Chapter Text
“Night, son—we’re leaving!”
Night's mother shouted through the living room, hurried but affectionate as she slung her bag over her shoulder. By the doorway, his father was already pulling two suitcases toward the car, the wheels rolling against the tiles.
Night came rushing down the stairs, nearly tripping over his feet as he fumbled to tug a shirt over his head. His hair was still sticking up in random directions, his face flushed with the effort of moving too fast.
“Ma!” Night called, throwing himself into her arms before she could step out.
He hugged her tightly, refusing to let go right away. “Come back as soon as you can, okay?” His voice cracked a little as he pulled back, looking up at her with a small pout.
His mother giggled, her laughter soft and profoundly endeared by her youngest’s attitude. She smoothed a hand through his messy hair, and Night leaned into the touch, soaking up every bit of warmth before it slipped away.
“Of course, son,” she promised. “We’ll be quick. Just a business trip—you’ll hardly notice we’re gone.”
“We couldn’t wait for your brother to get back,” his father added as he came over, wrapping an arm around Night in a quick side hug. “But I sent him a text to let him know we’re leaving.”
Night wrapped his arms around his father’s waist this time, mumbling, “Take care, Pa.”
After their goodbyes, his parents headed out the door. They had to catch a flight for an important business trip abroad, leaving Night and his brother with their long-time maid to take care of for the next few days. This wasn’t anything new for him, in fact they were used to it by now.
Ever since their outsourcing business took off, long before Night was even born, his parents had always been busy. But they were never the kind of workaholic parents who forgot about family. No matter how hectic things got, they always made sure their boys felt loved, safe, and cared for.
They weren’t too worried about leaving, either. They had raised their sons to be independent, instilling mundane things even while enjoying the comfort that wealth had brought. With the help of their trusted maid, they were confident Night and his brother could manage just fine while they were on a business trip.
It was the weekend, and maybe Night’s elder brother, Fadel, had errands to run—that’s why he wasn’t able to see their parents off.
He and Night were close, and their three-year age gap hardly felt like a gap at all. They grew up side-by-side, in the same world, shared the same interests, and their bond as brothers had always been strong.
Night was sprawled across the living room couch, half-distracted by the series playing on TV, when his phone lit up with his mother’s number.
He frowned. Confusion dawned at him, it hadn’t even been twenty minutes since they left for the airport.
Thinking they must have forgotten something, Night quickly answered the call. “Ma?”
“Son, I forgot to tell Marie to prepare the guest rooms. Remind her for me,” his mom said, her voice a little muffled by the sound of traffic on the other end.
“Huh? Okay… but why?” Night asked, pushing himself up from the couch.
“Your brother told me Peem are staying over the weekend,” she explained. “All of them... I think? I figured it’d be nice for you two to have company.”
Oh. So Phi Fadel’s friends were sleeping over.
“Got it, Ma. I’ll tell Khun Marie,” Night said quickly, trying, and failing to hide the spark of excitement in his voice.
Night bolted out of the living room and found Marie on the patio, watering the plants.
“Khun Marie~” he sing-songed, skipping toward her with a bounce in his step.
Marie turned her head and asked, “Yes?”, though her hand stayed steady on the watering can.
“Mama told me to remind you to fix the guest rooms. Phi Fadel’s friends are staying over,” Night said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Ah, yes, I’ll take care of it once I finish here,” Marie replied. Her eyes narrowed at him, suspicious of his too bright smile. “Why are you smiling like that? It’s… weird.”
Night shook his head, but the grin only grew wider until his gums showed. “Nothing.”
Then, as he started to leave, he added, “And I told you already, just Night, no Khun.” He gave her a quick wave before skipping off toward his room.
Night shut his bedroom door behind him and threw himself onto the bed in starfish mode, his grin stretching wider the more he thought about his brother's friends coming. He grabbed his pillow and hugged it tight, kicking his feet like he’d just won the lottery.
It wasn’t that he was excited about all of Fadel’s friends staying over—they're loud, sometimes ate all their snacks. But that's okay. What had him practically glowing was one person in particular.
North.
His brother’s friend. His own little happy crush.
