Ship/Member: Minghao/Mingyu Major Tags: N/A Additional Tags: High school AU, Sports AU (volleyball), childhood friends to lovers, pining, A LOT of yearning, first kiss, i have to split this into 2 comments Permission to remix: Please ask
***
The sound of a bunch of sneakers skating through the linoleum fills Mingyu’s ears while he prepares to jump. He doesn’t really see the ball when it flies through him and goes straight to Jihoon, but the flush of movement around him is familiar enough to tell him to get ready.
When Mingyu finally sees the ball, it’s already hitting the other side of the court, barely registering the impact on his hand after he spikes.
He can’t help the grin that tugs at the corners of his lips when he hears clapping coming from just the side of the court. Mingyu doesn’t need to look to know the coach’s assistant is there, watching their training intently and taking notes to hand over to Wonwoo, later. He doesn’t need to look to know Minghao is clapping just for him.
There’s no time to dwell on it or steal glances at him, though. The match resumes not even a second later, the ball hitting his arms when he jumps again but, this time, to block.
“You have no business being this tall, for fuck’s sake!” Seungkwan groans from the other side of the net. This makes Mingyu laugh for real, but he controls the urge to tease Seungkwan: he’s not supposed to show his foul, petty side to Minghao, or he will never like him back.
“Jump higher,” he shrugs, stepping back. Mingyu uses the hem of his varsity vest to dry the sweat drenching his forehead, almost misses the ball when Wonwoo sets it for him again. He almost starts complaining, but Wonwoo isn’t even looking at him as he positions himself in the serve zone.
It would be nice if Mingyu could say he’s paying attention at the match and learning new things. It would be nice if he could say he’s the best vice captain ever, but the truth is that his head is still stuck at the side of the court, right where the coach’s assistant is still taking notes.
If Mingyu wasn’t so obsessed with him, maybe he could be the great player he knows he can be, if he wants to.
The training passes fleetingly through him, every bounce of the ball against the floor echoing like a single word in his mind: Minghao, Minghao, Minghao.
When Minghao actually speaks, astonishment fills his head with cotton.
“It’s enough for today,” Minghao is saying, “good job everyone!”
Before he can move, can even think of moving, Wonwoo is already crossing the court in long strides to talk to Minghao.
Fine.
Mingyu knows this is his job, and that Wonwoo simply isn’t the type of gush over teammates, but still. He watches them two as they speak for a couple of minutes until realizing it’s not ending so soon, then decides to stop making a fool of himself for no reason at all and heads straight to the locker room.
Heaven knows how much he needs a shower, and it’ll actually be better if he’s clean when he gets to talk to Minghao.
To be honest, Mingyu isn’t sure when this… thing started, but maybe it’s always been there. Minghao has been his favorite person in the world since they first met, eleven years ago, but it’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment when it stopped being wow he’s so cool and started being wow he’s so pretty. Not that Minghao isn’t cool anymore, it’s just… Mingyu’s brain focus on what it wants to and, lately, it’s been how soft Minghao’s lips look.
He can’t help but agree he’s pathetic.
Even Soonyoung says so whenever they hang out together, and it’s so fucking humiliating to be called out like this by someone who spends all of his waking moments fawning over Jeon Wonwoo, of all people.
Mingyu is so pathetic it deserves its own category, completely detached from what everyone else understands as its meaning.
He lets the tepid water wash the sweat and his dignity down the drain, rubbing one hand firmly against his face as he tries to come up with an excuse decent enough to convince Minghao to spend time with him.
It used to be easier when they were younger, when they were a lot less busy and their bodies were smaller, easier to fit against each other without making everything weird. Unfortunately, Mingyu is still thinking too hard when he cuts the water off and rubs his face on his towel. He changes to his normal clothes on automatic mode, all giddy before even stepping into the same space as Minghao.
God, he’s pathetic.
When he comes back, Wonwoo is already long gone. Minghao sits alone on the benches, going through his knapsack in search of something.
“Oh, Mingyu-yah.”
There is this thing about Minghao’s smile. It spreads slowly through his face, like the sun rising on the horizon and lighting up his eyes as his whole face warms up. It does dangerous things to Mingyu’s heart.
