Let‘s Pretend
Isak has been trying to get rid of Emma for weeks, luckily for him Even has a plan.
Many thanks to @eroticgropefest for being an amazing beta as always <3
For #SkamFicWeek day 1
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8]
Isak, for the first three weeks of school, has managed to avoid Vilde, but after she decided to talk about it with Eskild, Isak finds himself hosting a kosegruppa meeting anyway.
So when everyone is busy at the table eating and chatting Isak goes to the kitchen to try and find some peace and quiet until everyone decides to leave. Even follows him soon after.
Even--who Isak has only known for a few weeks because he transferred this year to Nissen--is the reason he doesn’t really hate kosegruppa. They met in the first gathering and Isak was grateful that they started talking, even if the conversation happened because Even used all the paper towels in the bathroom.
Whenever they’re together Isak finds himself relaxing around Even. He even manages to forget all his problems. He loves when he can make Even laugh, because when he smiles his deep blue eyes crinkle and Isak loves seeing him like that.
So they just stay in the kitchen chilling, drinking beer, and chatting until Emma comes in. Isak curses internally because he's been avoiding her ever since he kissed her at Eva's party during the first week of school.
“Hi!” she says with a bright smile.
“Hi,” Even responds; Isak just stares at her, a little worried about why she came to the kitchen.
She’s speaking but he's not really paying attention. Instead, Isak takes another sip of his drink and risks glancing at Even. Only to find the other boy looking at him with an amused expression. Isak then starts to furrow his eyebrows in confusion when Even nods in her direction clearly indicating that Emma was talking to him.
“Hm? Sorry,” Isak says, taking his eyes off Even.
“I just asked why are you avoiding me?” She crosses her arms before she continues, “I mean, we kissed weeks ago, and we haven’t been able to just hang out...”
“Oh...” He clenches his fist, trying to think of a way to make it clear to her that he's not interested. He looks at his feet before he starts to speak, “Look… I’m just not interested,” he says bluntly thinking about how Even is standing really close to him and what it does to his heart whenever their eyes meet.
“But why?” she asks, and he stiffens. Then as he slowly looks up, he notices the hurt on her face. Isak can’t help but feel bad about it, because it’s not her fault after all.
“He’s interested in someone else.” Even slowly adds. Isak frowning turns his attention to him wondering what is he talking about. And Even noticing him looking arches his eyebrows, like he’s telling Isak not to question him and just follow his plan, so he ends up nodding at Emma, confirming what Even just told her.
“Okay…” she starts, looking like she’s not buying it “But who?”
“Uhm..” Isak--not expecting this question--looks at Even for help, but quickly looks back at Emma trying to think of someone’s name to just tell her when he suddenly feels an arm around his shoulders and all of a sudden Even is pressed against his side. Isak starts to blush because they’ve never been this close before so he looks at him expecting some kind of signal for what he’s doing but Even is looking straight at Emma.
“Me.”
***
After Emma left the kitchen Even continued to talk about the movie that he was previously telling Isak about, like nothing weird had happened in the meantime. But when Even notices how quiet Isak is he brings the topic back.
“So.. do you think Emma will finally let you alone?” he asks, speaking quietly by his side.
Isak sighs before he finally answers him. “Uhm… I don’t know, she’s really persistent and she didn’t looked really convinced about it.”
Even seems to consider what he just told him before saying in a whisper. “I can help with that.”
“Okay?” Isak says unsure.
Even gives him a smile before continuing, “Don’t worry about it, what are friends for?”
Isak looks down at his feet wondering what could possibly Even have in mind. But even though he’s not entirely sure what he’s agreeing with, he ends up saying a quiet “Thanks.”
***
Isak has been having trouble sleeping for the past few weeks so he feels exhausted when monday morning comes. He and the boys are hanging out by the lockers waiting for the bell to ring when Isak spots Even coming towards them.
Isak immediately thinks of the last time he saw him, and how Even said that he was going to help him ditch Emma. Isak didn’t ask what he had in mind but has been thinking about it the whole weekend. Making possible scenarios of what he might have in mind. Will he try to seduce Emma so that she forgets all about him? That's what worries Isak because he feels a sick twist in his stomach whenever he thinks of Even kissing other people ever since he told him he used to have a girlfriend in his old school, so he's not looking forward to watching it happening in front of him. He considers telling Even that he doesn’t need his help: that he can keep ignoring Emma until she gets bored and move on.
“Hey guys.” Even says as he shakes hands with them. He stops right by Isak’s side leaning against the lockers and pressing his arm against his. Isak becomes very aware of how close they are; on how he can feel Even’s body heat from and every little movement he makes, so he just stares at the floor.
As Magnus starts retelling his latest dream involving Vilde for Even to listen, Mahdi and Jonas start to make fun of him so Isak decides to take of his scarf off since it’s warmer inside the school and tries to put it inside his bag. When the bell rings and the boys start to hurry up the stairs to get to their classes. Even stays behind and turns to Isak, casually leaning a bit into his direction. “Don’t look… “ he says, ”but Emma is right at the end of the hall looking this way.”
“Fuck” Isak swears, immediately thinking that they should go before she decides to come here. He starts trying to close his backpack in a hurry, but it’s too full so he can’t do it. He admits defeat and sighs loudly before he pulls the scarf out of his backpack again.
“Can I borrow it?” Even asks him as he grabs the scarf from Isak’s hands.
Isak blinks stupidly at him before he answers. “Uhm...sure.”
Even--without taking his eyes off Isak--puts it around his neck, and winks before he leaves too. Isak can't help himself when he immediately starts to blush. When he regains his focus and realizes that he's late, he notices Emma staring at him, and he hurriedly walks away.