Night laughed at himself, rolling over onto his back. It wasn’t anything serious—of course not. He knew that. It wasn’t like he was head-over-heels or plotting anything crazy. North just happened to be that one person who made him pay extra attention, who made even the most boring hangouts feel fun. The kind of crush you teased yourself about in your head because it made life a little brighter.
“Staying here for the whole weekend,” Night whispered into the air, biting back his giggles. He could already imagine the teasing if Fadel ever found out, but whatever. It was harmless anyway. Innocent, fun.
Still, just the thought of seeing North walk through their front door had him kicking his legs against the bed again, giddy in a way he couldn’t hide even from himself.
Night wasn’t even sure how long he had been daydreaming about his “happy crush”.
The next thing he knew, muffled voices drifted up from the first floor, laughter and chatter growing louder and clearer, until he finally forced himself off the bed and half-running downstairs.
“Night!” someone called just as he reached the last step.
He turned his head toward the kitchen and spotted his brother and his friends crowded around the dining table, where boxes of pizza, a tub of chicken wings, fries, and pasta, spread out like a buffet.
“Night, come eat.” his older brother, Fadel, said, waving him over.
Night didn’t hesitate. He walked straight to them, eyes immediately drawn to the pizza. A few flavors were lined up across the table, and his mouth watered the moment he caught the rich, cheesy smell of it all.
He wasn’t shy about joining in, naturally, he never was. For years, Fadel’s friends had treated him like their youngest member. Back when he was just a high school freshman and they were juniors, they welcomed him into their circle with the same warmth as Fadel.
Sure, Night had his own group of friends. But his bond with Fadel’s circle was different. They hung out at the house so often that they felt like family—playing games, sharing meals, filling the space with noise his parents never minded. In fact, their parents loved it, treating Fadel’s friends as if they were their own sons.
So nights like these weren’t new. If anything, they were normal.
“What flavor do you want?” a voice asked beside him.
Night looked up—and there he was. North. His smile faltered for a second, but the sparkle in his eyes can't seem to be hidden.
“Hmm…” Night hummed comically choosing, pretending to think hard. “I’ll have this one…” He pointed to a slice loaded with meat and cheese, barely any vegetables in sight.
“Peem, give Night some,” North said casually.
Peem obeyed, though not without shoving his own slice halfway into his mouth in one clumsy bite.
In a very familiar setup, they all munched happily at the junk food spread out on the table.
Night, of course, planted himself right beside North, while Peem sat across from them. Fadel and his boyfriend, Style, shared the end of the table, leaning into each other as they ate.
“Ah, I’m so full,” Fadel groaned, leaning back in his chair. “I’m never listening to your food suggestions again, Peem.”
“Carbs after carbs!” he added, pressing a hand to his stomach like it was a tragedy. Considering how health conscious he usually was, the drama almost felt real.
“Come on, Phi,” Night shot back, grinning, “as if you didn’t eat four slices of pizza and half the chicken wing bucket.”
The table erupted into laughter.
“Hey, don’t expose me like that in front of my boyfriend,” Fadel whined, nudging Style, who just shook his head with a smile.
“Well,” Style teased. “I saw it all. No one forced you to inhale that pasta either.”
“Exactly,” Peem chimed in between bites. “You guys should thank me. My suggestions always deliver. Quality, quantity, satisfaction, Peem guarantee.” He thumped his chest proudly, then almost choked on his fries.
“Yeah, satisfaction in bloating,” North finally said, grinning as he wiped his fingers on a napkin. His voice was calm, but it was enough to set the table laughing again.
“You’re one to talk,” Peem shot back, pointing at him with a greasy finger. “You ate almost as much as Fadel!”
“Difference is,” North replied smoothly, “I don’t complain about it.”
“Ooohh!” Everyone chorused, and Night couldn’t help but laugh until his sides hurt, sneaking little glances at North’s relaxed smile.
That’s my baby, Night playfully thought to himself.
Even after the laughter around the table died down into smaller conversations, North’s rebuttal still echoed in his head.
The corner of his lips tugged up with the silly thought of calling North ‘baby’ in his mind, he tried to hide it by raising his glass of water, sipping slowly as if that could cover the grin he couldn’t shake.
At least, he thought he was hiding it well—until he felt a nudge.
“What are you smiling at?” North asked, his eyes narrowing at Night, suspicion lacing his voice.