“I was waiting for you, let’s go. Mom said she would make sweet and sour pork for you.” “She’s so much nicer than you,” Mingyu playfully bumps his shoulder against Minghao’s, just a silly pretext to touch him.
“Keep talking and I won’t invite you over ever again,” Minghao huffs.
“You hate me,” Mingyu grumbles, watching as Minghao gets up. He doesn’t know exactly when it happened, but it still hit him right in the face whenever he looks at Minghao.
He isn’t sure when Minghao lost almost all of his baby fat and became so sharp, but Mingyu can’t help but feel diseased just by looking at his jaw. Mingyu wonders if he’s changed, too, or if his already too-long limbs just became all the lankier.
There was a time when they were the same height, too, but now Mingyu towers a whole head above Minghao. He doesn’t like it.
“Are you coming or not?” Minghao’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts. Mingyu nods and trails behind him like a puppy, wondering when will Minghao realize.
*
“Do you think my spikes improved?” Mingyu prompts, raising his head from the Math homework Minghao is forcing him to do.
“We’re on study time,” Minghao deadpans, not even raising his eyes from his own notebook. “When we’re on volleyball time, we can talk about that.”
“Myunghooooo,” he whines, “you know I won’t concentrate if it stays on my head.”
“Ah, nah nah. Don’t come with this ‘Myungho’ bullshit to me. We’re studying.”
Truth be told, Mingyu wasn’t able to focus on a single calculation since they sat down to study. He tried, but his traitor eyes kept straying to steal glances at Minghao, his brows furrowed and covered by the glasses he definitely doesn’t need to use, but claims they help him to concentrate.
It’s not his fault if Minghao is so damn cute, but he’s not that sure if the teachers would accept this as a reason not to flunk him in all subjects. He thought about starting to study alone, or at least with someone else, but the mental image of the hurt on Minghao’s face if he ditched him stopped him in his tracks.
And he’s going to flunk whether he likes it or not.
“So tell me,” he pouts.
“You’re doing good,” Minghao sighs and looks at him. “You’ve got a lot stronger lately.”
“Yeah?” A tentative smile pulls the corner of his lips upwards.
“Yeah, now focus,” Minghao hits his forehead with an eraser.
“You’re so mean to me,” Mingyu scowls, but does his best to comply.
His focus lasts for about eight minutes until his mind strays again. Minghao has no business being this pretty.
Mingyu tries to suppress a groan and fix his eyes on the notebook. Fantasizing about getting closer to Minghao won’t take him or his grades anywhere. It doesn’t matter that much if he’s staring or not, as his mind has already a giant repertoire of Minghao’s facial expressions, textures, and scent. Even the softness of his lips isn’t foreign to him, as he’s been kissed on the forehead and on the cheeks plenty.
It’ll drive him crazy.
Mingyu’s brain only enjoys working on bad things at the most inconvenient times, it seems. He can fantasize about their first kiss — his first kiss altogether — when he’s alone, tucked on his bed, but the worms he has for brain cells find it funnier when Minghao is sitting right by him.
He knows Minghao already kissed before, some senior when they were still freshmen, and it hurt. Maybe it was around that time Mingyu realized he didn’t like Minghao the same way he likes any other of his friends. It was around that time he noticed how handsome Minghao was, even with those yaoi hands and fucked up haircut.
He tried to convince himself he was just overthinking, was just jealous because Minghao could pull someone and he couldn’t but, deep down, he always knew it was a lie.
“Ah, I’m done for today,” Minghao yawns, stretching his thin arms above his head. “Have you finished yet?”
“No,” there’s no point in lying to him. “Can’t focus.”
“Take a pause to rest, then,” Minghao says, but he’s already taking over Mingyu’s bed. He tries not to stare that much when his shirt rolls up and reveals his soft belly. Mingyu follows him, folding his body around Minghao’s and just praying he won’t be able to feel his heartbeat.
This is normal for them, though, Minghao doesn’t bat an eye before going through his phone to find some music video he’s been meaning to show Mingyu for a while but always ended up forgetting.
“We can talk about volleyball now, if you want,” Minghao offers, one arm coming around Mingyu’s shoulders and pulling him close.
