Love is a drug that I canât deny
Anton x reader , fluff , angst , friends to stranger to lover , angst with comfort , kisses , mentioned of insecurities
, preview : Anton is an Olympic athlete and reader is his friend aka his manager aka his physical therapist. Anton have liked her for more than a year but how will he face the truth ? How will reader realize her feeling ? 9k words
Request are open , tag list open for riize or cortis or both .!
Some people enter your life loudly.
Anton Lee didnât.
He entered Y/Nâs life the way water seeps into cracksâquietly, steadily, until suddenly he was everywhere.
They met during their first year of university.
She was nineteen, juggling anatomy textbooks, late-night lab reports, and a future she was still trying to understand. Physical therapy wasnât just a major for herâit was a promise she made to herself. To learn how to heal. To learn how to keep people standing when their bodies wanted to give up.
Anton was twenty, already living two lives.
On campus, he was just another student with damp hair and tired eyes, always carrying a duffel bag that smelled faintly of chlorine. In the pool, he was something else entirelyâdisciplined, relentless, chasing a dream most people only watched on screens.
Their first real conversation happened in the university therapy lab.
Anton sat on the examination table, rotating his shoulder slowly, frustration written into every line of his posture. Y/N stood in front of him with a clipboard, professional despite being only a student herself.
âYouâve been overtraining,â she said after a moment.
He blinked. âMy coach says Iâm fine.â
She looked up at him then, unimpressed. âYour coach isnât the one whose shoulder is inflamed.â
That made him laugh.
It wasnât loud or dramatic. Just warm.
And something about that sound settled into her chest.
âž»
Friendship came easily after that.
Anton started booking his therapy sessions only during her hours. Y/N pretended not to notice. They talked during stretches and cooldownsâabout classes, about sleep deprivation, about how neither of them knew what day it was half the time.
He learned she liked studying at night when the campus was quiet.
She learned he swam better when he was angry.
They began sitting together in lectures. Studying together in libraries. Eating together between training sessions and labs.
At some point, without either of them naming it, she became his constant.
She reminded him of deadlines. Organized his schedules. Helped him communicate with media when competitions started piling up. When someone casually referred to her as his manager, she corrected them at first.
Later, she stopped.
Being his manager meant she stayed close.
And staying close felt natural.
âž»
There were moments that felt too intimate for friendship and too gentle for anything else.
Anton resting his head on the table during late-night study sessions, eyes closed, trusting her to wake him.
Y/N tying the straps of his swim bag when his fingers trembled from exhaustion.
Their shoulders brushing as they sat side by side, neither moving away.
People noticed.
âYou two are basically married,â one of his teammates joked once.
Y/N laughed it off. Anton didnât.
He just looked at her, something unreadable in his eyes.
They never crossed the line.
Not because they didnât want to.
But because they were afraid of what would happen if they did.
âž»
Anton trained harder as competitions approached.
The closer he got to the Olympics, the more pressure wrapped around him. Expectations. Interviews. Eyes on him everywhere.
Y/N saw the toll it took.
She saw the way his hands shook after races. The way he stared at the water long after training ended. The nights he couldnât sleep, pacing beside the pool while she sat nearby, pretending to study.
âYou donât have to be perfect,â she told him once.
He looked at her then, really looked.
âBut I do,â he said quietly. âIf I want to keep this.â
She didnât argue.
She just stayed.
âž»
The night Anton won gold felt unreal.
The stadium erupted. Cameras flashed. His name echoed from thousands of voices.
Anton stood on the podium, medal heavy around his neckâand his eyes searched instinctively.
He found her.
Y/N stood near the edge of the crowd, hands clasped, eyes shining with something dangerously close to tears. When their gazes met, Anton felt something loosen in his chest.
Later, when the celebrations faded, she guided him back to the training pool.
It was past midnight.
The building was quiet. Moonlight poured through the windows, painting the water silver.
Anton slipped into the pool, swimming slow, lazy laps. Y/N sat at the edge, shoes discarded, feet brushing the surface.
âYou did it,â she said softly.