Night nearly choked on his drink, totally caught off guard. He shook his head quickly, still pressing the rim of the glass to his lips to cover himself, sneaking a side glance at North.
“Nothing,” he mumbled against the glass, cheeks a little warm but his grin refusing to die down.
North studied him for a second longer, eyebrow slightly raised, but let it go with a quiet scoff before turning back to the others.
Night leaned back in his chair, finally done eating, and set his glass aside. He tried to join in on the table’s chatter, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward no matter how hard he pressed them down.
Smooth, Night. Real smooth, he thought, his grin threatening to break free again.
He stretched his arms lazily, pretending to be casual, but inside he was buzzing, his chest fluttery in that silly way only stirred by a certain person.
Later that night, they were sprawled across the living room. Night and Peem sat cross-legged on the floor, controllers clutched tight, with throw pillows on their laps like makeshift shields.
Fadel and Style lounged on the sofa, tangled together without shame, while North sat in the corner sofa; not far, not close, half-absorbed in his phone but still close enough to hear the noise.
“Got you! Got you! Don’t even try—” Night whooped as his character landed a flawless combo.
Peem groaned. “Beginner’s luck. You won’t survive the next round.”
“Beginner’s luck?” Night scoffed, leaning forward like his life depended on it. “Face it, Phi, you’re a weakling. Stick to Sudoku.”
That earned a loud laugh from Fadel, making Peem’s brows shoot up. “Sudoku? I am literally gaming before you were even out of diapers. Respect your elders!”
“Respect is earned, not given,” Night fired back, tongue peeking out as he nailed another hit. “And you’re playing like my grandma.”
Peem gasped like he’d been slapped. “Your grandma would destroy you in this game.”
“Exactly,” Night shot back smugly.
The room broke into laughter, even Style covering his face with his hand while Fadel slapped his knee. Peem groaned dramatically, pointing at Night. “You’re dead. Next round, you’re absolutely finished.”
“Sure, sure. Talk big while you still can,” Night teased, grinning wide. “Trash belongs in the bin, Phi. And tonight? You’re the bin.”
From the corner, a chuckle slipped out, low, amused. Night’s ears pricked at the sound, eyes darting toward North, who had finally looked up from his phone, lips tugged into a small smirk.
And just like that, Night’s heart skipped a beat, his victory forgotten for a split second.
The next minute, Night’s game started slipping. His focus wavered, thumbs fumbling on the controller while his eyes flickered toward the corner where North sat.
Peem didn’t miss the chance. His character unleashed a couple brutal combos, blow after blow hammering Night’s health bar.
“Huey! Phi! No!” Night yelped, voice breaking into half-laughs as he elbowed Peem in a desperate attempt to throw him off.
Peem burst into a fit of victorious cackles. “Serves you right, brat! You’re no match for me!”
Night groaned dramatically, throwing his head back as his character collapsed on screen. “Unfair! You distracted me!”
“Excuses, excuses,” Peem teased, smug as ever. “You blinked, you lost. Simple as that.”
From the sofa, Fadel snickered. “My little brother didn’t even last two rounds.”
“We’re quits now. How about another round?!” Night shot back at Peem, eyes blazing with determination.
Peem clicked his tongue, smirking. “Sure. If you’re that eager to lose again, I’ll make it quick.”
With fresh resolve, Night tightened his grip on the controller. His eyes stayed glued to the screen as if the entire world depended on this match.
Still, Peem’s momentum was merciless—Night’s health bar was already cut in half in no time.
“Ughhh!” Night groaned, bouncing slightly in place. “This is rigged, I swear!”
“Come on, Night, don’t be a loser!” Peem teased, clearly enjoying his advantage.
And then—
Two arms slipped smoothly around Night from behind, wrapping across his shoulders and chest in one easy motion.
A warm weight pressed into his back as someone leaned in close, their chin hovering just above his shoulder. Strong hands slid down to cover his own, fingers brushing briefly before the controller was stolen from his grip in one swift move.
Night’s whole body went stiff. Heat rushed to his face as the faint scent of musk and something fresh filled his senses.
North. He had leaned in fully, practically back-hugging him in front of everyone, in the middle of the living room, chin hovering near Night’s shoulder, elbow hooked loosely across his chest. To North, it seemed casual, effortless. To Night, it was anything but…
…Why was his heart beating so fast?
