(I like when reader is super fucking awkward and fail around Johan. And not in a cute way, but in a really flop way. But Johan is cool with it anwyways (maybe even loves you for it.))
(tags: established relationship sorta between Johan and reader. can be interpreted as dating)
—
Thinking about Johan leaning in a bit closer to your face, and you just finally realising that this is it; you and Johan are about to kiss.
For the very first time. It's really happening. It feels like this scenario is almost impossible, it should be impossible. A glitch in the universe. Is this even allowed, it feels like it's not.
So you freeze a bit out of panic. Unmoving. Not returning the gesture, making Johan start to look... slightly confused.
Which, of course, makes you panic even more. For the fact that you're just leaving him hanging in the air. Upon realizing this, you quickly try to make up for your lack of reciprocation. You want to show Johan you want this too. You lean in eagerly.
A bit too eagerly.
You move your head in fast and bonk him on the nose.
Cue you apologizing profusely over and over again to him. A hundred "sorry"s spilling out of your lips per milisecond, as you run your head around in a frenzy trying to find a cold compress somewhere for Johan as he calmly cradles his bleeding nose and tries to tell you that it's really fine, (name). Please calm down.
Johan leaves that day with a bag of cold peas pressed to his face.
("—I'm so sorry Johan I tried to ask for any kind of ice, but they said that this is all they had and oh fuck oh fuck oh fuckfuckfuckyou'restillbleedingfuck!—")
And you on other hand, leave that day mentally preparing yourself for him to never speak to you again.
Valid honestly.
He should block your contacts too while he's at it. It hurts a bit because you really wanted this as well, and he sure is nice to talk to even if it were to just be as friends.
Which sucks... because you probably won't even get the privilege of even that with what's happened... but it's alright. If he acts like strangers tomorrow you won't hold it against him. You'd probably do the same if you were in his well-fitted leather shoes.
The next day Johan approaches you.
Sporting a sanrio bandaid on the bridge of his nose.
"Still feeling bad about yesterday I see."
Seeing him like that, does indeed make you feel bad again, which he also picks up on as he chuckles softly and puts a reassuring hand up, gently signalling a stop to the oncoming onslaught of apologies you have for him once more. He already understands.
"But how are you doing right now Johan? Is the uh... pain quite alright?" you cringe slightly at yourself for being the reason for said pain.
He nods, looking at you with that same gentle patience he always makes sure to use with you.
The fond feeling within him only increasing the longer he keeps on taking in the sight in front of him. You, all dejected and mopey about what happened; like a puppy that got caught chewing on shoes.
He really is unable to hold back his smile.
"I can suggest kissing it better if you'd like to... but let's try to aim for the lips this time, hm?"
(cw: uhhh nothing much. just good ol Johan statue of Lieberty getting a bad case of cuteness aggression with his dear wholesome friend and trying out a different form of affection with em', reader talks casually with johan, calls him "dude" and stuff like that.)
———
"Truth."
You choose it again: same as your last previous turns. Idly resting your head on your folded arms on the table, while looking out the window in passing. Doing whatever can pass the time right now. The lecture room is still drowsily empty, save for the two of you. Why Johan insists on going into classes this early is beyond you.
(something something- "it's good to be prepared and not miss out-", blah blah blah- "you get to choose which seats are the best suited for each subject—", yadda yadda yadda, "(name)? are you still listening?—" end quote.)
"Again?"
Johan asks you with a slight mixture of curiosity and amusement. gentle voice matching the mellow and idle atmosphere right now. both of you in agreement to play this small game out of a muted sense of boredom.
"Not that I mind you giving me your thoughts and opinions so freely, but are my questions that engaging or do you just purposefully not want to do a dare?"
"Probably." you shrug softly, resting all the more into your arms, body slumping further onto your chair. "You'll probably make me do something weird if I choose dare."
"Such as?"
"I don't know dude." you're bored, but you're not that bored. "Maybe dare me to embarrass myself in front of class, or... or dare me to show you my phone! Lord knows what you'll do with whatever you find in there."
His brow slightly quirks up a bit for a second before it rests down again into its calm position. A small smile spreads across him at your somewhat instilled fear of not choosing a dare and even forming a somewhat "strategy" on this little made up game for kids.
"No one is going to make you do anything you don't want to do, (name). it's just a game, not an event of life and death."
Okay that's... true. But still, either it's from your passive boredom that makes you take this game so seriously right now, or it's some sort of instinct formed in childhood to protect you from being dared to pick up a gross slimy worm in the playground; you refuse to just do a dare all willy nilly. So you negotiate.
