he had his airpods on and was reading a novel he borrowed from you a week ago, so you left him alone, happy enough that he was actually reading something you recommended to him.
youâre honestly so terrible at reading jenoâs mood, especially when he's angry/sulking, cause heâs not the type to show those kinds of emotions blatantly. so you don't actually know if something is bothering him.
you ended up sleeping the entire car ride, not realizing your head was resting on jenoâs shoulder the whole time. he stayed completely still, letting you rest on him because he knew how tired you were.
once you arrived, jeno gently woke you up.
ây/n, weâve arrived. the others already went in,â he said, softly caressing your cheek.
âhmm? weâre here?â you mumbled, voice raspy, still half asleep.
âmhm.â
seeing how cute you looked, jeno couldnât help but press a small kiss to your cheek.
âmâkayâŠâ
you both got out of the car and brought your bags inside. everyone had already picked their roomsâthe girls shared one, and the guys shared another.
after unpacking, jaemin, renjun, and hyuck were busy playing games.
you thought jeno was with them too, but he was nowhere to be found.
âhyuck, have you seen jeno?â you asked.
âJAEMâTHEREâS SOMEONE ON MY LEFT! DEFEND ME, FOR GODâS SAKEâwhat?â hyuck yelled before turning to you.
âhave any of you seen jeno? heâs nowhere to be found.â
âhavenât seen him since we unpacked,â jaemin said, shrugging.
âsame,â hyuck added.
âi think he went outside to swim? i saw him wearing his swimming trunks,â renjun said.
you immediately went outside, confused about why jeno would swim in the middle of the night.
thenâit hit you. how he was very quiet in the car on the way over here. and you just realized how much youâd been neglecting him these past few days.
you start looking for him.
you checked the pool.
he wasnât there.
you tried calling him, no answer.
then you remembered seeing a hot tub earlier while bringing your suitcase in.
maybe heâs there.
so you went to check.
and he was.
sitting alone.
staring into nothing as the cold wind brushed past him.
guilt washed over you instantly.
he was definitely sulking in the car earlierâthatâs why he had his airpods in and didnât talk to you.
you slowly approached him.
as you got closer, jeno noticed youâbut didnât say anything. he just stared.
âjeno?â
âhm?â he replied, raising an eyebrow.
âare you mad at me..?â you asked softly.
ânope. definitely not mad at the way you ignored me for the past week,â he said, still clearly sulking.
âIâm sorry⊠I didnât mean to neglect you. you know how overwhelmed I get with exams and assignmentsâŠâ
jeno stayed silent.
not saying a single word.
so you decided to join him.
you stepped into the hot tub, the warmth contrasting the cold air, and moved closer until you were standing right in front of him.
âwait⊠Iâm really sorry, jeno. I shouldnât expect you to always understand meâitâs not fair of me to be that selfishâŠâ
you leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
he pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow.
âyou think a kiss will melt me away?â
ââŠmaybe?â
âcome here, you,â he muttered, pulling you into his lap and wrapping his arms around you.
âdonât ever ignore me like that.â
you blinked, surprised by how soft his voice sounded now.
âI wonât,â you whispered. âI promise.â
jeno studied your face for a moment, making sure you meant it. then his grip tightened slightly around your waist, pulling you closer.
âyou better not,â he murmured.
you smiled a little. âwhat, youâre gonna sulk like this again?â
âIâll do worse,â he said, narrowing his eyes playfully.
you laughed softly, resting your hands on his shoulders.
âscary.â
âyeah?â he hummed, leaning closer. âyou didnât seem that scared just now.â
your cheeks warmed.
he gently tilted your chin up.
âtrying to fix everything with one kissâŠâ he murmured.
ââŠdid it work?â you asked.
jeno paused.
then a small smile appeared.
ââŠmaybe.â
this time, he leaned in first.
the kiss was slow. soft. warm.
like heâd been holding it in for days.
when he pulled away, his forehead rested against yours, his thumb tracing small circles on your waist.
ââŠI really did miss you,â he admitted.
your heart softened.
âI missed you more.â
he scoffed lightly. ânot possible.â
âit is.â
âprove it.â
you grinned, wrapping your arms around his neck and hugging him tighter.
âIâm literally right here.â
jeno chuckled softly, burying his face in your neck before holding you closer.
i know it's very cruel of me to post this a couple of day's after mark's departure from sm and all nct units, but this jeno drabble has been sitting in my draft for so longgggg, so i decided to post it.
wishing mark nothing but the best moving forward. i truly hope this decision brings him happiness and comes from a place that feels right for him. <3
thank you guys for reading this, and I hope you all enjoyed it !