“Step aside,” North said evenly, eyes on the screen. “I’ll take it from here.”
Night swallowed, shifting the controller-less hands uselessly in his lap. He hoped no one noticed how warm his face felt, or how his heartbeat was hammering louder than the game’s soundtrack.
God knows he tried so hard to think it was normal. Very—very normal.
It took a few solid combos before Peem finally squinted at the screen, then at Night’s suspiciously quiet posture. His eyes widened when he caught sight of the arms draped around Night.
“Hey! You’re cheating, Night! Ai North?!” Peem blurted, pointing accusingly.
Night immediately booed him, cupping his hands around his mouth for extra effect. “Don’t be a sore loser, Phi!”
Meanwhile, on screen, Peem’s character stumbled backward under the precise, unrelenting blows North was dealing. North’s fingers moved confidently, almost lazily, as if victory’s inevitable until a big K.O shows up on the screen.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Peem groaned, half laughing, half despairing. “Two versus one?! Really?!”
“Two? I’m not even doing anything!” Night protested, grinning despite trying so hard not to be too stiff in his position.
“Exactly! That’s the problem!” Peem said.
“Ah, ah—Fadel, change the loser,” North said, nudging Fadel’s side with his elbow.
Fadel sat up straighter, unwrapping his arms from around Style’s waist. Peem, still sulking from his loss, sighed heavily but passed the controller to his friend anyway.
“Big word for you to call me a loser when you literally stole Night’s controller,” Peem accused, still not over it. He turned to Night with a glare. “And you… you cheater.”
Night cackled, doubling over with laughter. Peem’s pout only made him laugh harder; he looked like a scolded puppy.
“Better luck next time, Phi Peem,” Night teased, sing-songing his words just to rub it in.
Peem gasped dramatically, pressing both hands to his chest. “After I gave you pizza and even saved you the slice with extra cheese?! This is how you repay me?”
Fadel snorted and reached over to smack the crown of Peem’s head. “Just admit you’re weak, Peem.”
Everyone burst into laughter at once, Night nearly rolling on the carpet while Style tried to stifle his chuckles into Fadel’s shoulder.
Peem crossed his arms and slumped into the couch like a sulky kid. “I swear to God, I’m telling Phum about all of you.”
That only made the group laugh harder, their voices echoing through the living room like it was the most ordinary, comfortable place in the world.
North never moved from his spot, still draped around Night in that back-hugging position as he played.
Unlike a few moments ago, Night seemed to become more comfortable and fluid, although his heart sometimes had nearly leapt out of his chest when he recognized. But as the minutes ticked by, the weight of North on his shoulders started to feel… grounding.
Ever so often, Night found himself leaning back, his shoulder brushing against North’s chest or his elbows hooking casually over North’s forearms. None of it felt forced. If anything, it was startlingly natural, like it had always been that way.
Later on, the front door creaked open then, the sound of shoes being kicked off filling the hallway.
“Yo!” a voice rang out.
“Phum!” Peem beamed, welcoming his boyfriend.
Night startled slightly, instinctively sitting straighter, but North’s arm stayed where it was, casual and unbothered, as if there was nothing unusual about the way he was holding him. For a moment, it almost felt like he didn’t want to let go.
By the time Phum threw his overnight bag on the floor, joining beside Peem, the chatter had already shifted to greetings and updates. Nobody seemed to notice the quiet flush clinging to Night’s cheeks, or the way he carefully kept his gaze on the TV screen.
“Finally,” Peem groaned, launching himself into a bear hug the moment Phum sat beside him.
Phum hugged him back without missing a beat. “It was a terrible idea to bring the car, traffic was hell!”
“Still, late is late,” Style said flatly, earning a chuckle from Fadel.
Phum didn’t look the least bit guilty. Instead, he buried his face into Peem’s neck with a loud, dramatic sigh.
“Ew, gay,” North cooed.
Phum immediately snapped his head toward him. “You’re just jealous you don’t have a partner!”
“Ao?!” North gasped, mock-offended.
“Aw, poor Northy doesn’t have anyone to hug,” Peem added, tightening his hold on Phum as if to show off.
Fadel and Style quickly joined in, wrapping their arms around each other with exaggerated sweetness just to tease him more.
