(this is stadamdrew cause i don’t like leaving adam out)
All is fair in love and Mario Kart. That’s what Andrew realizes when he and Steven go to Adam’s for their third date for a night of pizza and video games. It’s not the most datey concept ever, but the three of them go on dates for a living, so this is a nice change of pace.
However, once the pizza’s gone and they’re a glass of wine or two in, Andrew realizes just how ruthless Steven and Adam are at this game.
For starters, they actually fight over characters.
“You must be kidding me, Adam Bianchi, Peach has been my character for all my goddamn life, you will let me have her!” Steven is indignant and Andrew wonders what the hell happened to his sweet boyfriend when they turned the Wii on.
“Screw you Steven, you weren’t fast enough, you can have Daisy for all I care.” Adam actually sticks his tongue out at Steven.
Steven selects Daisy, but huffs out a storm, acting supremely offended and sighing dramatically. Adam is incredibly smug, smirking like a bastard. Andrew sits between them, content with his drama-free Baby Luigi, incredulous at the sudden competitive streak of his boyfriends.
It turns out, Adam is, like, creepy good at Mario Kart. He easily takes on the first place from the get go, with Andrew not far behind and Steven trailing in 12th place, but laughing at them when they run into obstacles like he was an expert.
And then it happens. Steven gets a blue shell and launches it – Adam, in first place, is blasted off the road and falls off the cliff.
“Motherfucker you son of a bitch you can burn in hell how dare you fucking asshole eat shit i hate you – ” Adam keeps mumbling a string of expletives and insults as Andrew looks on – what is happening with his usually quiet and easy-going boyfriend?
Steven, on the other hand, is cackling, unfazed by the insults. He managed to get to 5th place, while Andrew is in 3rd, before Adam comes back from the dead with a vengeful flame in his eye. He gets a Super Star and passes everybody, knocking Steven off course with a smug chuckle.
“That’s it! You wanna go?” Steven throws his controller on the couch beside him and reach around Andrew to shove Adam, trying as hard as he can to distract him and get a raise out of him.
Adam only smirks and Super Stars his way to first place, but Steven blocks the TV from Andrew and he can’t see where he’s going.
Heaving a sigh, Andrew sets his controller down and catches Steven’s arms. He pins them at his sides gently with a fond exasperated smile.
“Maybe Mario Kart wasn’t such a great idea…”
“What do you mean, I’m winning!” Adam boasts.
Andrew takes the controller from Adam. “Didn’t you hear yourselves? What the hell was that?”
Steven turns bright red. “I might be… a little competitive?”
“A little?” Adam cackles. “You were so worked up!”
“I was? What about you?!”
“Guys, enough!” Andrew sighs. “I think it’s time to turn the game off, and kiss and make up.”
Steven gives a coy smile. Adam rolls his eyes but chuckles fondly.
“Yeah, okay,” he says, and his hands fist into Steven’s shirt to bring him close, all the way across Andrew.
Adam pauses right before the kiss. “But I get to go out with both of you, so I still win.”
requests are CLOSED | see all my buzzfeed drabbles here
Based off of this prompt
(Title from Jealous by Nick Jonas)
“Are you mad at me or something?” Steven frowned at his phone, looking confused. Andrew sighed and rolled his eyes, muttering that no, of course he wasn’t mad at him. However, Andrew didn’t exactly sound very convincing, and Steven wanted to scream. How on earth had he ended up with such an emotionless boyfriend?
“Baby,” Steven bit the inside of his cheek, unsure of what to do. There wasn’t much to do, considering the fact that he was in Europe. “Look, if you’re mad, we can facetime later instead, because this is just making me upset and I would rather sleep.”
“I’m not mad at you,” Andrew repeated. No one said anything for a while, and Steven was about to hang up on him when Andrew started rambling. “I’m just… why did you cuddle with Zach? Why have you seen Zach naked and not me? Why didn’t you do that episode with me instead?”
When Andrew spoke, Steven finally understood, and he began laughing, much to the slightly older man’s confusion. “Steven, why are you laughing at me? This isn’t funny!” Andrew whined.
“Wait, are you jealous? Of Zach?” Steven grinned, rolling his eyes at how foolish the other man was being. “Babe, I did that episode with him because of his back problems. No excuses for the cuddling except for slight click bait, and if you didn’t notice, I didn’t really want to see him naked.”
“You still did, though,” Andrew grumbled, still looking very much jealous, and Steven suspected that he wasn’t entirely happy with Steven’s explanations. Andrew was actually quite adorable while grumpy, Steven realized, and took a screen shot.
“Did you just screen shot me?” the other man exclaimed, his eyes filled with confusion as he let out a small chuckle. “Why?”
“Because you’re adorable, and I want to remember this,” was the simple explanation from Steven, and if nothing else, it made the blond even more confused.
“You want to remember this?”