“Oh, okay. Tell me what you keep writing so much.”
“Just some ideas to improve the newbies’ game. You got a lot better since last year, I don’t have anything to complain about.”
“Hmmm, but it must have something I can improve,” Mingyu squeezes more against him, taking so much comfort in the closeness he doesn’t even know why he was freaking out about it just now.
“There’s always space to evolution,” Minghao shrugs, “but you can always find your way to it without stressing too much.”
“You know I get antsy when the tournaments are around,” Mingyu says sheepishly.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Minghao presses a kiss against his hair. Mingyu is sure he can see electrical sparks flying off his head. “But, thinking of it now, I guess you could put a bit more force on your serves.”
He needs a moment to process what he’s just heard, stupid brain focused on the pressure that’s already gone.
“Okay, I’ll try it tomorrow. Then you tell me how it goes.”
Minghao hums in lieu of a response, carding his fingers through Mingyu’s hair.
“We should go to the movies, tomorrow. Just us.”
“Oh,” Mingyu grins, “of course. We can have a sleepover if you want to.”
“I do, but gotta ask mom. I’ll tell you later, okay?”
“Yeah,” Mingyu smiles, such a dumb little thing all over the moon for the prospect of spending alone time with Minghao, as if they weren’t best friends and did this all the time.
*
“But hyung, I just like him so much,” Mingyu cries out, face smashed against the diner’s table. The milkshake cup presses cold against his face, a relief after the intense training.
The first matches of the tournament passed without a single flinch, but the team is very much aware that the level of their competitors will only increase as they advance. Having additional training on the weekends wasn’t that much of a hassle, also. If much, they were just an excuse to spend even more time around Minghao.
“Yeah, we know,” Soonyoung rolls his eyes but pats Mingyu’s head nonetheless. “You should just tell him.”
“And ruin everything?” Mingyu raises his head just to scoff at Soonyoung. He can be pretty dumb at times. “Why don’t you tell things to Wonwoo hyung, then?”
“It’s different,” Soonyoung deadpans. “I’m not crying and begging for help, am I?”
“You’re so mean,” Mingyu sniffs. “Seungkwan-ah agrees with me.”
“I haven’t said shit,” Seungkwan interjects. “Minghao-hyung must know about your feelings already, you’re so obvious. Spend the whole time giving him the bedroom eyes and shit.”
“I don’t do that! My feelings and intentions are only pure!”
“Stop shouting,” Jihoon interjects. “Both of them are right, though, Minghao’s dense as a brick.”
It only makes him feel even more miserable.
“It’s not like that,” he mutters, “I like him since always and we grew up together, he probably thinks this is my personality.”
“Then talk to him, we can’t stand you anymore,” Seungkwan says.
“But what if I ruin our friendship? You know I can’t function without him,” Mingyu stuffs the paper straw back into his mouth, slurping his milkshake at a speed that would make Minghao slap him.
“You don’t want to be friends with him anyway, I don’t see what’s the big deal,” Soonyoung shrugs. “Stop looking at me like that, you’re currently whining about how much you want to date him. This isn’t buddies activity, as far as I know.”
“We can tell him on your behalf, if it helps,” Seungkwan offers.
“Then he’ll think I’m a coward.”
“Well, you are.” Jihoon points out. “Just ask him out.”
“But then he’ll think it’s just like the normal dates we have all the time.”
“You two go on dates all the time and you’re convinced you two aren’t dating, already?”
“I go on dates with you all the time and we aren’t together, either!” Mingyu interjects.
“This isn’t a date, we’re hanging out,” Soonyoung says. “I would never go on a date with you.”
“I’ll tell Wonwoo-hyung you’re disgusting and that you stink.”
“Stop sabotaging me just because your love life sucks,” Soonyoung huffs, “and also. If you two are best friends, you should be able to talk about everything, no?”
“You’re so stupid,” Mingyu declares. “I’m not taking advice from you. Never.”
“Good, ‘cause I can’t stand your whining any longer.”
“Are you done?” Jihoon looks between them. “We can’t force you to take an attitude, Gyu-yah, but as we can see, Minghao is just as dumb as you. If you decide to keep it a secret forever, you can’t be mad at him if he starts seeing someone else.”