North clicked his tongue, eyes gleaming as he leaned down and pulled Night closer against him, arms tightening like a back hug. “Who said I don’t have someone to hug?”
Night squirmed in North’s hold, tapping out. “Phi North! Too tight—I can’t breathe!”
North only tightened his arms, voice calm like it was the most normal thing. “That’s the point, I'm finally keeping you quiet.”
Peem slapped the floor. “Finally! Someone shut him up!”
Fadel pointed at Night dramatically. “World peace achieved in this very living room.”
Even Style, usually the quietest, snickered. “You should patent that move, North. Hug of silence.”
“I don’t even talk that much!” Night whined, still wriggling while laughter doubled around him.
North rested his chin on Night’s shoulder. “Says the one who hasn’t stopped complaining for the last thirty seconds.”
Night groaned, finally slipping free with his hair messy and his cheeks burning. He glared at all of them, but the grin tugging at his lips ruined the act.
The chaos went on until their jaws cramped up from laughing, exchanging jokes from one to another so naturally it felt like breathing.
For them, this was normal, Fadel and Style tangled together on the couch while Peem and Phum bickered like it was an Olympic sport.
And Night, right in the middle of it all, was just as much a part of the mess.
These moments had always been routine, Fadel’s friends sprawling in their living room, making themselves at home like they practically lived there. The boys were loud, sometimes exhausting, but they filled the house with a warmth that Night’s family had grown used to, even himself.
So, when North’s arms had wrapped around him earlier, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Just another day with his brother’s friends. At least, that’s what Night kept telling himself.
It was well past midnight when Night lay sideways on his bed, lazily scrolling through his feed. The house was quiet now. Fadel was probably holed up in his room with Style, while Peem, Phum, and North had occupied their guest room.
A mukbang clip suddenly appeared on his screen, golden-fried chicken glistening, cheese stretching in slow motion. Night’s mouth salivated in betrayal.
He sighed, tossed his phone aside, and padded out of his room.
The kitchen was dim, lit only by the warm glow above the sink. Night expected emptiness, but instead found a tall figure hunched at the fridge, head nearly swallowed by the door as he rummaged through containers with no luck.
“Phi…” Night called softly.
The man jerked in surprise, smacking his shoulder against the fridge door. “Shit,” North muttered, turning to face him.
Night covered his laugh with the back of his hand. “What are you even doing? Hungry, Phi North?”
“Mm,” North hummed in answer, rubbing his shoulder sheepishly.
Shaking his head, Night walked to the corner cabinet no one ever touched. He pulled it open to reveal his hidden treasure, bags of chips, bars of chocolate, a couple of yogurt drinks, even some candy stashed behind the boxes.
He turned to North with a proud grin. “Here, Phi. My emergency stash. But don’t you dare tell Phi Fadel, or he’ll raid it when I’m not looking.”
North let out a low laugh, amused by both the stash and the way Night guarded it. “You’re unbelievable.”
Night stuck his tongue out playfully as he pushed a bag of chips toward him. “Insanely smart, you mean.”
That earned another laugh from North, softer this time, as they started picking through the stash together, arguing about which chips were overrated, trading chocolate bars, tossing jokes between them as the kitchen filled with a quiet, easy kind of warmth.
Armed with chips and chocolates, the two padded quietly down the hallway, ready to retreat to their own rooms. The house was still and dark.
Until, a muffled sound drifted from behind Fadel’s door.
They froze at the same time.
There were voices, low and hushed, mixed with faint whimpers that made Night’s ears burn. He didn’t need to think twice; he knew exactly what was happening inside.
His eyes widened as he glanced at North, who was already staring back at him with the same expression—suspicion laced with secondhand embarrassment.
For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke. Then Night pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh, and whispered, “No way…”
North snorted, covering his mouth with his hand. “Oh my god. Are they?!”
Night can’t fight it, stifling his laughter against the wall, while North shook silently beside him, shoulders trembling.
“This is traumatizing,” Night wheezed, his face burning.
North leaned closer, his voice an octave lower than necessary. “Traumatizing? Sounds like you just don’t wanna admit your brother’s a man now.”
“Gross!” Night whisper-shouted, swatting at him with the chip bag.
North chuckled, raising his hands in mock defense. “I’m just being honest!”