He floated on his back, staring up at the ceiling. âI couldnât have without you.â
She swallowed. âYou would have.â
âNo,â he said, turning toward her. âI wouldnât.â
He swam closer, resting his arms on the edge near her knees. Water dripped from his hair. His expression was open in a way it rarely was.
âYou stayed,â he murmured.
âI always do.â
Something shifted.
Anton reached out suddenly, fingers closing around her wrist, and before she could react, he tugged her into the pool. She splashed down with a gasp, then laughed breathlessly.
âYouâre unbelievable,â she said.
âYou love me,â he replied automatically.
The words hung between them.
Neither laughed.
Moonlight reflected in his eyes as he brushed wet hair from her face, touch careful, almost reverent.
âI donât know how to pretend anymore,â he whispered.
Her heart pounded. âAntonâŠâ
âI won today,â he said softly. âAnd all I could think wasâif I donât do this now, I never will.â
She stepped closer.
Their foreheads touched.
Then their lips metâslow, gentle, inevitable.
The kiss tasted like chlorine and quiet longing and everything theyâd never said.
For a moment, the world disappeared
Morning didnât feel real.
Y/N woke up with the taste of chlorine still in her senses and the ghost of something soft pressed against her lips. For a few seconds, she lay still, staring at the ceiling of her dorm room, heart racing as memory flooded back.
Moonlight.
Water.
Antonâs hands steadying her.
The kiss.
Her breath caught.
She sat up abruptly, palms pressing into the mattress as if grounding herself. The world rushed back inâassignments, responsibilities, rules sheâd lived by for years.
It was a mistake, she told herself.
It had to be.
Because if it wasnât, everything would change.
âž»
They met again that afternoon.Not intentionally. Not dramatically.
It happened the way most painful things doâunexpectedly, in plain daylight, with nowhere to hide.
Y/N was walking across campus, bag heavy on her shoulder, mind carefully focused on anything except the night before, when she saw him.
Anton stood near the aquatic center entrance, hoodie pulled low, hair still damp like heâd just finished training. He was laughing at something one of his teammates said, but the sound died the second his eyes landed on her.
Time slowed.For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then she smiled.It was polite. Easy. Empty.
âHey,â she said, like nothing had happened.
Anton stared at her like he hadnât heard her correctly.
ââŠHey,â he replied, slower.
They stood there, an invisible line stretching between them, thick with everything they werenât saying.
âDid youââ he started.
âI have class,â she interrupted too quickly. âIâll email you the updated schedule tonight.â
And just like that, she walked past him.
Anton turned slowly, watching her leave, something dark settling behind his eyes.he wanted to grab her hands . Ask her .
âž»
They avoided each other for days.Y/N became efficient. Professional. Distant. They donât meet up at their usual place anymore .
She texted him schedules instead of calling. She kept conversations short. Neutral. Safe. When they were in the same room, she focused on her tablet or clipboard, refusing to meet his gaze.
Anton noticed everything.
He noticed how she stopped sitting beside the pool after his training. How she didnât tease him anymore. How she called him Anton instead of the soft nickname she used when it was just them.
The worst part wasnât the silence.
It was the pretending.
âž»
The tension finally snapped one evening in the private study room of the university.
Y/N was finishing up notes when she heard footsteps behind herâfamiliar, purposeful. She didnât turn around.
âAre we really doing this?â Anton asked.
She closed her tablet slowly. âDoing what?â
âActing like nothing happened.â
She inhaled sharply. âBecause nothing did.â
That made him laughâbut there was no humor in it.
âYou kissed me,â he said. âYou didnât pull away.â
She turned then, eyes flashing. âAnd you think that means⊠what? That everything changes overnight?â
âIt already did before the kiss , when we were at the first year welcome party . The drunk night âhe shot back.
Her voice rose despite herself. âAnton, stop. It was a mistake. Can we justâcan we stop?â
Mistake.
Anton stared at her like sheâd struck him.