[FILL] not friends
Major Tags: N/A
Additional Tags: High school AU, Sports AU (volleyball), childhood friends to lovers, pining, A LOT of yearning, first kiss, i have to split this into 2 comments
Permission to remix: Please ask
***
The sound of a bunch of sneakers skating through the linoleum fills Mingyu’s ears while he prepares to jump. He doesn’t really see the ball when it flies through him and goes straight to Jihoon, but the flush of movement around him is familiar enough to tell him to get ready.
When Mingyu finally sees the ball, it’s already hitting the other side of the court, barely registering the impact on his hand after he spikes.
He can’t help the grin that tugs at the corners of his lips when he hears clapping coming from just the side of the court. Mingyu doesn’t need to look to know the coach’s assistant is there, watching their training intently and taking notes to hand over to Wonwoo, later. He doesn’t need to look to know Minghao is clapping just for him.
There’s no time to dwell on it or steal glances at him, though. The match resumes not even a second later, the ball hitting his arms when he jumps again but, this time, to block.
“You have no business being this tall, for fuck’s sake!” Seungkwan groans from the other side of the net. This makes Mingyu laugh for real, but he controls the urge to tease Seungkwan: he’s not supposed to show his foul, petty side to Minghao, or he will never like him back.
“Jump higher,” he shrugs, stepping back. Mingyu uses the hem of his varsity vest to dry the sweat drenching his forehead, almost misses the ball when Wonwoo sets it for him again.
He almost starts complaining, but Wonwoo isn’t even looking at him as he positions himself in the serve zone.
It would be nice if Mingyu could say he’s paying attention at the match and learning new things. It would be nice if he could say he’s the best vice captain ever, but the truth is that his head is still stuck at the side of the court, right where the coach’s assistant is still taking notes.
If Mingyu wasn’t so obsessed with him, maybe he could be the great player he knows he can be, if he wants to.
The training passes fleetingly through him, every bounce of the ball against the floor echoing like a single word in his mind: Minghao, Minghao, Minghao.
When Minghao actually speaks, astonishment fills his head with cotton.
“It’s enough for today,” Minghao is saying, “good job everyone!”
Before he can move, can even think of moving, Wonwoo is already crossing the court in long strides to talk to Minghao.
Fine.
Mingyu knows this is his job, and that Wonwoo simply isn’t the type of gush over teammates, but still. He watches them two as they speak for a couple of minutes until realizing it’s not ending so soon, then decides to stop making a fool of himself for no reason at all and heads straight to the locker room.
Heaven knows how much he needs a shower, and it’ll actually be better if he’s clean when he gets to talk to Minghao.
To be honest, Mingyu isn’t sure when this… thing started, but maybe it’s always been there. Minghao has been his favorite person in the world since they first met, eleven years ago, but it’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment when it stopped being wow he’s so cool and started being wow he’s so pretty. Not that Minghao isn’t cool anymore, it’s just… Mingyu’s brain focus on what it wants to and, lately, it’s been how soft Minghao’s lips look.
He can’t help but agree he’s pathetic.
Even Soonyoung says so whenever they hang out together, and it’s so fucking humiliating to be called out like this by someone who spends all of his waking moments fawning over Jeon Wonwoo, of all people.
Mingyu is so pathetic it deserves its own category, completely detached from what everyone else understands as its meaning.
He lets the tepid water wash the sweat and his dignity down the drain, rubbing one hand firmly against his face as he tries to come up with an excuse decent enough to convince Minghao to spend time with him.
It used to be easier when they were younger, when they were a lot less busy and their bodies were smaller, easier to fit against each other without making everything weird.
Unfortunately, Mingyu is still thinking too hard when he cuts the water off and rubs his face on his towel. He changes to his normal clothes on automatic mode, all giddy before even stepping into the same space as Minghao.
God, he’s pathetic.
When he comes back, Wonwoo is already long gone. Minghao sits alone on the benches, going through his knapsack in search of something.
“Oh, Mingyu-yah.”
There is this thing about Minghao’s smile. It spreads slowly through his face, like the sun rising on the horizon and lighting up his eyes as his whole face warms up. It does dangerous things to Mingyu’s heart.