“Yeah, I mean, what’s not to love about a grumpy and jealous Andrew?” Steven grinned, and the other man finally broke into a grin, laughing stupidly.
“You’re a dork. I love you,” he said fondly, and the slightly younger of the two blushed. They had never actually said those words, and hearing them from Andrew now made his whole heart melt.
“I love you too, and I promise, when I get back, you can get loads of cuddles,” he promised his boyfriend, who looked just as surprised as Steven by the fact that they had just uttered their first ‘I love you’s.
“Can you see me naked too?” Andrew asked, and Steven suspected that he was completely serious, due to his facial expression and the tone of his voice.
“Andrew!” he exclaimed, feeling himself blush already. And if he was blushing now, he had no idea how he would react if he actually were to see him naked.
“What?” his boyfriend asked innocently, and Steven just shook his head at him fondly.
“I hate you.”
“You love me,” Andrew smiled at him, and Steven had to admit it that yes, he really did love him. Even through the stupid food puns, dorkiness and jealousy. So instead of talking back to him, he just let out a cheesy:
“Yeah, I do.”
“I’m going to be sitting there naked when you get home,” Andrew told him, and Steven had to resist rolling his eyes, as his face inevitably went back to beet red.
“I…” he was about to protest, but it didn’t take long before decided to just give up. “You know what? Sure. Do that.”
“Why not, I mean, I’ll probably act like a 12 year old girl seeing a penis for the first time, but if you’re into that?”
“Oh my god,” Andrew laughed. “I miss you. Come home soon.”
Steven told him that he missed him too, agreed to come home as soon as possible, and told him good night, before hanging up. Steven had actually kind of liked jealous Andrew, and if Steven put the screen shot of Andrew as his home screen, it was not at all because of how adorable he had been. Not at all.
ayy yoo!! have this drabble i did at like 4:30 in the morning. forgive the chunky mess…. im a lot little rusty as i havent written jack shit in almost a year lol
→ there is a moment by the altar where steven sees andrew and his future
…
The soft rays of the dazzling sun shines through the stained glass of the church, creating a mesmerizing light around his blond hair, almost like a halo. He is utterly breathtaking in his attire—a light tan four-piece suit that perfectly compliments his hair and brings out the pale colours of his eyes.
When he had first walked in through the ornate wooden doors, Steven’s heart had skipped a beat, his breath catching audibly as he watched Andrew come closer, a nervous but ultimately, excited energy around him. His hands kept clenching and unclenching at his sides before rubbing his palms against the material of his pants, and Steven had barely seen sweat begin to form on his forehead—and god, Steven’s heart had never felt so overwhelmed before. Then their eyes had met, and a smile had blossomed so painfully beautiful on Andrew’s lips and Steven saw a future with the two of them appear in his head. A future where they’d continue to do Worth It but with matching bands on their ring fingers—
“Family and friends, we are gathered today to unite these two wonderful people in marriage…”
—a future where fond looks and loving gazes would be freely thrown around, and B-rolls would be filled with handholding, quick kisses, intimate conversations, and probably Adam turning the camera around towards himself to show a disgruntled face. A future where Steven can call the man he has loved for years his husband, where Steven would look exasperated for every joke and pun Andrew makes and insists he hates him for it but the besotted smile on his face would suggest otherwise—
“Do you, Andrew Ilnyckyj, take…”
—a future where they would eventually have to retire the show despite their infinite love for what they do and for their audience, where they settle down, maybe still as a background member of BuzzFeed but with less attention—
“I do.” He says, deep voice echoing and definite. His eyes have never seemed brighter than at this moment with a flush of happiness high on his cheekbones. Andrew is confident, so sure, so radiant and blissful standing before an alter with the people he loves behind him and the person he loves most beside.
—Steven saw, just before it ended, a future where they grow old together, happy and in love and—
“Do you, Alex Williams, take Andrew Ilnyckyj as your husband…”
—Steven saw what they could have been, what they might have been in another lifetime where Steven was less of a coward and where Andrew saw him as more than a friend—
“I do.”
“I now pronounce you…”
Steven can’t help the faint smile on his face as he catches sight of Andrew’s watery eyes. The man he’s loved—loves—leans forward for a kiss, head tilted, and Steven sees himself in front of Andrew for a moment. He doesn’t stop the hint of bitterness from slipping to his smile. No one’s looking at him anyway.
He doesn’t know if he wants to stop seeing himself in an impossible future or if he wishes he would see him and Andrew for more than just a moment in time.
“steven is what?” the words, it makes andrew look up from laptop. so engrossed in the work, he didn’t noticed someone walks in. the office has been uncharacteristically quite since most of them had to go out to work. taking advantage of it, andrew enjoyed the rare moment, taking off headphone even. until it isn’t.
a host member of the try guys, keith smirk at bewildered look on his face. before he know it, the others show up too.