âOh,â he said quietly. âI see.â
She immediately regretted it. âThatâs not what I meantââ
âNo,â he interrupted, jaw tight. âIt is.â
She shook her head. âI was overwhelmed. You just showed up talking abt that night a Kiss on another night omg . Emotions were high. It didnât meanââ
âSo I didnât mean anything?â he asked.
Silence.
He took a step closer. âBecause you donât get to kiss me like that and then pretend I imagined it.â
Her hands trembled. âAnton, please. I canât do this.â
âWhy?â His voice cracked despite his effort to keep it steady. âBecause Iâm your athlete? Because youâre scared? Or because you actually regret it?â
She swallowed hard.
âI regret letting it happen,â she whispered.
His breath left him in a slow, broken exhale.
âOh,â he said again. Softer this time. âSo I was a mistake.â
âThatâs notââ
âBecause last time I checked,â he continued, voice low, âyou didnât seem like you were regretting anything when we were drunk at that party. When you stayed. When we⊠slept.â
Her head snapped up. âStop.â
âStop ? u are telling me to stop after not one but 2 times ? I kissed u 2 times and I have seen u 1 time , y/n â Anton breath out as he sigh .
The word hung in the air. The word hang in the air.
â AntonâŠâ y/n raised her voice âIt was a fucking mistake we were drunk â
âNo you WERE NOT â Anton shot back â u vividly remember everything thatâs why u r denying thatâs why âŠthatâs u told me u love me . â
âAnton , we canât not rn not in this stupid life where urs is much better than mine and u have a ton of girl chasing after you Anton STOP â. Y/n finally said it .
âIt was a mistake Anton lee now let me goâ y/n sigh .
âNo,â he said. âYou donât get to erase that too.â
She raised her voice then, panic bleeding into anger. âStop, Anton! That was another mistake. I told you that. We both knew it.â
He flinched.
Another mistake.
âYouâre really good at that word,â he said quietly.
She pressed her hands to her temples. âYou donât understand what youâre asking me to risk.â
âIâm asking you to be honest,â he replied. âFor once.â
She laughed shakily. âHonest? Youâre an Olympic athlete. Iâm your manager. Your therapist. This could ruin everything.â
âSo youâd rather ruin me?â he asked.
That silenced her.
His eyes searched her face desperately. âTell me you felt nothing. Look me in the eye and say it.â
She couldnât.
And he saw that too.
Anton stepped back, pain hardening into something colder. âRight. So I matter. Just not enough.â
âThatâs not fair.â
âNo,â he said. âWhatâs not fair is you letting me thinkâletting me hopeâthat I was more than convenient.â
Tears burned her eyes. âIâm trying to protect us.â
âI didnât ask for protection,â he snapped. âI asked for you.â
The room felt too small. Too loud. Too real.
She whispered, âI canât be what you want.â
His shoulders sagged, like something inside him finally gave way.
ââŠThen stop acting like I was nothing,â he said.
And he walked away.
âž»
That night, Anton didnât swim.
He sat alone at the edge of the pool, gold medal resting in his palm, staring at the water like it might answer him.
Winning had never felt so empty.
Across campus, Y/N lay awake in her bed, replaying his words over and over, guilt crushing her chest.
I asked for you.
She turned onto her side, clutching her pillow, tears slipping silently into the fabric.
For the first time, staying away hurt more than getting close.
And neither of them knew how to fix it.
_______
Anton stopped .
There was no dramatic announcement. No angry texts. No cold words thrown her way.
He simply⊠disappeared.
Not completelyânever fullyâbut enough that the space between them felt louder than anything he couldâve said.
He stopped asking her to stay after training.
Stopped waiting for her outside lecture halls.
Stopped looking for her in the stands.
He was polite. Professional. Distant.
And somehow, that hurt worse.
âž»
Y/N noticed it in the smallest ways.
The way he no longer texted her good morning before early practice.
The way he nodded instead of smiling when she handed him schedules.
The way his eyes slid past her like she was just another person in the room.
She told herself it was necessary.She told herself it was for the best.But late at night, alone in her dorm, the truth crept in.
She missed him.
Not the athlete.
Not the medalist.
Him. The one that got away .
