Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I don't know why but EVERYONE is obsessed with soulmates these days.
I mean, of course it's awesome to find your soulmate and having soulmarks is fascinating too but why do we have to talk about this all the time?
I've seen Bohn's mark over a hundred times by now and I am pretty sure I could draw it from memory at this point.
We've been friends for years now and every person we meet asks if we are soulmates even when you can clearly tell that our soulmarks look nothing alike.
Everyone has their soulmark on their wrist so it's rarely covered or hard to spot.
The fascinating thing about soulmarks is that they're weird looking.
The things you and your soulmate love the most are mixed up in a weird and mostly really funny way.
Bohn's mark is a fist, he really has anger issues but you didn't hear it from me, that is holding a rose that smiles in a rather threatening way.
The mark is absolutely perfect and pretty to him, of course.
Mine is a wolf that is smiling in a goofy way, like one of those huskies on the internet, who is wrapped up by a blooming vine.
Taking those marks serious is pretty hard but they're beautiful and unique.
However, I would prefer taking care of my plants instead of having to sit through a two hours presentation on "How to tell if your soulmate is your actual soulmate".
I don't know, maybe by taking a look at your soulmark and see if it is identical with your partners mark, Jenna?!
But here I am because my friends might be bigger idiots than I thought.
"Come on King, this is important! Stop looking out of the window", Boss hissed.
Did I mention that I had to pay to be here?
I sighed and looked at my phone.
Almost done.
"In conclusion, if your marks aren't identical they most definitely aren't your soulmark"
Who would have thought, not me.
I gathered my things and got up.
"Where are you going? There will be another one in ten minutes"
"I agreed on tutoring some of the freshman, sorry" I answered, waved and left.
Another two hours of absolute boredom which will end with the conclusion that our soulmarks actually identify soulmates is not something I can handle.
Don't get me wrong.
I like learning more about our marks but wasting my time like this is just unnecessary.
"P'King! P'King, wait!"
I turned around and saw N'Duen running towards me.
I smiled at him and we greeted each other.
"N'Duen, how can I help you?"
"I wanted to ask if you've seen P'Bohn anywhere. I can't find him but he asked me to bring he something"
"He, Boss and Mek are currently sitting in a lecture about soulmarks but they should be done around 7 pm"
Duen checked his phone and frowned a bit.
"It's only 5 pm and I have to go he soon"
"I will be here for a few more hours to study and do my homework so you can give me whatever you want him to have" I said softly.
Not what I had planned but studying and doing homework never hurts.
A bright smile lit up his whole face.
"Really? I dont want to bother you"
"It's fine. Just give it to me so that you can go home"
He pulled a box out of his bag and handed it to me.
"Thank you very much, P'! I owe you something"
I just smiled at him while shaking my head.
"It's alright, don't worry about it. It's only natural for a senior to help their junior. Can I help you with anything else?"
N'Duen hesitated.
"Ah well, some of my friends are struggling with their maths homework and I heard that you tutor some of those who have problems with it"
"Where are your friends? I'll go and see if I can help them"
"Another bright smile appeared on the younger man's face.
"You are too kind, P'. They're in the mensa. Thank you very much, again. Please tell me when you need help with something. I'll do my best to aid and support you as good as possible"
I laughed softly and ruffled his hair a bit.
"Will do. Now stop worrying and go home. I got this"
He waved at me and walked away.
I carefully put the box for Bohn into my bag and made my way towards the mensa.
When I entered, I looked around trying to find the juniors I wanted to help.
"P'King, we are here!"
I walked towards them and sat down.
"N'Duen said you have some problems with math?" I asked.
"Yes P', I don't understand how to solve this problem here…"
I took a look at it and started explaining it to them.
After a while they got the hang of it and became more confident.
I was explain another problem when my mark suddenly began to tingle.
I rubbed it a bit, trying to get rid of the irritating feeling.
Maybe I should apply some skin lotion?
It grew stronger over time and slowly but surely I had trouble to concentrate on the juniors.
When I was about to leave because I couldn't focus on anything else anymore I heard foot steps and looked up.
Puppy like eyes met mine and I froze.
Bohn had described his first eye contact with N'Duen as electrifying and that he suddenly had felt the strong urge to hug him but this was nothing like that.
I felt cold and hot at the same time and as if I had too much energy all of the sudden.
I didn't know where to look but the eye contact was too intense for me to handle.
And still, I couldn't look away.
The boy seemed just as surprised as me.