“basically i’m not.” and steven. who followed them as camera crew in the early morning. it was take more time than andrew expected. steven was holding a paper cup, he comes to andrew straight, put the coffee down front of him. it was still warm. almost involuntarily, he raises the cup to his lips and murmured thank you, steven smile down at him. then sit against desk which is andrew’s as if he belong to there. he did that often, maybe too often. not that andrew minded though.
“you are. you’re the princess. you should be watch out apples. someone might poison you.” zack, the other try guys member stepped into the scene.
“yeah, since you’re filming worth it…” eugene who’s standing next to zack, agrees too. he takes out his cellphone and showed something to others. ned laughed out loud as keith cackles at the same time. apparently, it seems they all had fun at wildlife rescue center. andrew wonders what happened during the filming. he notices all of them looked tired. it probably was long shoot. helping animals aren’t easy work. especially if they are wildlife. among them, steven looks drawn, a little pale even. andrew is beginning to worry him.
“very funny. and why is a princess by the way?” apparently, steven dosen’t seem to have fun as much as the others.
“because it’s away more fun than just call you a prince.” zach says, wearing shit-eating grin on his face. steven groaned, cross his arm and obviously pouts now. he retorted something back to them. although he didn’t seem to really upset with them, apart from camera, annoyed steven isn’t something you can see everyday. andrew couldn’t help but staring the view.
“call me princess again, i’m going to…”
“…sleep and wait for prince charming.” zack interrupts him, just for completes the sentence by himself. steven huffs, he shakes his head and stare them flatly like he’s a parent who can’t deal with the immature acts of his children. which is absurd and also hilarious, because he’s steven lim. most childish adult andrew ever met. and he works in buzzfeed.
“i hate you all. except andrew. because andrew is nice unlike you guys.”
steven says and nods solemnly. andrew can’t help allows to himself admit it’s a cute sight.
“you mean, because andrew is ‘the one’?”
“you know what? i’m done here.”
steven raises himself upright from andrew’s desk, glares at them. then without a word, he walks out through office door dramatically. considering his overeacting, almost playful expression, he isn’t really upset. andrew relaxes. he can’t remember when it started exactly, but steven’s well being is important to him somehow. before steven stumped off, muttering something under his breath. something like ‘troll guys.’ well, andrew thinks they deserve it.
when steven is out of sight, andrew turned back, raise his eyebrows to them. “snow white, huh?”
“i thought it better than ‘living catnip’ because it was called already.” keith shrugs, of course, there’s no sigh of dependance. actually it doesn’t need to be. to be honest, it happens all the time, ‘teasing steven’ to put it bluntly. although they never intended to mean to him or hurt him (if someone did, the freak is gonna be buried alive under the buzzed HQ. andrew would be the first one who grabs a shovel and starts digging ground. probably adam too, he’ll be the second.) people doing that just to see his reaction. includes andrew himself. in his defense, it wasn’t their fault. his reaction is too fun and adorable when being teased. steven knows that too. people tease him because they fond of him. even though doesn’t get the reason. in other worlds, as long as there’s no harm, steven didn’t mind the teases.
(okay, maybe he sulked once or twice) this time is no different. but andrew knows better than that. something bothers steven. and it bothers him.
maybe not for everybody, but it’s obvious to his eyes. andrew wonders if even steven realize his own feeling. for a remarkably smart person, also preternaturally keen to other’s emotion, steven doesn’t have a clue about himself. sometimes it looks like, he simply forgot that he has a feeling too. to him, it’s a very interesting process to watch. sympathy too. at least he’s an open book, so andrew can take care of him. it isn’t necessary job though. andrew knows that, he doesn’t need to watch over steven, or babysit him. no. no matter how many time steven acts like a child, he’s a respectable adult and he can do things properly when he has to.
it just, it feels wrong, to seeing steven is being hurt. he hates it. don’t even want to think about it. andrew just wants to make sure that troubles keep out of his way, make sure something won’t let hurt him. keep him safe. that’s what friends do. right? standing by side watching over each others back. although to andrew that’s not enough. steven no need to know about that. so he just waited until steven left the office.
“why steven became disney princess, suddenly? did something happened in there?” adrew asks, the try guys look each others, grin spreads on their faces. like they recalled good old memory. and what is that? it’s been only few hours. before andrew lost his patience, zach smirks at him and open his mouse finally. “something happened indeed. we almost dropped out the filming because steven has new stalkers.”
“he had what.” andrew knows his voice rises, but he don’t care about that. not now.
“relax, nothing serious, i mean, just animals.” ned adds quickly, holding his hands as if trying to calm him down like andrew is about two seconds from turn to some dangerous creature while zack just waves him off.
“yeah, animals like bunny and furries or some kind of deers. isn’t it typical? it is, you know, one of essential conditions for being princess.” he says in sarcastic tone. but andrew can sense affection in there.