Both of them stifled another round of laughter, half out of embarrassment, half because it was easier to laugh than deal with the awkwardness of overhearing Fadel and Style.
Night finally dragged North by the wrist, tugging him further down the hall before either of them got caught giggling outside the door. Their cheeks were still hot, their laughter muffled into their sleeves, the snack raid turning into a memory they’d never be able to bring up again without turning red.
They didn’t stop teasing all the way down the hall.
Night kept swatting North with his bag of chips, whispering, “You’re disgusting, Phi,”
Every time North cracked another joke about soundproofing not being included in their big house. North only laughed harder, doubling over like it was the funniest thing in the world.
By the time they reached their doors, they were still stifling laughter, shoulders bumping as if they couldn’t quite shake the absurdity of what they’d just overheard.
“Good luck sleeping with that soundtrack in your head,” North whispered with a wicked grin, pointing back toward Fadel’s room.
Night groaned, burying his face in his sleeve to hide his laugh. “Stop, I’m gonna cry.”
“Go to bed, kid,” North said at last, his voice gentler now, though a crooked smile still played on his lips.
“Night,” Night corrected before he could stop himself.
North’s brow ticked up. “What?”
“My name. Don’t call me kid.” His tone came out softer than he intended, almost shy, but the words hung between them anyway.
For a moment, North just blinked at him. Then a quiet laugh slipped out, low in his chest. “Alright… Night. Go to bed.”
Satisfied, Night gave a little nod, clutching his yogurt drink and chips tighter like they were some kind of shield. “Goodnight, Phi.”
North smirked, already backing toward his door. “Night, Night.”
The dumb pun made Night roll his eyes, but the smile pulling at his mouth betrayed him. He slipped into his room, heart beating faster than it should over something so ordinary.
And yet, as he leaned back against his door, he realized it wasn’t just the ridiculousness of the situation that left his chest warm—it was how easy it had been to laugh with North, like they’d been doing it forever. The kind of moment you don’t realize you’ve been craving until it’s already over.
Across the hall, North pushed into the guest room with a quiet sigh, running a hand through his hair.
He tried to shake off the lingering heat of secondhand embarrassment, but his mind betrayed him—replaying Night’s wide-eyed grin, the way he chuckled mid-laugh, and, for god’s sake, the muffled reminder of Fadel and Style going at it like the world had ended.
Night, with his snacks, had scrolled endlessly on his phone, but sleep just refused to come.
Maybe it was the sugar, maybe the faint echoes through the wall he couldn’t un-hear, or maybe, though he wouldn’t dare admit it out loud—it was the way North’s laugh had lingered longer than it should.
He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. It was too quiet, his own thoughts were loud.
With a frustrated huff, he grabbed his phone from the nightstand. His thumb hovered over the screen longer than necessary before he finally tapped out a message.
Night: phi north… you awake?
He stared at it, debating whether to delete it. It felt stupid, unnecessary. But before he could overthink himself into silence, the typing dots appeared.
North: you’re the one awake. what’s up?
Night bit back a smile, exhaling through his nose.
Night: can’t sleep. too noisy earlier. my brain won’t shut up.
A pause, then another reply.
North: noisy is one way to put it. traumatizing is another.
Night snorted, burying half his face into the pillow to muffle the laugh.
Night: you’re not supposed to say that.
North: i just did.
Night: you’re so dramatic.
North: says the guy who made a secret cabinet for snacks like he’s in the apocalypse
Night: hey that’s survival skills 🤨
Night chewed his lip, hesitating before typing again.
Night: are you sleepy, phi?
North: not really. why?
Night: come to my room. let’s watch something.
The second he hit send, regret kicked in, too blunt, too random. He rolled onto his back, covering his face with his arm.
North: middle of the night and you’re suddenly inviting me over?
Night: just bored. better than staring at the ceiling.
North: …
The dots blinked, disappeared. For a beat, Night thought he’d gone too far. Then his phone buzzed again.
North: open your door.
Night scrambled upright at the message, staring at his door like it might already open on its own. He tossed the empty chips to his trash bin, wiped crumbs off his shirt, and sat frozen until a soft knock came.
He walked over, cracking the door open. And there was North, holding his phone lazily at his side.
“You’re fast,” Night whispered, half teasing, half startled.
