Work Text:
It was just another day reserved for relaxation among the band of friends that shared the same interest in gaming, a little time for themselves in between the onslaught of assignments, tests, practicals and whatnot. The shit show of their inconvenient schedule had finally come to a slow down and a long awaited gaming session was planned at the Min-Won apartment.
As everyone filed inside the living room, carrying their gaming set-up, each claimed their favourite spot and some not their favourite spot.
“Fuck you Minghao, I came here first and reserved that place. You cannot just impose into my space.” That was Soonyoung, of course.
“Learned a big word today? Good job, you used it right!” Minghao replied back to him, eyes not even moving from his tablet that had some book opened up on it. The sarcasm, however, did not shy from plunging Soonyoung in a bucket of red- angry or embarrassed- one could guess but never be too sure.
“Ughh! Fucking bitch.” Soonyoung’s eye roll could be heard right into the kitchen, where Mingyu was busy logging snacks out of and Jihoon was engaged in choosing a cola- or a crate- for his stay for next few hours.
“Imma sit with hoonie! Hehehe.”
The smack that Jihoon"s thrown Cola delivered onto Soonyoung"s head was prominent as Wonwoo settled in his designated gaming position in front of the television, with the clearest view of the screen and the perfect length to the snack-loaded coffee table.
Eventually the game time started with little to a little extra fuss, some smacks delivered and a few jokes cracked. The fuss being Soonyoung complaining about his inability to win in the consecutive 5th round of Mario Kart. The some- emphasis on some- jokes being Soonyoung’s inability to win despite it being the 5th consecutive round with him having an obvious head start.
After a couple more rounds of Mario Kart, the decision to order food was taken. Wonwoo took charge of collecting everybody"s orders and arranging a delivery for them all.
Absence of a few members of their ragtag friend group was obvious, with their carefree and amusing maknaes busy with semester-end exam preparation. The three of them were probably having their little party in the library. Most probably with Chan whining about wishing to be at the apartment playing games rather than in the library. And most definitely Seungkwan rolling his eyes and nagging Chan to stop whining already and get to the lesson. Vernon was probably asleep at the library desk already, a huge communications textbook used as a pillow.
Their absence was especially felt when the ones present in the apartment realised they would have to get up themselves to get the food, a synchronised string of groans cutting out the background music of whatever game they decided to play next.
It was a small enough order for the restaurant to not take long, so they decided to choose the unlucky peasant who would have to lug the delivery bags all the way from the apartment complex entrance, as delivery men were not permitted to enter.
A round of frying pan game and another of rock paper scissors, which was more than a little unfair, it was decided that Mingyu will be the one to bring them all the food. A lot of whining and a little threatening, and Mingyu was all ready to go pick up the bags, they were just waiting for the delivery guy to call them.
As Mingyu was on his way to slip his feet in his flip flops and leave out the door, the lock outside beeped to convey that the person inputting the password had succeeded and the door opened. It wasn"t close enough to hit Mingyu square in the nose but it did slam against his shin- he had started his journey to hell for their meal.
It was Chriss. Bearing the delivery bags.
“You set your delivery location to my house. Woke me from my nap.” She calmly said,- though grumbled would be more likely- walking towards the coffee table where the others had moved the trash to make space for incoming trash.
All the while Mingyu was dying, crying on the floor clutching his foot to his chest. Or as close it could get to his chest with his bob-the-builder physique flexibility.
With everything settled and with everyone occupied with their plates of food, the gaming session was swinging higher than when it was at the interval. Plastic plates surrounding the table and cans of soda and beer sprinkled in like glitter on a project.
Chriss was still sitting on the kitchen counter, where she claimed it as her place the second she arrived inside the apartment. She had shrugged on the dark hoodie she found kicked off on the floor, though the perfume made it clear it belonged to Wonwoo if the big illustrated band logo wasn"t telling enough.
The ice cream she stole from Seungcheol- strawberry- was keeping her engaged but it finished far too soon for her liking and she decided to make it the other"s problem. They troubled her enough with their overlapping arguments about the next game choices- Mingyu, Seokmin complaining and Wonwoo grinning long enough to split his face in half.