“we tried to making friends with them. so we had to cleaning stalls and washing them, feeding food and helping them, something more to build to gain their trust.” eugene says while eating snack. must be hungry. he shoves a handful of chips into mouth. so zach has to tell instead of him. “they did. with only steven. and that wasn’t fair. he didn’t even help the cleaning!” he exclaimed, fake indignantly.
because he had to holding a camera. or boom mic. but andrew don’t say it out loud. hold it to himself. he don’t want to showing of his favoritism. no more than he’s shown it so far.
“if it wasn’t funcking adorable. i’d stop filming and came back to the office without him. we had to wait for hours.”
“maybe we should have to sing to them.” ned added, everyone laugh again.
even they say like that, it’s obvious they were enjoying the filming. finish his snack, eugene approached to him with camera. “let me show you, here.”
first one. the view starts from entrance of the center. then scene shifted to a forest, look like almost nature thing. andrew impressed. if he don’t see fences and some facilities across divided districts, he might believe it is. and there’s some animals too. camera zoom in on them. they’re scatters here and there on an area. some deers, rabbits. maybe it’s herbivorous zone. at first, the animals didn’t recognize someone watching them. it was a calm, peaceful scene. then suddenly the video footage was shaking a bit like the camera man was ambushed by something. angle down rapidly, almost falls to ground. fortunately the crew managed to catch the camera before hitting on ground. the angle back to normal with a sigh go relief, andrew knows the voice, at the same time his eyes catch sneakers and immediately notices who’s the sneakers’s owner. soon, the sneakers covered by mottled fluffy balls. andrew finds himself melts a bit at the scene. then he heard, ‘i knew it’ somewhat resignedly, steven mumbled in camera.
move on to next one, steven appears in middle of the footage, he sat down surrounded by small animals. a bunny on his lap, others perches on his legs. steven was busy to petting them by turn. deeply concentrated on what he is doing, steven didn’t seem to notice camera at first. he occasionally nodded, lifted his head to only speak to someone who outside of the footage. probably center staff, andrew guesses. from the way steven’s hands moving over anlmals, it looks like he asking things about the animals around him. andrew don’t understand what they’re talked, but it rather affected steven considering his expression; sad, sympathy. worry, all emotions mixed on his face and it looks almost painful. but his touch for them is so gentle and tender. andrew tries not to feel jealous of. these grass eaters. don’t be stupid, illyckyj. after steven did comfort them for a while, finally he tried to up. but a deer nudged him to sitting position again.
the try guys are right. it’s unfair. for he can’t see this in person.
“see? snow princess.” keith says. andrew don’t agree with that, he just says nothing. just stare at the camera. “it seems like, steven has them wrapped around his finger too, huh.” he don’t disagree either.
camera zoom in on, so he can see that steven speak something to her(or him. he don’t know.) with smiling fondly. when andrew thinks their face too close, as i on cue, they brush each others nose accidently. at moment steven looked dumbfound. then he burst out laugh. it sounds happy.
“you’re smiling.” ned says with teasing tone. like he knows that what’s going on there, inside of his head.
“no, i’m not.” andrew frowns instantly, realized that he’s not alone. but it’s too late. even though it’s not exactly secret, still embarrassing to admit to them. even himself. he don’t used to this kind of thing. feeling. of course, he’s been experience of some relationships since teen, through casual to serious term in a way. he dated before, the last one is not too long ago. but it’s different. it’s feels different. andrew never been in here before. that’ why he can’t define his feeling for steven. because steven, for an open book, he’s still an enigma to andrew. and he even don’t know that he really wants to solve this or not. maybe both. what an irony. like steven himself. it’s frustrated him no end. maybe he’s just curious. or not. curiosity never make him fluttering like this.
“i know. this is my favorite too.” ned adds, ignoring his answer. then he smirks at andrew, like he knows what’s going on inside of his head. technically it’s not possible. andrew turns his eyes to other way.
“mine is this one.” thankfully eugene, stepped in appropriate timing. he picks cell phone up again, open video polder and touch the most recent one to play,
in this video. steven tried to sneak out from herbivores zone. he looked around in nervous, tiptoed over to the borderline of forests. but in the middle of escape, he was caught by a bunny, steven’s eyes widen. he stepped backward few steps but tripped over himself to avoid step on little ones, fell over on ground miserably. as if on cue. soon his almost entire body disappeared by the animals. steven yelled ‘i can’t move!’
this time, andrew huffs out little laugh.
the truth about andrew is, he’s always stuck in middle. and he hates it.
it’s mean not only literally but metaphorically too. well, he’s just born that way. the middle child of three brothers. perhaps it wouldn’t be so surprising if there was middle child crisis as expected. he was. no matter how he wants to deny about that. he can feel that it’s still exist somewhere inside him. although not much, just tiny presence now. but it wasn’t from being neglected or left behind though.