"Ram, there you are! I thought you got lost on your way here", one of the others said, ripping me out of my frozen state.
I blinked rapidly and looked down on my wrist.
My soulmark stared right back at me, seemingly glowing and pulsating.
I didn't think I would meet my soulmate all of the sudden like this, especially since I knew a lot of people already.
That it would be one of the freshman who is friends with N'Duen who is Bohn's soulmate was just too much of a weird coincidence for me to think of.
He was still looking at me.
I could feel his eyes on me, heavy but warm.
"Right…I got distracted by my brother that's why I'm late", he said.
And oh, his voice!
So beautiful and soft and so, so sweet.
The burning desire to hear him talk again hit me like a truck and I clenched my teeth to surpress a gasp.
I had heard that the reaction on soulmates can be very overwhelming and strong.
But THIS… This was nothing like how others had described it.
It was sweet like candy but sudden and tense like a thunderstorm.
How am I supposed to handle this??
How am I supposed to talk to him when my reaction is this extreme already?
Will I get a heart attack when I do as much as to touch him???
No one prepared me for this!!
What the hell?!
This is the worst and simultaneously the best thing that ever happened to me and I don't know if I like it.
Where is Bohn when I need him??
"Hey King, you're still here?"
Could it be???

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

I looked up and felt like fainting.
Bohn is actually here to save me from this awkward situation.
Would it be weird when I hug him?
Probably…
"Bohn, hey. I met N'Duen and he said that his friends were struggling with some of their homework so I came here to help. Also, he gave me a box he wanted to give you but he had to go home and you were still in the lecture", I answered as calm as possible.
Hopefully no one will notice that I am absolutely NOT calm.
Bohn frowned a bit but nodded.
He definitely noticed that I am not, in fact, calm.
Shit.
"A box?"
I took it out of my bag and gave it to him.
Either I'm hallucinating or he's blushing a bit.
Oh god, he's so whipped.
Young love really is something else, hm?
Why do I sound like an old man?
"Thanks King, I owe you something", he said in a soft way and I smiled at him and patted his shoulder.
"It's fine, don't think about it too much. You are my friend, you don't owe me anything"
Bohn scratched his neck, looking slightly embarrassed and smirked a bit.
"Are you done tutoring them or should I wait?"
I took a look at the juniors and they smiled.
"It's ok, P'King. I think we understand it good enough to explain to Ram what you showed us. Would it be ok if you help us tomorrow again?"
I smiled brightly and nodded.
"Of course, that's perfectly fine. Don't overwork yourself and get enough sleep today. You did well and I'll answer your questions tomorrow and go through what I explained today again with you guys. So don't worry and go home soon too, ok?"
They promised me to take care and not to stay up for too long and I took my bag and left after waving at them.
"They're good children", I said and Bohn snorted.
"You are such a mother hen, King. A born teacher, really"
I rolled my eyes at him.
"I just enjoy helping others and teaching our juniors is nice. They are actually listening to what I say not like you guys", I answered in a teasing manner.
He rolled his eyes and gave me a light punch against the arm.
"Not everyone is as intelligent as you are"
"It's not that you are dumb, Bohn. It's just that you're too lazy to actually learn for exams or do your homework when I'm not around"
He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.
"And this is why you are my best friend and not Boss or Mek"
"Those two are way too dense for their own good"
He sighed and nodded.
"It's torture to be around them. Mek always looks like a puppy that got kicked by its owner whenever Boss flirts with girls. It hurts to be around them sometimes", Bohn said with a frown.
"I wish Mek would either confess or try and move on but this situation really is hard to deal with", I answered.
"Sometimes I just want to hit him and make him see what he's doing but it's not my place to do so", Bohn sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration.
"I wish I could help too but no matter how often I say Mek that he can talk to me about it he refuses and acts like he's ok. And Boss is too focused on himself to notice anything at the moment. It's not that he's a selfish person but…"
"I know what you mean. He's not a bad person but being this oblivious and playful when he's doing nothing but hurting Mek's feelings and continuously giving him hope is not something I can handle for much longer", Bohn admitted.
I sighed and rubbed my eyes.
"I think all we can do is hope they'll solve it and be there for them. Though I don't think they wouldn't come to us if there was a problem…"
Bohn just nodded, looking as exhausted and frustrated as I felt.
"Well, let's observe their interactions tomorrow. Maybe we can think of something that might help them or that could show them that they can always come and talk to us", Bohn suggested and I agreed.