"...Can we do one each?"
Johan gives a small nod at your proposition. "Alright. If you do one, I'll do one. I'll even let you dare me first if it will put you at ease."
"Yay."
You take the time to think about this opportunity, before something that's been recent on your mind pops up.
"Can I borrow your face for a second? That's my dare."
"And you accuse me of being the one to make you do something weird."
"Shush! Not in a weird way or anything. I just want to test something real quick, and us playing this game is the only time I can have you willingly let me touch your face."
Johan tilts his head just slightly, he doesn't seem too eager to do your bold request... but he relents anyway, curious to see what you'll do with it. He nods to give you the go, which you do— bringing both your hands up to start cupping his face lightly.
Somehow expected, Johan does not bother to flinch away when your hand comes up to cup at his jaw. That's cool. It's amazing how still he can be, though you do slightly notice he does find himself, surprisingly, putting in some sort of... conscious effort in keeping himself still.
"...What are you are testing?" he asks you softly.
The slight conscious effort you noticed increase again when you start guiding his jaw to tilt to the side. You look closer at him for a few more seconds, he does as well. Watching you and studying your features as you are doing with him.
His skin is... well, it's smooth. No surprise there. Johan's the type of guy that always makes you feel afraid of "dirtying" him with how kept his appearance is. Who knows, maybe he'll get an acne or two just from the touch of your hands on his face. Though you reckon he has a good skincare routine as well (if he tells you he doesn't wash his face and it's just his genes, you might just opt to throttle him out a window right now).
You guide his jaw to tilt the other side now, and then you guide him to look up a bit. Closely watching the skin on his face and the stretch of his neck, focusing on his chin and underneath, then you finally stop.
"Yeah... you are never getting stubble my guy."
" ...Stubble."
"Uh-huh. Saw this Oliver Queen fella in the comics, has a really cool beard and moustache for a blonde guy! Made me wonder if you'd ever grow a beard or a moustache on ya' Johan."
"A guy in the... comics."
Your friend stays silent for a while. Looking like he's either very much confused, or very much done with the situation. Both maybe.
"... I see."
You retract your hands (not before giving him a small pat on the cheek that has him slightly trying to keep himself still again) and bring them up nonchalantly so you can stretch yourself out and do a little yawn. You don't notice the slight crease in Johan's brow that disappears in a milisecond when you take your hands away.
"Welp, guess you're saving money and the environment from razors and aftershave. Anyways, your turn."
He pauses in thought. Hands tracing the part where your palms touched.
"... May I also borrow your face? I'd like to test something as well."
You shrug before you lean over your desk, putting your face out for him to take into his hands. It's fair. He let you did it to him, so now you should too.
Johan gently cups your face in his hand as well, handling it with a surprising softness and fragility. His hands aren't warm, and you'd make a remark about it and scold him for that, but you can feel the warmth slowly build up the longer he holds you.
You feel the faint movement of circles being drawn onto your cheek, probably his thumbs no doubt. It's almost... tender, which is weird, coming from a guy like... well, from a guy like Johan. But hey, if it feels nice and surprisingly soothing, who are you to complain? You'll enjoy the impromptu experience of what all those stray cats you see and pet on the street must feel. Having your face being held by his hands is actually making you feel quite relaxed. Soft.
You feel him him apply a bit more... pressure as he cups your face. Leading to you to be as curious as about your friend as he was with you a second ago.
"And what are you testing Johan Liebert?"
"Your endurance," he hums, "or, more accurately… your tolerance."
"My tolerance? Tolerance for wha-"
Suddenly you feel the pressure on your cheeks increase immensely. Making your face pucker like a fish for a moment. His thumbs also stop its gentle caresses and instead start digging into your skin as he pinches the skin of your face with the rest of his fingers. He shakes your head a bit almost tossing it side to side as he continues squeezing, and pinching, and prodding. Like how a grandma would fuss and coo her grandchild (said grandma pinching you with the aggression of maybe 5 redbull drinks). You swear you can see him grinning slightly if your vision could actually clear up from having the skin around your eyes pulled taut into different places and having your head shaken like a goddamn snow globe—
"—Asshole!" you smack Johan's hands away, and soothingly rub the area on your cheeks where he pinched. "Do I look like fucking play-dough to you!?"
"Maybe. You could have fooled me."
Johan lets out a small, soft, and a surprisingly rare chuckle while bringing a hand up to soothe the affected place as well (Which of course you don't trust. Swatting his hands away to protect your precious face from him, resulting in making him laugh a little more).
"After all, I was testing how much you'd tolerate more of that from me. Preferably in the near future"
