off-limits. | kenickie murdoch
| wc: 1.1k | kenickie murdoch x zuko!reader
| warnings: none really.
| rewatched grease today after such a long time, and my crushes on kenickie and danny are so back!!
"she's off-limits. do anything with her, you're chopped liver."
that's what danny had said from the start. first day of summer. you were still brushing sand off your legs when he muttered it to kenickie, eyes narrowed, shoulders squared. protective big brother mode.
kenickie just smirked like he always did, flicking his cigarette to the side and saying, "relax, danny. ain't like i'm gonna propose." he had no idea how wrong he was. or maybe he did.
you weren't supposed to look at him like that. not with the soft, secret kind of gaze that made your breath catch in your throat. you weren't supposed to smile when he bumped your shoulder or stared too long when he thought no one would notice.
but you did. and he noticed, every time.
--
it started with glances.
in the hallways. across the lunchroom. when the t-birds were joking around, and you'd be walking by with your books clutched to your chest, you could feel his eyes follow you. like his gaze burned through the back of your blouse.
and then came the touches.
innocent, at first. his hand brushing yours when you passed each other something. a hand on your back when you were walking through a crowd. the way his pinky would linger next to yours on the bleachers, never quite holding, just... waiting.
your heart would thump so loud, you thought danny might hear it from across the lot.
--
one night, you were sitting on the hood of kenickie's car after a party. you'd snuck away from the pink ladies and he'd wandered off from the guys. you didn't even talk at first, just passed a bottle of coke between you, watching the stars.
then, out of nowhere, he asked softly, "you ever think about runnin' away from all this?"
you turned to him, blinking. "like... the whole school?"
"the whole thing," he said, lighting a cigarette but not looking at you. "the drama. the rep. danny's overprotective ass. just... go somewhere where no one cares who you are."
you smiled faintly. "yeah nickie. all the time."
he finally looked at you. and for the first time, he wasn't wearing his cocky grin. he looked real. scared. nervous, almost. "it's gettin' real hard not to do something stupid," he muttered.
"what do you mean?"
he stared at you, then shook his head. "nothin' doll. forget it."
but you didn't.
--
weeks passed. more sneaking around. more long walks behind the bleachers. whispered words in empty classrooms. he'd call you "dollface" under his breath, and your cheeks would burn for hours. you'd leave him little notes folded in his locker, signed only with a lipstick print.
then one night, it all snapped.
danny had gone inside early after a t-bird party. the rest of the crew was still outside. kenickie found you in the kitchen, washing a glass.
"you shouldn't be in here nickie," you said, not turning around.
"you say that like i'm gonna listen, doll."
you turned around. he stepped closer.
and for the first time... he kissed you.
it wasn't fast. or greedy. it was slow— like he was scared to ruin it. like he'd been waiting an eternity.
"doll i've been thinkin' about this since june," he whispered against your lips.
"me too nickie."
--
after that, it became a real thing. you were together.
but still— in secret.
quick kisses in alleyways. long, late-night phone calls pretending to be "just a friend from class." dancing in his garage with the music low. you made each other laugh more than either of you expected. he opened up. so did you.
but every time danny walked by, kenickie would stiffen. he'd drop your hand. he'd act like nothing happened.
because the risk wasn't just getting caught— it was losing each other.
--
then there would be moments like when you'd sneak around at school.
you met behind the school gym during lunch.
"hey," he said, grabbing your hand and pulling you into the shadow of the building. "you're drivin' me nuts, wearin' that skirt and parading around. the guys have been noticin', i don't like it one bit doll."
you raised an eyebrow and grinned. "it's not for them nickie."
"oh yeah?" he stepped closer. "then who's it for?"
you smirked again, slipping your arms around his neck. "maybe i'll tell you if you kiss me."
he leaned in, eyes flicking to the side. "you're gonna be the death of me, you know that?"
"then what a way to go, huh nickie?" kenickie's hands slid down to your waist, pulling you closer, but his eyes kept darting to the edge of the gym building, nervous.
"relax baby," you whispered, brushing your lips near his ear. "danny's nowhere near here."
he huffed. "that's what you said last time sunshine, and then he came outta nowhere like the damn FBI."
you giggled. "it was the vending machine nickie. he was getting a snack."
"exactly." kenickie leaned back just enough to meet your eyes. “your brother would kill me if he saw us right now."
you tilted your head, pretending to think. "hm. maybe. or he'd just call you chopped liver again."
kenickie groaned, resting his forehead against yours. "i swear, i'm gonna start mooing every time he walks in the room."
that made you laugh, loud and sudden, and kenickie had to clamp a hand gently over your mouth, eyes wide. "baby, shhh!"
you muffled a snort under his hand, eyes gleaming.
"you're gonna get me busted," he muttered, but he was smiling now too, looking at you like you were the only thing holding him together. his thumb brushed along your cheek.
the laughter faded into something softer.
more fragile.
more real.
"y'know..." he started, voice lower now, more serious, "i don't care what your brother says. i'd still pick you. every time."
your heart thudded. the grin dropped from your face, replaced by something warmer, deeper.
"even if it gets you chopped into little pieces?" you asked.
he softly laughs. "yeah." he nodded. "even then, doll."
the bell rang in the distance.
you both flinched.
"i gotta go," you said, glancing toward the side entrance. "if i'm late again. ms. wakefield's gonna give me detention."
kenickie ran a hand through his hair, stepping back just a little. "yeah. go."
you hesitated, eyes scanning his face. "nickie?"
he looked up.
"this... thing between us... it's real, right?"
he didn't answer with words.
instead, he leaned in, gave you one last slow, secret kiss— one that said yeah, it's real. yeah, it's terrifying, and no, i'm never letting you go.
then he whispered against your lips,
"i'll see you after school, dollface."
you smiled.
and just before you slipped around the corner and disappeared into the crowd, you whispered back,
"you better."