She missed the way he hummed absentmindedly while stretching. The way he complained about cafeteria food. The way he trusted her with the quiet parts of himself. Maybe even the loud part of himself .
And slowly, painfully, she realized something sheâd been avoiding for years.
She wasnât protecting herself from losing him.
She was protecting herself from admitting she loved him.
âž»
The breaking point came on a Thursday afternoon.
Y/N walked into the aquatic center with her tablet tucked under her arm, already mentally running through her checklist. She stopped short when she saw him.
Anton was sitting on the benches near the pool, towel draped around his shoulders, laughing.
And beside him sat a girl Y/N didnât recognize.
She was prettyâeffortlessly so. Long hair pulled into a loose ponytail, legs crossed casually as she leaned in close, clearly comfortable in his space. Her hand rested on his arm.
Too comfortably.
Something sharp twisted in Y/Nâs chest.
Anton smiled at the girlânot his soft, private smile, but close enough that it still hurt to see.
Y/N turned away before he could notice her staring, heart pounding uncomfortably hard.
Why does this hurt so much? she thought.
You told him to stop. You pushed him away. Itâs your fault , right? But it was for the best . He was becoming the champion.
So why did it feel like she was being replaced?
âž»
That night, she didnât sleep.
She lay awake staring at the ceiling, memories replaying relentlessly.
Moonlight on water.
His hands steadying her.
His voice cracking when he asked what they were.
She pressed her palm to her chest, breath shallow.
âAnton I still love you âshe whispered into the dark.
Saying it out loud felt terrifying.
And freeing.
And unbearably late.
âž»
Anton, meanwhile, was miserable.
Pulling away hadnât made anything easier. It hadnât stopped him from thinking about her during every race, every rest, every quiet moment.
The girl from the poolâMinaâwas a fellow athlete, friendly, kind, and uncomplicated.
She laughed at his jokes. Asked him about his training. Didnât look at him like he was something fragile she was afraid to touch. Didnât look at him like a mistake.
And yet.
When she leaned in, Anton found himself thinking of Y/Nâs laugh. When Mina asked him out for coffee date , he hesitated.
âIâm not really in the right place,â he admitted.
Mina smiled gently. âYouâre waiting for someone else.â
He smiled politely.
He didnât deny it.
âž»
The confrontation happened late.
Of course it did.
The pool was nearly empty, lights dimmed, water still. Y/N stood at the edge, heart hammering as she watched Anton swim slow laps alone.
She hadnât planned what to say.
âAnton,â she called softly.
He stopped mid-stroke, turning toward her. For a moment, neither spoke.
âYou should be home, itâs late . Relax your shoulder muscle â she said finally.
âSo should you.â
Silence stretched.
She swallowed. âI saw you with her.â
He stiffened. âAnd? What ? â
âAnd I hated it,â she blurted out. âWhich isnât fair. I know itâs not. But Iââ
Her voice broke. Tearing up.
Anton climbed out of the pool slowly, water dripping from his hair. âWhy are you here?â he asked quietly.
âBecause I made a mistake,â she said. âAnd not the kind I kept calling it.â
His expression hardened. âIâm not doing this again if youâre justââ
âI love you , I am sorry . I shouldnât but I love you â she said.
The words echoed.
Anton froze.
âIâve been in love with you for longer than Iâll admit,â she continued, tears spilling freely now. âAnd I was so scared of losing everything that I pushed you away instead. I hurt you. And I hate that. But you are becoming the best , I didnât want to ruined your reputation or something â
She laughed shakily through tears. âI got jealous today and realized I donât want a life where I have to pretend you donât matter. A life where u exist as stranger â
Anton stared at her, disbelief and hope warring in his eyes.
ââŠYouâre serious?â Anton smile softly
She nodded. âIâm done pretending.â
For a heartbeat, he said nothing.
Then he stepped closer, eyes shining. âYou know how unfair it is,â he murmured, âthat you get to say that now?â
She smiled weakly. âI know.â
âAnd you know Iâm still upset.â
âI know.â
âAnd that Iâm probably going to make you work for it.â
She let out a watery laugh. âI deserve that. I am sorry . Just reject me I will go awayâ
He exhaled, then smiledâreally smiledâfor the first time in weeks.