“I was waiting for you, let’s go. Mom said she would make sweet and sour pork for you.”
“She’s so much nicer than you,” Mingyu playfully bumps his shoulder against Minghao’s, just a silly pretext to touch him.
“Keep talking and I won’t invite you over ever again,” Minghao huffs.
“You hate me,” Mingyu grumbles, watching as Minghao gets up. He doesn’t know exactly when it happened, but it still hit him right in the face whenever he looks at Minghao.
He isn’t sure when Minghao lost almost all of his baby fat and became so sharp, but Mingyu can’t help but feel diseased just by looking at his jaw. Mingyu wonders if he’s changed, too, or if his already too-long limbs just became all the lankier.
There was a time when they were the same height, too, but now Mingyu towers a whole head above Minghao. He doesn’t like it.
“Are you coming or not?” Minghao’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts. Mingyu nods and trails behind him like a puppy, wondering when will Minghao realize.
“Do you think my spikes improved?” Mingyu prompts, raising his head from the Math homework Minghao is forcing him to do.
“We’re on study time,” Minghao deadpans, not even raising his eyes from his own notebook. “When we’re on volleyball time, we can talk about that.”
“Myunghooooo,” he whines, “you know I won’t concentrate if it stays on my head.”
“Ah, nah nah. Don’t come with this ‘Myungho’ bullshit to me. We’re studying.”
Truth be told, Mingyu wasn’t able to focus on a single calculation since they sat down to study. He tried, but his traitor eyes kept straying to steal glances at Minghao, his brows furrowed and covered by the glasses he definitely doesn’t need to use, but claims they help him to concentrate.
It’s not his fault if Minghao is so damn cute, but he’s not that sure if the teachers would accept this as a reason not to flunk him in all subjects. He thought about starting to study alone, or at least with someone else, but the mental image of the hurt on Minghao’s face if he ditched him stopped him in his tracks.
And he’s going to flunk whether he likes it or not.
“So tell me,” he pouts.
“You’re doing good,” Minghao sighs and looks at him. “You’ve got a lot stronger lately.”
“Yeah?” A tentative smile pulls the corner of his lips upwards.
“Yeah, now focus,” Minghao hits his forehead with an eraser.
“You’re so mean to me,” Mingyu scowls, but does his best to comply.
His focus lasts for about eight minutes until his mind strays again. Minghao has no business being this pretty.
Mingyu tries to suppress a groan and fix his eyes on the notebook. Fantasizing about getting closer to Minghao won’t take him or his grades anywhere.
It doesn’t matter that much if he’s staring or not, as his mind has already a giant repertoire of Minghao’s facial expressions, textures, and scent. Even the softness of his lips isn’t foreign to him, as he’s been kissed on the forehead and on the cheeks plenty.
It’ll drive him crazy.
Mingyu’s brain only enjoys working on bad things at the most inconvenient times, it seems. He can fantasize about their first kiss — his first kiss altogether — when he’s alone, tucked on his bed, but the worms he has for brain cells find it funnier when Minghao is sitting right by him.
He knows Minghao already kissed before, some senior when they were still freshmen, and it hurt. Maybe it was around that time Mingyu realized he didn’t like Minghao the same way he likes any other of his friends. It was around that time he noticed how handsome Minghao was, even with those yaoi hands and fucked up haircut.
He tried to convince himself he was just overthinking, was just jealous because Minghao could pull someone and he couldn’t but, deep down, he always knew it was a lie.
“Ah, I’m done for today,” Minghao yawns, stretching his thin arms above his head. “Have you finished yet?”
“No,” there’s no point in lying to him. “Can’t focus.”
“Take a pause to rest, then,” Minghao says, but he’s already taking over Mingyu’s bed. He tries not to stare that much when his shirt rolls up and reveals his soft belly.
Mingyu follows him, folding his body around Minghao’s and just praying he won’t be able to feel his heartbeat.
This is normal for them, though, Minghao doesn’t bat an eye before going through his phone to find some music video he’s been meaning to show Mingyu for a while but always ended up forgetting.
“We can talk about volleyball now, if you want,” Minghao offers, one arm coming around Mingyu’s shoulders and pulling him close.
“Oh, okay. Tell me what you keep writing so much.”