“I’m literally just across your room?” North countered, brushing past him. He dropped himself on the edge of Night’s bed, sprawling as if he owned the bed.
Night quickly shut the door, turning back, he saw North already making himself comfortable.
“So,” North said, tilting his head, “what are we watching, insomniac?”
Night grabbed his laptop from the desk and climbed into bed, pulling the blanket over his lap. “Something dumb. A cartoon. Not horror though.”
North raised a brow. “Scared?”
“No,” Night shot back too quickly, flipping the screen open. “I just don’t want to hear you scream.”
That earned him a low chuckle, the kind that curled warm in Night’s chest. North leaned in as the laptop booted up, close enough that Night could smell him with the sleepy air clinging.
“Move over,” North muttered, nudging his shoulder lightly.
Night shifted, and suddenly they were shoulder-to-shoulder, the glow of the laptop screen casting soft light over their faces. He pretended to scroll through the app, but his focus kept slipping sideways, hyper-aware of how near North was sitting.
The cartoon started, filling the silence with silly voices and bright colors, but neither of them laughed as much as they usually would. The quiet was comfortable, though, cozy in a way Night isn’t used to.
“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Night muttered, eyes fixed on the screen.
North smirked, leaning back just slightly so their arms brushed. “No promises.”
And for the next while, Night tried to focus on the characters across the screen. But it wasn’t the cartoon that had his stomach tying itself in knots, but the steady warmth radiating beside him, and the thought that maybe, just maybe, his mind was already playing tricks on him.
The cartoon played on, but Night barely followed the plot. His gaze kept wandering, just for a second at a time toward the man sitting next to him.
North wasn’t even doing anything special. He was just watching, elbow propped on his knee, chin resting on his hand. The faint blue glow from the laptop lit his profile, the sharp line of his jaw, the slope of his pointy nose, the way his lashes cast little shadows under his eyes.
Night swallowed, forcing his eyes back to the screen, but it was useless because they kept drifting back to where they wanted to see more than the cartoon itself.
It wasn’t just that North was handsome, everyone knew that.
It was the little things that made him Night’s “happy crush.” The way his sarcasm never sounded mean, how he laughed like he didn’t care if it was too loud, the casual ease he carried that somehow made people feel at home around him.
Night liked that. He liked how natural it felt to laugh when North was around, how even at this very moment, sharing a laptop in the middle of the night, shoulder to shoulder, didn’t feel awkward at all.
He told himself he’d only glance once more, just once, last one. But then North shifted, leaning back against the headboard, and the movement drew his eyes again before he could stop it.
That lazy confidence in the way he sat. Night’s chest felt tight, warmth creeping up his neck. The brush of their shoulders sent his nerves sparking, and his brain whispering its just his imagination, but… those lips looked awfully pink and soft and—
“What?”
Night froze.
North’s voice cut through the silence, low and casual, but his eyes slid sideways to meet Night’s. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Night’s stomach flipped, he blinked fast, scrambling for an answer. “I… I wasn’t!”
One of North’s brows arched, skeptical. “You totally were.”
Night fumbled, heat rising all the way to his ears. “You… you were in the way of the screen!”
A short laugh escaped North, but instead of looking back at the laptop, his gaze lingered on Night. Long enough to make Night squirm under the weight of it.
“Sure, kid.” North murmured, lips quirking, but his eyes said something else entirely, quiet amusement, curiosity… something that made Night’s pulse skip.
“Night,” Night corrected weakly, barely above a whisper.
North tilted his head, finally tearing his gaze away, though the smirk lingered that Night tried so hard not to notice. “Right. Night.”
Night’s mouth felt dry, his brain screaming at him to look away, to do something normal—any goddamn thing.
Instead, he fumbled with the yogurt drink in his hands, twisting the straw nervously between his fingers.
And of course, because the universe hated him, the carton tipped.
Cold liquid splashed across North’s shirt.
“Oh my god!” Night yelped, scrambling upright. “Shit, Phi, I didn’t—” He grabbed for tissues, hands flying everywhere but where they needed to be.
“I swear it just slipped, I wasn’t—”
North looked down at the spreading wet stain across his chest, then back up at Night, utterly deadpan.
“…Seriously?”