"By the way, I saw you stare at that freshman with tattoos as if you saw a ghost or something like that. Are you alright? Did he hurt you or anything?"
I smiled at my concerned looking friend.
He may look and act like he's a rough and careless guy but he genuinely cares about his friends.
Bohn is just not good with expressing his feelings or thoughts.
" I'm fine, he didn't do anything wrong. It's just that he…"
I hesitated for a second.
Should I tell Bohn that I am sure that that freshman is my soulmate?
He's my best friend and like a brother to me.
He told me about Duen the second he saw me after he met Duen for the first time.
Not it's fine.
I trust him just as much as he trusts me.
"He is my soulmate and I got overwhelmed by my feelings since that was the first time I actually met him. Now I understand why you were so scared that you gave Duen a bad first impression"
Bohn stopped abruptly and turned to me with wide eyes.
It was quite an amusing sight.
"Are you sure? Did you see his soulmark?"
"Not yet but what I felt was way too strong and different from anything else I ever felt. The second I saw him I wanted nothing more than to be close to him. For him to trust me, talk to me and focus on nothing but me. I want to be the reason for him to smile. I… "
Bohn hummed lowly and sighed again while ruffling his hair.
"He truly is your soulmate, hm? Well then he better not hurt you. I don't really want to fight with someone who has boxing experience and it would make Duen sad but", he looked me in the eye, "I'd do it for you. So he better not try anything funny"
I laughed at his slightly conflicted face and patted his shoulder.
"Thanks Bohn, I appreciate it"
"I always got your back", he said slightly awkward while rubbing his neck.
We continued our way to the dorms in comfortable silence.
We stopped at my door and I reminded him of the quiz we had tomorrow and that he should go to bed soon.
He rolled his eyes but nodded anyway and left.
I closed the door behind me and greeted all my beloved plants and made sure they were healthy and happy.
After I had made sure that everything was alright, I sat down on the couch and sighed.
"Today I met my soulmate. Can you imagine how surprised I was? I was so overwhelmed that I almost cried when Bohn appeared out of nowhere and safes me from that awkward situation", I laughed a bit at that.
"Thinking back, it really wasn't nice to leave all of the sudden. He might think that I don't want him which really isn't true. I just panicked. Who would have thought I'd be a panicked gay one day" I chuckled again at that thought.
"His name is Ram. A beautiful name, don't you think, my beloved ones? He is really pretty too. Beautiful, really. He has puppy eyes which is adorable and even though he had tattoos, which are really pretty and cool too, he looks like a soft and gentle person. I think he has dogs, Bohn mentioned something like that once, which terrifies me but I will deal with it for him. Who knows, maybe I'll like them. I hope he will like you as well, my lovely plants. Well, I should go to bed now. Thank you for listening to me. You may aren't able to answer me but just talking to you without having to worry about being judged is enough already"
I got up, got ready for bed and layed down.
However, I couldn't fall asleep because I kept thinking about Ram.
I don't know if I want to see him again because of how intense my reaction was and what if I do something wrong?
What if he doesn't like how I look or sound or what if he isn't interested in getting to know me?
But...
I want to see him again...
I sighed and rolled on my side.
What a mess I am.
What are you doing to me, Ram?
What are you doing…

Chapter Text

I woke up feeling calmer and more collected than the day before.
It was still early so I took a look at my notes for the quiz and did some homework.
Since I still had time left, I wrote down some instructions and explanations for the juniors so that they would have something that would help them remember the things I explained.
After I was done, I looked it over again.
N'Ram wasn't there yesterday when I explained it and I probably won't have the time to explain everything again.
Hm...what to do?
I don't want him to fail or forget anything…
I will write down some more explanations and instructions for him specifically.
That's what every good teacher does, right?
After I had done that as well I looked it over.
The paper for Ram had more detailed explanations and step-by-step instructions than the one for the other juniors.
Is this favoritism already?
It isn't, right?
I sighed.
Who am I kidding, of course it is.
No one does this much for a mere stranger.
I'm whipped for him already, am I not?
I met him once and I'm a mess.
This soulmate thing really hits different when it's about you and not your best friend.
My phone started ringing and I looked at it.
Why on earth is Bohn up this early and calling me?
I answered the call, feeling a bit worried.
"Bohn? What's wrong?"
"He is cheating on me!"
I frowned and straightened my back.
"Duen is cheating on you?"
"Yes! I saw him with another man!", Bohn hissed and the pain in his voice hit me hard.
Whatever happened, Bohn is dead set on the fact that Duen is actually cheating.