his parents are most amazing person he could ever have. they love each other in all sincerity. they are really love him. love he and his brothers all fairly, there’s never a hint of favoritism. treat them with patience and understanding, always supported and encouraged them with open mind. in return, andrew love them wholeheartedly as his other brothers. andrew knows very well how lucky he is. people knows. he lived in small town. when he was younger, his friends often told him it made them feel jealous how perfect, wonderful family that he has. his family may not wealthy, but there was nothing real hardship either. they are humble but confident, on good term with neighbors. a loving and caring family. truly, his family are perfect. probably too perfect, too good for him.
so, it wasn’t really their fault that he had secret inferiority complex. and if they did, at least it’s not on purpose. more likely, it’s andrews problem.
the brothers, although they worked well as a dream team, each performed better separately. they are each two years apart. alex, the oldest one, he’s such a perfection itself. the smartest in brothers, not only he’s fulfill his duty as eldest brother by taking care of his sibling, but also basically everyone around him. as an honer roll student, he always one step ahead of his peers. there’s nothing he can’t do. everything about his brother is perfect and elegant. perfect student, perfect friend, perfect veterinarian, perfect boyfriend, perfect brother and perfect son. he’s the proud one in family. someday even if his older brother throwing his hat in the ring, to running for president, andrew wouldn’t be surprise.
on the contrary max, the youngest, he’s a rascal and rebel. not to family or innocents, but against society, to irrational system, like convention and corruption things. the trouble maker in brothers. he’s bold, daring and brave. it’s not fake or immature thing. he’s a genuine one. some people might consider him a bad boy by his acts and wild looks but not really. seemingly he’s lone wolf. the truth is, he’s such a darling to everyone. it was impossible not to love this guy. he’s the charming one in family. as social butterfly by nature, the younger one loves party and people. his irresistible smile attracts people, especially to women since he born. ladies boy to ladies man now. also he’s a journalist too. he put his heart and soul into these works. andrew is sure that his baby brother gonna surprise the world.
as if that’s not enough, both of them belonged to the football team when in high school. the linebacker and the quarterback. and andrew? people might expected that he was in there too. maybe the center. but no. although he can play if he wants ( his brothers used to practice on the others. so yeah) he was in drama club.
andrew is well, just andrew. it wasn’t mean that he was the ugly duckling. if anything, andrew had a good time in his own way. not exactly the popular one, but close to. he has a dry sense of humor that people thinks really funny. he looks cool, calm and collected but still friendly one. he had good grade, he has good friends, he was one of main players in dram club. he was good in many things. sometimes andrew thought that he just playing a role in real life. mostly original, but still mixing copy in a character. almost perfect as much as the older one. almost charming as much as younger one. but not enough to satisfied himself. he can’t impressed people like them. middle isn’t means center anyway.
like he said. his parents love them equally, never compared them to others. andrew compared himself to them. andrew knows he shouldn’t treat himself like that. but he couldn’t stop either.
sure, the family lives in harmony but that didn’t mean they are flawless. yes. he said the word perfect maybe too many times. ‘perfect’ as humanly possible. of course they have trouble too, they fight and sulk to each others as other people do that. over ridiculous things like toothpaste flavor to some serious issue. and apologize, back to life as if nothing had ever happened. likewise, of course andrew knows they are just mortal as much as he is. but can’t help the noticing that they all way better than him. no one wouldn’t agree with him though. no one understand his feeling ether. that’s why he thought this is his problem.
when andrew was in college, he played several roles in several plays than high school. his professor told him he’s talented one. even though andrew couldn’t sure about that, but occasionally he found himself that how easily he into the roles. it was fun to become another person which he never gonna be in reality. it felt good. like drug, he was kind of addicted to it a bit. sometimes he felt that he’s breathing easier in roles than just himself. first time andrew realized that, he immediately felt guilty, like he betrayed his family. although he did his best to hide it. god. what’s wrong with him. he used to ask this to himself. but there was no answer. it’s like poverty midst plenty, surrounding people, somewhat he felt lonely. if it’s any consolation, at least his acting is good.
he might too busy to struggling with himself.(low key self-conscious, loneliness, self-induced pressure) andrew tends to catching up with things later. for example, his confused sexuality. actually it started at his sophomore year(his best guessing) didn’t nocticed until senior year. of college. he was a mess at that time. he’s in shock, not really ashamed of that but don’t know how to deal with. he already had enough shit.
or
“what do you mean, you have known this what, whole time?”
“i’m your mom andy, what do you expect from me? and stop looking at me like that.”
“like what?”
“like i ate your whole candy!”
“were you?”
or
“dad?”
“well, son. we couldn’t sure about that. just guess, you didn’t show any particular sign about that, but you know, we’re your parents. and you was in drama club anyway.”