Night wanted to dig a hole in the floor and bury himself alive. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking—”
North cracked a grin, shaking his head. He plucked the tissue box out of Night’s frantic hands, pulling a few sheets out himself. “Relax, kid.”
“Night,” Night mumbled unconsciously and face burning and he swore his cheeks could fry an egg.
He tried blotting at the spill, only realizing a second too late that he was basically patting North’s chest with shaky fingers.
North watched his hand with a playful grin on his lips before deciding to tease him. “You’re enjoying this a little too much.”
Night’s eyes went comically wide, his hands shooting back like he’d been burned. “I wasn’t—I’m just—ugh, don’t talk please!”
North chuckled low in his throat, tugging at the damp fabric of his shirt. “You owe me laundry service now.”
“I’ll—I’ll wash it! Tomorrow! I’ll—”
“I was joking.” North’s smirk widened, but there was an edge of warmth beneath it. He flicked Night lightly on the forehead with a tissue. “You really are wound up, huh? Stop holding your breath.”
Night’s voice muffled, as if he was confessing something terrible he’d done before he realized. “I… I’m not.” except that he was.
“Fine, you don’t,” North said easily, with his now damp shirt.
“Now quit panicking before you spill the rest on my pants.”
Night swallowed hard, holding the carton carefully like it might explode if he moved his hands incorrectly. His heartbeat thundered so loudly, vein pulsating on his forehead.
And then, without warning, North reached for the hem of his shirt.
Night’s eyes widened. “W-what are you—”
“Relax,” North cut in casually, tugging the damp fabric up and over his head in one smooth motion. “It’s sticky. Not about to sit here marinating in yogurt.”
The shirt hit the floor with a wet plop.
Night’s brain promptly short-circuited. He stared, absolutely mortified at himself for staring, but how could he not? North wasn’t even doing anything special—excelt his bare shoulders, the defined lines of his chest, the faint shadows of his muscles… god, please help night.
Night forced himself to look away so fast, he almost gave himself whiplash. His ears burned, as he swallowed painfully. “Y-you could’ve changed in the bathroom, you know!”
“Huh?” North glanced at him, amused. “You embarrassed or something?”
“No!” Night squeaked, then immediately regretted how high his voice cracked. He coughed into his fist, trying to recover. “I mean, it’s just—you can’t just—”
Then he threw the almost empty yogurt drink, praying that it could make him less—less bothered.
North chuckled under his breath, running a hand through his hair like this whole thing was barely worth noting. “You’re the one who spilled it. Not my fault.”
Night groaned, sinking into the pillows. “At least wash up! You’re gonna invite ants to my bed!”
“Sure,” North said, unfazed, he stood then padded to the bathroom, splashing himself with cold water before returning with a glistening chest.
To be fair, he thought half-naked in someone else’s bedroom or Night’s bedroom at one in the morning was the most natural thing ever.
North casually slips back in beside Night, “Next time, don’t aim for my chest.”
“I didn’t aim!” Night hissed, smacks a pillow at him in frustration.
North caught it with one hand, grinning. “Could’ve fooled me.”
The cartoon remained although forgotten, as the air thickened again. Night clutched his pillow tight, resolutely staring at the laptop screen.
But flicked sideways for god knows how many fucking times, drawn back like a magnet to the bare skin just inches away.
And North, damn him, didn’t seem to mind.
Night, pretending the cartoon was still funny, pretending he wasn’t hyper-aware of the half-naked guy right next to him. Mind not shutting up, heart kept pounding, louder and louder, until he couldn’t take it—
To his resolve, he cleared his throat, voice small. “Uhm… Phi, it’s late. Maybe you should, uhh… you should go back—”
North cut him off without missing a beat. “Can I just sleep here?”
Night’s head snapped toward him so fast his neck cracked. “Hmm?”
North was reclined against the headboard unbothered with his suggestion. He reached lazily for another pillow, sinking deeper into the mattress, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. “The guest room’s cramped. Peem and phum are snoring, and your bed’s bigger anyway.”
Night’s brain short-circuited. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again like a fish out of water. “But—”
“It’s okay if you don’t want to,” North said, prompted to sit up straight.
“No.” Night suddenly blurted out, clutching North’s toned arm a little too sudden. “I mean—you can… you can sleep here. With me.”