"Alright listen, I will come to you as fast as possible but you have to calm down, ok? I know this is hard but I'm sure that there's an explanation for this“,I said while rushing to pack my bag.
I made sure not to forget the notes for the juniors.
" Ok… I'm at the gate"
He hang up and I threw on a jacket, grabbed my bag and rushed out.
Oh Bohn, this is the third time for you to think that he's cheating when it's probably just a friend.
This much jealousy and insecurity really isn't healthy and not good for a relationship…
As fast as I could I sprinted to the gate where Bohn was waiting.
I arrived feeling tired and panting.
Gasping for air I looked at my best friend.
"What happened?"
Bohn frowned at me and patted my back.
"You really didn't had to sprint here. Try to take some deep breaths, ok?", He said and handed me a water bottle which I took gratefully.
I drank a bit of water, focused on breathing regularly and after a few minutes I was able to breath somewhat normal again.
I should start jogging in the morning again.
"So what happened?", I asked, standing up straight.
"I saw him with another guy", he repeated and I sighed.
"That's what you said already. I mean, what exactly happened? Did they just talk?"
Ruffling his hair in angry frustration Bohn kicked a stone away.
"They were talking and then drove off on a motorcycle together"
I frowned at him.
"Maybe they were just friends?"
"I've never seen them together before!"
I rubbed my face and sighed again.
"Bohn, you are my best friend so listen to me when I tell you this: your jealousy is getting out of hand"
He glared at me but I could tell that he was thinking about what I said.
"What do you mean?", he asked, still glaring at me.
"Duen is a social butterfly. He is too kind and gentle to tell people off and makes friends easily. He wouldn't cheat on you. He isn't that kind of person. What matters now is for you to calm and focus on communication"
He frowned and scratched his neck.
"It isn't that easy"
"He isn't just your soulmate, he is your boyfriend. You HAVE to trust him, Bohn. Your jealousy will ruin your relationship if you don't communicate with your partner and explain why you are angry. He isn't doing anything wrong and I know that you struggle with talking about your feelings without sounding like an asshole but for the sake of your relationship, please, at least try. It helps, believe me"
Bohn looked conflicted and walked around for a moment before looking at me again.
"I- I understand what you mean but it isn't that easy"
"I know and I never said it was. However, talking about how you feel and trying to understand Duen's point of view will help you understand each other better. He isn't me, Bohn. He doesn't know you as long as I do. Communication is the key, trust me"
He sighed but nodded hesitantly.
"I will try to talk to him about this instead of giving him the cold shoulder and avoiding him and… And I will try not to become so angry and explain it… In a more gentle way than I usually would"
"Just try. Duen will know that you are putting in effort to communicate and will appreciate it, I'm sure of it. Now… Did you study for the quiz?"
He snorted and punched me lightly.
"Yes I did, mom. I think I'll do well. The one I'm worried about is Boss"
"Mek will help him cheat so I'm not that worried. But he really should put more energy into studying and doing his homework"
"What would he do without his hubby?"
We chuckled and joked around for a while before walking towards our university.
"What do you think, will Boss be too late or just right on point?", Bohn asked and I shrugged.
"He'll probably manage to be there on point because Mek woke him up and dragged him out of bed"
"P'King! P'Bohn! Good morning!", a junior yelled from behind.
We turned around and greeted the group of friends.
Duen and Ram were there as well.
"P'King, thanks again for helping me and my friends out yesterday", Duen said softly and I smiled at him.
"It's fine, I had a lot of fun tutoring them. By the way, I wrote down some explanations and notes for you guys so that you can review them while doing your homework or studying for exams", I said and pulled out the papers I had written.
"Oh wow thanks a lot, P'!"
I looked at N'Ram and handed him his.
"Since you were late yesterday and missed my explanations I wrote it down a bit more detailed for you"
He seemed just as surprised as everyone else and took the paper silently while staring at me.
"That's very nice of you, P'. I'm sure Ram appreciates it", Duen said.
Does he not like me?
Is that why he isn't talking to me?
"Would it bother you to show us your soulmark, P'King?", the girl, N'Ting Ting?, asked with glistening eyes.
I blinked a bit confused and looked at her.
"Ah, you don't have to if you're uncomfortable with it!", Duen immediately interfered slightly panicked.
"Uh, no it's fine. I was just a bit surprised", I answered and showed them my wrist.
I did not expect that this simple gesture would create as much chaos as it did.