“i hate this family.”
“no, you’re not.”
or
“so..you can have men and women both, huh? you hit the jackpot, bro!“
“you’re not helping.”
“if you want to join community, talk me anytime. i know some people who can help.”
“you just want to use me to date with them. you jerk.”
or
“if you want to meet someone, maybe i can introduce my friends or visitors.”
“thank you, but no thank you.”
“which do you prefer, cat person or dog person?”
“stop.”
huh.
he knows that his family not gonna judging him with that. it went well as expected. too well. jesus fucking christ, his parents have known before he realized. his brothers, they accepted it like he changed his hair color. so, no surprising. no shock. no bewilderment, no fussing. and andrew, he found himself a little disappointing about that. seriously what’s wrong with him, he asked himself again as many time did. it wasn’t make any sense. he got the best response as much as he could get, from people who he care most deeply about. and upset with that? what the hell.
but he couldn’t show it, as always.
after some wandering, andrew began to working for that company called buzzfeed. it was niki, his best friend suggestion. who already had been there. he met her senior year of college. they was in class for studying filmmaking (his major. theater was minor) they really clicked immediately. they have similar personalities and dispositions andrew is comfortable around her. he knows her, she knows him. niki understand him in that way no one did before. they talked about almost everything. also she realized his sexuality faster than him.
it was surprisedly easy for him to adjusted to life in california. there’re so many people. so many food. and sun. the sunshine is so bright it got him almost blinding. floods into everywhere, you can’t hide nothing from that. for a quite while, he hadn’t notice that he changed mood. he’s been too busy to think about anything else but adapt new life. it was refreshing. warming him up under the sun, he thought maybe it’s time to stop hiding. he should to living his own life. now he feels more independent, more freedom than before. it reminded him first college year, but better. he living on his money now. maybe that’w why. maybe for the first time in his life, he’s simply in the right place at the right time.
steven wasn’t.
“i think you’re the right person for this show.”
when steven approached him and said like that, it takes a moment for the words sink in. and andrew realized that steven is still there, sitting in next to him. so he has no a choice but turn his body steven’s way to facing him. if others did as steven did, he may get suspicious first.(fuck candid camera.) but he’s steven lim. it’s not like andrew knows him well. aside from his name, tall, thin asian, blond, awkward but smart guy. and that’s all. nothing above average except height. he’s no problem with that. what and don’t understand is, it seems everybody in buzzfeed loves steven a lot. without any special reason. nothing wrong with the love. but something in there, or something off in there. some people acts as if they’re possessed by whatever, how andrew can know what is it? just it feels little bit unnatural. but again, he really don’r know about steven lim. but andrew also knows that; he’s not kind of backstabbing person. as an actor, andrew is sure that steven is incapable of telling a lie. well, technically he can. just he’d be a terrible liar.
he can see steven tried to look casual, but obviously it’s not works when steven wiggling in his chair like a nervous child. moreover he fidgeting his hands constantly and he’s eyes, are looking everywhere in the office but him.
stop that. andrew feels an urge to snap at him, or hold his armchair to stop him
“are you sure? don’t get me wrong. but i never expect this.” not from you.
instead, he tries answered calmly. he’s already guilty of one thing to steven. don’t have a plan for make another sin. adam’s going to kill him. who talked to him about the show steven and him are planning. “why me? i mean, we barely know each other.” andrew asks, because it’s true.
steven nods, enthusiastically. “i’m sure. and you’re right. we don’t know each other. that’s why we need you. we compare food on food. but our difference, i think it gonna inject some life there.” steven nods again, not to andrew this time. like he wants to make sure at himself too. he knits his brows like he thinks hard something. andrew realizes that he stopped the wiggling. so he is serious. “and i heard that you’re not picky.” steven adda, in seriousness. like it’s most important problem in there. and okay. andrew has to keep a straight face.
“and?” it’s come out softly more than he thinks he would be, almost encouragingly. it works.
“and i heard you love foods. i need someone who would be really, truly professional about this show. we gotta do a lot of things just for this. we don’t need expert. we need passion, sincerity and devotion to go on the this show. i am. but when i go too far, i need someone drag me down to ground.” he explains, sincerely, while steven talked to him, steven looking at him straight in his eyes. somehow andrew impresses.
“and you think of me?” amused too. it’s not like andrew isn’t tempt by that. andrew did filming with him once. steven’s good. the concept is appearing. and adam would be there too. it’s gonna be a good shot.
“yes. i’m sure that we’ll get along fine. i don’t know you well. but i know you’re good from my experience.”now he blushes. it’s pretty. and his desperate, hopeful expression says more than words. steven’s eyes are too dark andrew almost can’t find the iris. but it’s most transparent eyes that he ever seen. vulnerable even. andrew can see through his eyes.
