walking home!au

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INSPIRED BY:

idk honestly, i'm just really sleep deprived ☕️

***

several months had passed since jae and brian's fateful "opening up" session. things were back to normal; the two boys bickered over everything, sungjin having to hold them back every so often when things would get way too out of control. as per now.

this time, the boys were fighting over who would be in charge of the school's club money distribution."the historian is in charge of recording all the school clubs' activities," brian declared."i should distribute the money because i know what's going on in all the clubs!"

"but i'm the one who is closest to the club presidents: i should manage the budget!" jae argued. "the secretary always keeps track of what all the clubs need!"

sungjin noticed them fighting and walked over, groaning. "what is it this time, you two?"

jae pointed his finger at younghyun, poking him in the chest. "this egg here says he's in charge of the budget. but it's me, isn't it?!"

brian scowled, turning to the president."yah! sungjin-hyung, i'm the one who gets to give the clubs money, right?"

sungjin was just about ready to slap the both of them and their stupid asses. "first off, i would trust neither of you with the school's money. and second, the treasurer is in charge of the money; even i don't get much of a say! jinyoung is more than capable of distributing the money among the clubs, as he works with the heads of the school to decide where the money should be sent based on your reports and the school's interests. pabos..."

jae and brian's eyes widened and their jaws slackened in realisation. "oh," they said simultaneously, not even bothering to glare at each other or jinx one another.

"yes. your jobs are to document what each of the clubs needs and what they are doing for the school, not to give them the money to do their activities. now go take pictures of the clubs or go home or something. i have to go speak to jinyoung and meet up with my... best friend. goodbye." and with that, the president walked out of the door, leaving the two stunned boys facing each other, their cheeks flushed red and an uncomfortable silence prevailing in the room.

"i'm sorry," jae said, his head turned down in embarrassment.

"me too." brian sighed, wringing his hands together. "that was a stupid thing to argue about...:

"yeah."

they stood there awkwardly for a few seconds until the blonde snapped out of it and grabbed his backpack. "well, i have to go home now. bye, brian."

the brunette's head snapped up and he grabbed jae's arm, bringing the escaping boy to a halt. "hey, which way do you live?"

"that way." jae pointed in the direction he would be leaving, a confused look on his face.

"let me walk you home." brian had a determined look on his face.

"what? no way. don't you live in a whole other direction?"

"yea." younghyun bashfully tugged on jae's sleeve. "but i want to walk you home."

*

the two boys strode down the pavement in the direction of jae's home. surprisingly, there was no awkward silence between them as they walked side by side, their hands swaying close to each other's and their backpacks swinging from side to side on their backs, colliding every so often.

somehow, the conversation had steered in the direction of existential questions. "what came first: the chicken or the egg?" jae questioned out of nowhere, looking up at the sky in deep thought.

the brunette walking beside him chuckled. "the real question is who came first -- the chicken or the egg? wanna find out?" brian reached over to pat jae's butt, giving the boy a snide smile.

"yah, younghyun... you have such a dirty mind!" jae exclaimed, punching the brunette's arm.

brian hissed in pain, clutching his arm to his chest, but nevertheless grinned victoriously. "it's only sexual if you think of it that way..."

"brian!" jae pushed the boy this time, a steaming hue of red overtaking his face.

"kidding, i'm kidding!" younghyun laughed. then he quietly added a cocky, "but only if you want me to be."

"i hate you so much." jae buried his face in his gloved hands, stopping in the middle of the pavement in second hand embarrassment.

"and on the other hand, i like you." brian slunk backwards so he could hug the blonde close, bringing jae's head into the warmth of his scarf and wrapping his fingers around the boy. "so much," was the muffled continuation as he buried his nose in jae's shoulder.

"same." jae shyly brought his hands away from his face, instead wrapping them around brian's shoulders.

"what?" younghyun looked up and asked with feinted innocence.

"i like you, too." the blonde boy bashfully but surely said, looking him in the eye.

"thank you." and with that, the brunette smiled and buried his face back in the crook of jae's neck where his scarf had fallen to expose his skin. his eyelashes tickled jae and the blonde boy wriggled, giving out a small giggle that made brian want to kiss him then and there. "are your parents home?" he shyly asked jae with his voice muffled by jae's jacket.

"no." the blonde loosened his hold on brian's shoulders and rested his cheek on the brunette's head. "why?"

"i really want to spend some time with you, away from everyone else."

"alright. i'm up for that." jae stroked the back of brian's head, bringing the brunette's hood over his hair. "your ears might get cold, so you should come in for some hot cocoa."

"but that won't make my ears any less cold."

jae quickly looked about him, checking for the sign of any passersby, then kissed brian's ear that was closest to his face. "better?" he breathed into it, his hot breath causing the younger boy to shiver.

"not enough."

jae grabbed the brunette's hand, starting to run in the direction of his house. "you're so dang needy... let's see if you'll get another at home!"

brian laughed and ran along with him, knowing that meant he would get a real kiss from jae, their lips covered in sweet hot chocolate and their bodies coated in the warmth of fuzzy blankets and each others' arms.