One of the boys choked on air while the girl started to squal and to slap one of the other boys while another started to scream and ran away, Duen just smiled, Ram's eyes seed glued on my mark and I was just confused.
What on earth???
I pulled my arm away and frowned at the juniors.
"Are you guys ok?", I asked, genuinely concerned.
"They're just surprised at how goofy and cute it looks that's all. Nothing to worry about, P'King", Duen assured me and I nodded slowly.
"If you say so, N'Duen"
"What's with him? He keeps staring at King as if he has two heads or something like that", Bohn asked, frowning and slightly glaring at Ram.
Ah yes, Bohn's overprotective side is showing.
Truth to be told, I was as glad that he mentioned it as I was unhappy.
The staring made me feel giddy and nervous but I told myself that he probably wasn't actually staring at me.
There are plants behind me so he's probably staring at them.
Yep, that's it.
Everyone would stare at those beautiful plants.
That's completely normal.
I would do that and have done that, according to Bohn, several times already.
"He's just a bit shy and doesn't talk much", Duen answered, looking a bit worried.
"Ah and what about the staring?", Bohn replied sounding a bit passive-aggressive.
"We don't know if he's actually staring at me, Bohn. It's possible that he's looking at something behind me or anything like that", I interfered and effectively calmed my friend down, at least a bit.
He just huffed and crossed his arms.
"King, Bohn! Are we too late for the quiz yet!", Boss yelled, appearing out of nowhere from behind which made Bohn and me flinch.
"Aww, did I scare you?", Boss laughed and I sighed.
"Everyone would flinch when someone comes from behind and yells right into your ear", Bohn hissed irritated and Boss hold up his hands in defense.
"Alright, sorry. No need to be so angry"
"You know he didn't mean to anger you", Mek said in a pacifying manner and Bohn scoffed at him for taking Boss side once again.
And there was the underlying tension that appeared from time to time whenever Bohn got annoyed with Boss's and Mel's behavior.
The juniors probably noticed it as well, it's pretty obvious.
"We should go before we actually miss the quiz", I stated and turned to our juniors again in an attempt to defuse the tension.
"I'll come to you during lunch break so if you have questions I'll answer them then"
"Of course, thank you very much, P'!"
I smiled at them brightly and my friends and I left while Boss was whining about the quiz.
Seriously, sometimes I just don't know why I'm friends with him.

Chapter Text

I groaned and let my head slam onto the table.
The 'quiz' wasn't just a quiz it had been a surprise exam.
While I was sure that I did well and would get a good grade I almost had a heart attack when our teacher informed us about the quiz being an exam.
I had panicked just as badly as everyone else.
Well… Maybe not as bad as others but it had caught me off guard and I wished I had studied more for it.
Now I understand why there aren't many  students who like this teacher…
He really has a cruel sense of humor.
"I'm dead", Boss whined and Bohn groaned.
"The only reason I'm not screwed as well is because I learned with King's notes. Thanks for that, by the way. I appreciate the fact that you, once again, forced me to actually study. You saved me"
I patted his shoulder.
"No problem"
"Why didn't you give me your notes as well?", Boss asked, still whining.
"I wanted to but you said something along the lines of 'This is just a quiz, no need to stress, my friend. I'll do just fine' and refused to take them", I answered while massaging my temples.
A headache was coming and the day had barely even started.
"I'm sure you did well", Mek said to Boss in an attempt to cheer him up and Boss threw himself into Mek's arms, still whining.
Bohn and I exchanged a glance and we decided to just leave them be.
I packed my bag and left with Bohn right behind me.
"When do you think will they notice that we're gone?"
"You can't just leave us behind like this, you traitors!", Boss screeched.
"Nevermind that answers my question"
"I hope they'll realize that this was just the start and that we still have other lessons to attend", I said to Bohn and he sighed.
"They'll be too late again"
"Most definitely"
They were indeed to late and had to write an essay about the importance of being punctual.
The lessons flew by and after three surprise quizzes I felt like my head was killing me.
However, since I had done all my homework I wasn't too worried about the quizzes.
Bohn gave me some painkillers and finally it was time for lunch.
I wasn't feeling like someone was pounding my head with a hammer anymore which was good.
… Or not because now all I could think about was that I was about to meet Ram again.
Why are my hands sweating?
There is no need to be this nervous.
I'm not going bungee jumping I'm going to tutor my juniors and will coincidentally meet my soulmate.
Nothing to worry about.
…
Who am I kidding, this is a code red situation!
He might not even like me!!