âNo..â he said. âBecause Iâm in love with you too.â
Her breath caught.
âI always have been,â he added softly. âYou just finally caught up.â
She laughed,with tears in her eyes., relief crashing over her as he reached out, cupping her face with gentle hands.
âThis time,â he said, forehead resting against hers, âdonât run.â
âI wonât,â she promised.
They kissed thenânot rushed, not desperateâbut warm and sure and full of laughter when he accidentally bumped her nose.
âYouâre terrible at this,â she teased.
He grinned. âYou like me anyway.â
âI really do.â
He pulled her into his arms, both of them laughing quietly as the pool lights reflected around them.
___________
Gold didnât feel so heavy anymore.Making it official didnât happen quietly.
Which, in hindsight, made complete senseâbecause Anton Lee had never done anything quietly when it mattered.Y/N shouldâve known something was up the moment he texted her:
Anton: Donât leave the aquatic center today.
Y/N: Why?
Anton: Trust me.
That alone was suspicious.
She finished her class, heart fluttering nervously as she walked toward the pool, clipboard hugged to her chest. The place buzzed with energyâstudents crowding the stands, teammates hyped, coaches pacing.
Another race day.
She slipped into her usual seat near the front, eyes instantly finding Anton in the water. He looked focused, jaw set, shoulders rolling as he prepared. But right before the whistle blew, he looked up.
Straight at her.
And smiled.
Not his professional smile.
Not his press smile.
His her smile.
âž»
Anton swam like the water belonged to him.
The crowd roared as he surged forward, strokes powerful and precise. Y/N clutched the edge of her seat, barely breathing, eyes never leaving him.
When he touched the wall firstâThe place exploded.
Anton barely waited for the confirmation before pushing himself out of the pool. Water streamed down his face as he scanned the stands wildly.
He found her.
And thenâ
He ran.
Still dripping wet. Still barefoot. Ignoring teammates yelling after him.
âANTONâHEYââ
Too late.
Y/N barely had time to stand before he reached her, breathless and laughing, eyes bright with adrenaline.
âI won,â he said unnecessarily.
She laughed, tears already in her eyes. âI saw that, yeah.âThen, right there, in front of everyoneâHe took her face in his hands and kissed her.
Not long. Not dramatic.Just sure.
The stands went feral.
Someone wolf-whistled. Someone screamed. Someone dropped a water bottle.
Y/N pulled back, stunned. âAntonâ!â
He grinned, loud and unapologetic. âWhat? You said stop pretending.â
Her face burned. âYou couldâveâwarned me?â
He leaned in, whispering, âI just made it official.â
Her heart melted on the spot.
âž»
The aftermath was chaos.
âYOUâRE DATING?â
âWAIT YOU WERENâT BEFORE?â
âI KNEW IT OMG REMEMBER WHEN HE PULLED HER AWAY FROM ME CUS I WAS SMILING AT HERâ
âBROTHER IN CHRIST I HATE U ANTON U SAID U WILL GIVE ME HER ACCâ
Anton walked around like heâd just won another medal, arm slung casually around her shoulders, completely unbothered by the attention.
She, on the other hand, hid her face every five seconds.
âYouâre enjoying this,â she accused.
He nodded happily. âImmensely.â
âYou literally kissed me in front of the whole school.â
âCorrection,â he said. âI kissed my girlfriend.â
She stopped walking.
ââŠSay that again.â
He turned to her, eyes softening. âMy girlfriend.â
She smiled so hard her cheeks hurt.
âž»
One night, as they sat by the pool againâthis time dry, calm, and laughingâAnton glanced at her and said casually:
âYou know, I think I won more than gold.â
She bumped his shoulder. âYouâre cheesy.â
âAnd you love me.â
She didnât hesitate this time.
âI do.â
And for once, there was nothing left unsaid.
Hi guys this is my first time writing for riize so! Let me know if u guys wanna get tag! For riize!.