She walked up to the couch where three figures perched themselves onto and gestured to them to make some space for her. Seokmin and Jeonghan were just about to move- Jeonghan wasn"t, but god bless Seokmin- to make some space between Jeonghan and Wonwoo when she announced she changed her mind.
“He"s too loud and he"s not loud enough. Both of them scare me too much, I wanna sit on the other side with Wonwoo.” Chriss declared, a hand pointing towards a pouting Seokmin and a grinning Jeonghan- he was definitely plotting- she changed her course and started towards the other end of the couch where Wonwoo was seated.
Scooch scooch; her hands gestured to Wonwoo to make space for her, but Wonwoo only looked at her incredulously.
“I got lonely, sitting there.” She replied before gesturing again.
“Sit here then. Jeonghan isn"t moving and he won"t listen to me.” Wonwoo’s voice was confident. Not a twinge of nervousness he usually seemed to carry with him, something about an emotional support emotion.
The confidence was not randomly presented, however. Wonwoo was pointing to his lap. Assured that the pouting figure in front of him wouldn"t be able to refuse at all.
“Come on, come here. I"ll hold you throughout this game. I know all the jumpscares and you will also be able to look at my face.” The grin Wonwoo had from the beginning of this conversation was yet to slip, unwavering. Though, it did. The corner of his lips twitched in surprise at her response.
“I"ll pass, your face is too insufferable to be looked at for prolonged times.” She claimed while proudly plopping down in his lap, with her face turned towards the television where the game screen was displayed.
The game had progressed with minimal hiccups and Chriss had long become comfortable in his lap. Melted into a relaxed puddle of mass and bones, face tucked under Wonwoo"s chin and breathing shallowly in his scent. She had gotten tired of the gameplay she had watched a few times and the uncannily puppy-like screaming and the obvious hehehe snickers. Earphones plugging her ears, she listened to the songs and focused on the pleasant feeling of the bubble around her before fingers were tugging on her cheek. Not too hard though, else the fingers would have been snapped off the palm long ago.
“You okay? What"s wrong, Chriss?” The concern was obvious in Wonwoo"s voice, pulling out the right side earphone before popping it in his ear, his other hand now caressing the cheek. “Trust me enough now? You don"t look scared.” Wonwoo snickered lightly, mentioning the incident that introduced the two to each other. It was an obvious attempt at hiding his concern, blooming something deep in her mind.
“That"s cuz I"m shit scared, but I trust you.” Her eyes slipped close at the confession and the bubble surrounding her thickened, scent of baby powder infusing with non-existent humidifying mist.
Wonwoo had leaned down far enough to graze his lips against hers, both sighing as soon as those words left her mouth.
Her fingers touched his arm -so it was his hoodie - long span of warm and smooth skin. Soon the bubble popped, eerie sounds of the game reached them and Wonwoo pulled back enough to give her a smile and then focus back on the game.
To minimise the distractions, he gathered her hands in his palms, placing them together at the console and manoeuvring the character together. His fingers brushed against hers whenever he brought them to the side to rest in between missions and that reassurance was enough for her, before he would focus back on the game. They both swayed side to side to the music playing in the earphones- more like Wonwoo was swaying and she was rocking along.
This seemed to relax Chriss enough to slump and enjoy his body warmth, yet she was alert to his breathing and his heartbeat. She snuggled closer at every second he took a rest, attempting to merge their bodies into one.
Soon enough, she slumped down too far and he had to stop playing and pick her up against him, squeezing each other and snuggling up. Wonwoo spread his thighs father to pull Chriss between them and brought his calves together to let her dangle her feet over his knees. With his socked ankles crossed together, her socked feet also tangled with his, rubbing together to generate some warmth.
They both spent the rest of the ‘gaming session’ cuddled together while the others did- what were they even doing? They were too silent for his liking!- God knows what. The rest of the world was seemingly shut off for them, no sounds no disturbances; only silent kisses and hushed words shared between the two.
They were literally, and metaphorically, tangled in each other, lost in each other. Not even bothered -or conscious - to notice the rapid clicks of the camera and the degradation in Wonwoo"s ranking.
Not like those achievements mattered more than what he held in his arms, breathing in her and loving her with all his life.