“i’ll think about that.” andrew finds himself says like that. how can he say no to this?
“really? wow, thank you, wow. i know it’s not easy decision. but you won’t be disappointed when you join the team!” steven beams at him. then he jumps to his feet like he’s so excited that he can’t sit still. god, how old he is, twelve? and he don’t know where is it come from but, suddenly it feels like,
“it’ll be worth it.” steven says softly.
exactly.
then steven is gone. as suddenly as he appears. andrew’s mind lost for while; mulling over the suggestion. andrew don’t know well about steven, but he seems nice and passionate. also a bit perfectionist like andrew himself. he can feel that. and even he don’t know about steven. he knows adam. adam is caution man in every respect, he’s nice to everyone, but open his heart to others is whole another story. and andrew knows that adam really, really fond of steven. after all, they are very close. he can trust adam. but andrew knows he already made his mind before this consideration. then andrew realizes, he has never been apologize to steven. about last time incident. maybe steven forgets it already, given that he acting around d him. but still, andrew should to apologize to him regardless of the show. that was unfair to steven. next time he see steven, he’d to do. andrew remind himself.
I just wanted to remind you that I do take prompts! All ships are welcome, as long as it's within the buzzfeed fandom! Don't be ashamed to request an unusual pairing, I'll gladly write it!
How did Steven and Adrew meet in MM I must know ❤❤❤❤
“Hello, and welcome to Come On In! I’m Kristin and today, we’re invited to the home of Steven Lim and Andrew Ilnyckyj, hosts of the late night talk-show Worth The Wait and Hollywood’s It couple!”
Kristin rings the doorbell and the door immediately opens to reveal Andrew and Steven, in matching, plush bathrobes.
“Come on in,” Andrew says, beaming.
“As you can see,” Kristin tells the camera, “Steven and Andrew have been gracious enough to welcome us as they get ready for their big night. Nominated for their third Emmy tonight, they’re also presenting an award, so they gotta look their best.”
Steven and Andrew take Kristin and the camera crew through the traditional tour of the house, before settling in their walk-in closet, where they will get ready.
“Tell me,” Kristin asks as Steven shuffled through a rack of neckties, “you two have always been somehow secretive about your relationship. Care to give Come On In’s dear viewers an exclusive? How did you two meet?”
Steven and Andrew share a fond glance, and an almost imperceptible nod.
“Well, Kristin,” Andrew says, “we went to college together, and I can still remember the very first time I saw Steven —“
***“Excuse me, is this seat free?” An angel is Andrew’s first thought.
Silver-haired, bright-eyed, and framed by a halo of Christmas lights on the wall behind him. Andrew blinks him into focus and realizes the guy is struggling with two backpacks, a big pile of books, a laptop and its charger, looking for an outlet. The place is crowded with last minute finals crammers.
“Of course, of course!” Andrew scrambles to his feet to get some of the load off his arms.
The guy settles in the seat across Andrew, plugs in his laptop and lets out a relieved sigh.
“Finals?” Andrew asks, a bit stupidly, because why else would he be in a coffee shop laden with textbooks on December 10?
“Tell me about it.” Then he looks up from the overwhelming pile of stuff separating them, and smiles. “Steven.”
“Andrew,” Andrew answers, holding his hand out over the wall of textbooks for Steven to shake.
“Nice to meet you.” Steven’s smile is the brightest, sweetest thing Andrew’s ever seen. “So sorry for invading you with my stuff… Lemme buy you coffee, make it up to you.”
Andrew doesn’t need much space – he’s working on his iPad – but Steven looks at him like that and really who could refuse?
He nods shyly – apparently, the apparition of Steven in his life sucked all his usual aplomb out of him. “I’d like that.”
Steven walks up to the counter and comes back with two steaming mugs of coffee. “I didn’t know how you take it…” Steven trails off apologetically, dumping a heap of sugar packets and milk thingies on top of the already tall pile of books.
Andrew chuckles incredulously. He is so cute and how can Andrew be already in so deep not ten minutes after meeting the guy?
“I take it black, but thanks,” Andrew says, trying not to sound ungrateful, feeling a bit bad that Steven carried all of these for nothing.
But then Steven starts pouring packet after packet of sugar in his cup, and okay, maybe it wasn’t for nothing.
“Wow, you really don’t like coffee, huh?” Andrew whistles in wonder.
Steven scrunches up his face. “Not really. But I need the boost if I want to finish in time.”
They make small talk – except no talk with Steven can be small, he could talk about anything and Andrew would listen with rapt attention, and he also makes you feel like what you’re saying is the most important thing in the world – about their classes and realize they got the same major, TV Production, but they’re a year apart, which is why they never met.
Soon enough – too soon for Andrew’s taste – their mugs are empty and Steven is eyeing his books reluctantly.
“I don’t wanna be rude…”
“No, please, of course! I need to get some work done too.”
