Chapter Text
The early May afternoon atmosphere on the RΩR porch was uncharacteristically relaxed. The sun was warming the heavy dark bricks, and the inner circle of students was sprawled across the steps, recovering from a brutal scaring drill.
Chet was aggressively fanning himself with a clipboard, while Reggie, Javier, and Chip were lazily tossing a ball back and forth. YN were sitting on the top step, completely melted into Johnny’s side. He had his purple arm slung heavily over her shoulders, his thumb lazily tracing a slow, comfortable circle against her jacket sleeve while his other hand held a cold drink.
"I'm just saying," Chet grumbled, rolling his single eye toward the sky. "If you two keep up this zero-personal-space routine during the graduation gala next month, Dean Hardscrabble is going to give us an award for being public nuisances instead of scaring. You look like you're trying to share a skeleton."
"Oh, relax, Chet. We're just providing the campus with a stable blueprint for what a power couple should look like," YN teased him, a wicked smirk sliding onto her face as she nudged Johnny's ribs. "Besides, we have to keep practicing. My dad's already looking up expensive venues for that fake wedding we told him about months ago."
"Oh, don't even start with that, YN," Reggie snorted, catching the ball. "I swear to God, my blood pressure hasn't recovered since your dad screamed through that phone speaker. If F/N Malefor actually shows up on campus for a wedding, I’m locking myself in a scaring simulator on max level."
Javier chuckled, leaning back on his elbows. "Man, that prank was legendary. 'Getting married, my ass!' You guys are out of your minds if you keep joking about that."
"Hey, man, it's not a joke anymore," Johnny purred smoothly, taking a calm sip of his drink. He set it down on the porch step, leaning back with a lazy, thoroughly whipped satisfaction. He looked across the lawn, flashing his blinding, movie-star smile. "In fact, I'm actually going to marry her after graduation."
Instantly, the porch erupted.
"BWAHAHAHA!" Reggie burst out, slapping his knee as he leaned forward, pointing a finger at his president. "Okay! Okay, that was a good one! Man, you almost had me with that deadpan delivery! The Jaw’s getting funny, boys!"
Javier and Chip joined in, letting out loud, echoing chuckles, entirely assuming it was just a continuation of the running gag from a few weeks prior. "Yeah, nice one, chief. Get the marriage license paperwork ready! Let's call her father back right now!"
Johnny joined right in on the laughter. He let out a rich, deep, and booming chuckle that vibrated through his chest, shaking his head and grinning as he shoved Reggie’s shoulder playfully. To his fraternity brothers, it was just another classic, high-energy RΩR joke. Everyone on the porch was laughing and playing around.
…Everyone except YN.
YN’s smile had completely vanished. She was sitting frozen at the top of the steps, her breath hitching violently in her throat. Her hands locked tight around the edge of the stone bench, and she was staring at Johnny wide-eyed, her mouth literally hanging open in absolute shock.
Because…she knew him. She knew every single micro-expression on his face, the exact weight of his grip, and the precise tone of his voice. And YN could tell—with absolute, terrifying clarity—that beneath the easy laugh and the casual demeanor he was displaying to his brothers, Johnny Worthington III was not joking.
He had said it with a microscopic flicker of deep, unshakeable certainty in his eyes. He had said it with a slight, grounding squeeze of his massive arm around her waist that was meant entirely for her only. He was laughing with the boys, playing along with the fraternity banter, but his words had been 100% deadass.
Johnny casually turned his head down, his dark eyes locking onto her paralyzed, wide-eyed face. Seeing her mouth hanging open, his booming laugh softened into a slow, incredibly private, and thoroughly whipped smirk. He didn't break character in front of his brothers, but the lazy, knowing glint in his gaze told her everything she needed to know.
He meant it. Every single syllable.
While Reggie, Chet, and Javier continued to howl with laughter and joke about centerpieces and corporate mergers, YN could only stare at her boyfriend in sheer, breathless disbelief. Her heart was doing a massive, thumping flip against her ribs, her head spinning faster than it had during the flirt strike months ago. Johnny Worthington III was a madman, he was entirely lost to the system, and he had just casually mapped out her entire future while his brothers laughed along, completely oblivious to the fact that their president was getting ready to lock his future down for life.
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