“Just some ideas to improve the newbies’ game. You got a lot better since last year, I don’t have anything to complain about.”
“Hmmm, but it must have something I can improve,” Mingyu squeezes more against him, taking so much comfort in the closeness he doesn’t even know why he was freaking out about it just now.
“There’s always space to evolution,” Minghao shrugs, “but you can always find your way to it without stressing too much.”
“You know I get antsy when the tournaments are around,” Mingyu says sheepishly.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Minghao presses a kiss against his hair. Mingyu is sure he can see electrical sparks flying off his head. “But, thinking of it now, I guess you could put a bit more force on your serves.”
He needs a moment to process what he’s just heard, stupid brain focused on the pressure that’s already gone.
“Okay, I’ll try it tomorrow. Then you tell me how it goes.”
Minghao hums in lieu of a response, carding his fingers through Mingyu’s hair.
“We should go to the movies, tomorrow. Just us.”
“Oh,” Mingyu grins, “of course. We can have a sleepover if you want to.”
“I do, but gotta ask mom. I’ll tell you later, okay?”
“Yeah,” Mingyu smiles, such a dumb little thing all over the moon for the prospect of spending alone time with Minghao, as if they weren’t best friends and did this all the time.
“But hyung, I just like him so much,” Mingyu cries out, face smashed against the diner’s table. The milkshake cup presses cold against his face, a relief after the intense training.
The first matches of the tournament passed without a single flinch, but the team is very much aware that the level of their competitors will only increase as they advance. Having additional training on the weekends wasn’t that much of a hassle, also. If much, they were just an excuse to spend even more time around Minghao.
“Yeah, we know,” Soonyoung rolls his eyes but pats Mingyu’s head nonetheless. “You should just tell him.”
“And ruin everything?” Mingyu raises his head just to scoff at Soonyoung. He can be pretty dumb at times. “Why don’t you tell things to Wonwoo hyung, then?”
“It’s different,” Soonyoung deadpans. “I’m not crying and begging for help, am I?”
“You’re so mean,” Mingyu sniffs. “Seungkwan-ah agrees with me.”
“I haven’t said shit,” Seungkwan interjects. “Minghao-hyung must know about your feelings already, you’re so obvious. Spend the whole time giving him the bedroom eyes and shit.”
“I don’t do that! My feelings and intentions are only pure!”
“Stop shouting,” Jihoon interjects. “Both of them are right, though, Minghao’s dense as a brick.”
It only makes him feel even more miserable.
“It’s not like that,” he mutters, “I like him since always and we grew up together, he probably thinks this is my personality.”
“Then talk to him, we can’t stand you anymore,” Seungkwan says.
“But what if I ruin our friendship? You know I can’t function without him,” Mingyu stuffs the paper straw back into his mouth, slurping his milkshake at a speed that would make Minghao slap him.
“You don’t want to be friends with him anyway, I don’t see what’s the big deal,” Soonyoung shrugs. “Stop looking at me like that, you’re currently whining about how much you want to date him. This isn’t buddies activity, as far as I know.”
“We can tell him on your behalf, if it helps,” Seungkwan offers.
“Then he’ll think I’m a coward.”
“Well, you are.” Jihoon points out. “Just ask him out.”
“But then he’ll think it’s just like the normal dates we have all the time.”
“You two go on dates all the time and you’re convinced you two aren’t dating, already?”
“I go on dates with you all the time and we aren’t together, either!” Mingyu interjects.
“This isn’t a date, we’re hanging out,” Soonyoung says. “I would never go on a date with you.”
“I’ll tell Wonwoo-hyung you’re disgusting and that you stink.”
“Stop sabotaging me just because your love life sucks,” Soonyoung huffs, “and also. If you two are best friends, you should be able to talk about everything, no?”
“You’re so stupid,” Mingyu declares. “I’m not taking advice from you. Never.”
“Good, ‘cause I can’t stand your whining any longer.”
“Are you done?” Jihoon looks between them. “We can’t force you to take an attitude, Gyu-yah, but as we can see, Minghao is just as dumb as you. If you decide to keep it a secret forever, you can’t be mad at him if he starts seeing someone else.”
Ouch.