Steven buries himself in his books and Andrew buys the next round of coffee and they work in companionable silence, until the Christmas lights turn off and Andrew realizes so did the Christmas music.
He looks up to find the coffee shop around them completely empty, except for the two of them and an exhausted looking barista holding a mop.
They gather their things and leave in a hurry, Steven apologizing profusely to the barista in the sweetest way that makes Andrew’s heart squeeze.
***
“And then he walked me back to my dorm – to help with my big pile of books, y’know, smooth,” Steven grins, “and before he left…”
Kristin is hanging to his every word. So is Andrew, even though he knows the story by heart – hell, he lived it. Steven is just that good with words. That’s why their show works so well.
“He kissed me!” Steven exclaims, pausing from tying Andrew’s bow tie to kiss his nose.
“We’ve been together ever since,” Andrew says, with the fondest, most in love look in his eyes.
He pulls Steven in by his lapels. “Hey, you’re gonna wrinkle –“ the rest of Steven’s protest is muffled into a deep kiss. Deeper than they’ve ever shared on camera, but Andrew’s in love, and after all these years, Steven can still make him feel like a young idiot who just wants to kiss the cute boy in the coffee shop.
Worth the Wait is part of my Mayday Mountains AU; read all about it here | Mayday Mountains tag
requests are CLOSED | see all my buzzfeed drabbles here
I know I should be writing on my WIP fics, but I'm distracted and I actually want to write something completely different. How would y'all feel about a B99 AU?
Even if you don't want it I'm still writing it. Thanks.
relativity, or: breaking up when you're still in love
Andrew hasn't looked at Steven since the farewell party the office organized for Steven.
The light turns red, and finally, finally, Andrew glances at him, ever so slightly, as if he's afraid of looking at Steven. His fingers drum against the steering wheel. This is the first time Andrew drives him home. Steven's own car is currently in a compartment box being shipped to his new two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan.
"I don't want it to end like this," Andrew says. The words sound like they're being punched out of his chest. "Not like this."
Steven inhales shakily. "I know."
"Do you?"
The light turns yellow. Andrew's eyes are so clear, like the ocean in Bali.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I meant."
The light turns green.
-
Andrew closes the door behind him and crowds Steven's personal place. Hands on Steven's waist, Andrew pushes Steven against the wall and kisses him hard. His fingers dig into Steven's ribcage like he's trying to break in.
Steven tastes Japan on his lips, remembers the heat and the humidity of their square hotel room and the way Andrew laid him down and took him into his mouth. Steven tastes the snow in DC, the cold seeping into his jacket contrasting with the warmth of Andrew's mouth on his, Adam rolling his eyes in exasperation but unable to hide his fondness. Steven tastes the desperation of their first kiss, the anger of Montreal, the sweetness of their brunch date--Steven tastes the memories he's made with Andrew by his side and finds himself clutching at the other man just as hard.
"I can't," Andrew pants out, gasping at Steven's tiny bites on his exposed jaw, neck, the hand slipping up his chest. "Steven, please, don't do this."
Steven closes his eyes because one more look at those green eyes, he would lose. Steven never wins when it comes to Andrew.
It's difficult to say what he feels, so he just says it with his mouth.
-
The job offer would fast-track his career by four years, open up doors to opportunities he could only have dared to dream of before, and broaden his networking. It would be stupid of him not to take it, Andrew tells him as much.
Steven is falling slowly. Andrew plays with his fingertips while he reads a book, head on Steven's bare chest. Andrew is right, it would be stupid of Steven not to take it.
"We can do long distance," Andrew says.
Except Steven can't, won't. He has spent a better part of his twenties trying to make distance work, and in the end, it all comes crashing down and he's lost not only a girlfriend, but a best friend. Ying was almost like a life partner. There was a time that he was sure Ying would walk down the aisle to him, but now seeing her picture made his chest constrict in the most painful way possible.
Steven looks at their intertwined hands. He can't do that to Andrew. He can't imagine losing someone that important, not for the second time. Ying would be the first and the last.
So he kisses Andrew's knuckles and begins to think of every moment as the last.
He counts down the days.
-
"You met her when you were both nineteen. You were young. We're older now."
"That doesn't change the fact that there is still distance between us."
"Then we'll talk on the phone every day. I'll text you constantly. I'll even--get a fucking Instagram, I don't know, to be closer to you. Don't do this."
"It won't work. We're going to run out of topics and we're not going to be there for each other when we need, we're really just going to hate each other by the end of it, don't make me do this, please."
"Steven. No."
"I'm going anyway."
"Please--"
-
Traffic in New York is much like that in LA. But New York has so much more grey than sunny Los Angeles. And yellow cabs. Can't forget about that.
Steven's hand rests on the empty passenger seat. Second day at work, a week after he left LA.