Maybe it's because he and Bohn don't really get along so he thinks I'm not much different?
But then again there are quite a lot of people who don't like Bohn but have no problem with me…
Maybe I should ask Duen…
He should know if his best friend doesn't like me, right?
"Hey King, what are you thinking about so deeply? Did you get rejected by your crush?"
Sometimes I just really want to choke Boss.
Before I could do or say anything, Bohn gave him a slap on the head.
"Ouch, what was that for?!", Boss hissed pouting and rubbed his head.
"Not everyone is like you Boss. King isn't chasing girls all the time"
"But there is something wrong, right?", Mek asked.
"It's nothing"
"Do you not trust us? Come on King, we're your friends", Boss said still sulking.
When I tell them about N'Ram then I'll get teased to death by Boss and might end up killing him for his shitty advice and playful attitude.
And Mek will just be extremely sympathetic all the time which is not something I want to deal with either.
I sighed.
"I'm just having a headache and was questioning if it was a good idea to promise our juniors to help them with their homework today", I responded, which wasn't a lie.
"No worries, we'll take over when you struggle"
Well that just made me worry even more.
"No offense but I don't think that we would be very helpful, Boss", Mek said and Boss gasped.
"How can you say that, my hubby? We aren't that bad"
And there he goes again with his awkward and painfully oblivious flirting.
However, since we had arrived at the mensa I didn't had to focus on Mek looking hopeful at Boss while Boss is just jokingly calling him his husband and only love.
"They are over there", Bohn muttered into my ear and pointed at them.
"Let's go"
We quickly walked over and greeted them, leaving Mek and Boss behind once again.
"P'Bohn, P'King, how was your day so far?", Duen greeted us, looking concerned.
"You guys look pretty exhausted", one of the others added.
"We're fine. We just had a surprise exam and three surprise quizzes today, that's all", Bohn answered.
"That sounds like hell", one of the juniors muttered, looking horrified and the others agreed.
"Just do your homework well and you don't have to worry about it", I said, trying to calm them down a bit.
"Says the genius of our of our year", Boss said, appearing once again out of nowhere.
"I'm not a genius. I just study a lot", I responded.
Boss just rolled his eyes and patted my cheek.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night"
"We told you to study and do your homework and King even wanted to give you his notes which you refused. It's your own fault that your grades are like this. Stop being so salty", Bohn shot back at Boss, looking as annoyed as always.
Boss, acting flabbergasted, put his hand on his chest in a dramatic gesture.
"I'm not that bad"
"I'm sorry to say this but you might fail this year, wifey", Mek said, effectively getting Boss attention.
"But I will help you, of course", he added quickly.
They started bickering and I focused on the juniors.
I glanced at Ram who was frowning at me.
My hands started sweating again and I was hit by the wish to be alone with him and get to know him better.
My soulmark was burning and I sighed.
Does he really not like me?
Shaking my head, I focused on my task.
"So, did you take a look at the notes I gave you?", I asked, trying to seem cheerful.
"Ah yes! It was very helpful! But I got question. How do I solve this when…"
I gladly took the opportunity for distraction and started explaining and answering their questions.
After the others had no questions and were doing their homework I looked at Ram who seemed to be struggling.
Would be weird when I go over and help him?
We are strangers after all…
Someone touched my elbow and I looked up.
Duen smiled at me, pointed at N'Ram then pointed at me and made a walking gesture.
I got the message but still hesitated.
Leaning closer to the junior I voiced my concern.
"He doesn't seem to like me"
Duen just smiled softly and patted my arm.
"No worries, P'. Ram is just not someone who doesn't talk too much. He looks all serious but is actually a cinnamon roll", he whispered back.
I wasn't completely convinced but accepted his answer and decided to go with it.
I said I was going to help them, after all.
So I took a deep breath, walked around the table and sat down next to my soulmate.
We barely touched but I felt like I had run a marathon and my mouth felt as dry as a desert.
This is ridiculous.
He isn't doing anything and I am sitting next to him with butterflies my stomach and sweating hands.
Fuck he's so pretty!
Alright King, stop being a panicked gay and stop being a mess!
His hair looks so soft…
NO!
I AM HIS SENIOR AND I AM GOING TO TUTOR HIM.
I have to HELP him right now not write an essay about how beautiful he is, for fuck's sake!
"Is everything alright? You look like you're struggling a bit, N'Ram", I said acting all casual and calm while I was having an internal melt down.
He looked up and our eyes met again and FUCK HE'S SO PRETTY!!!!!
HIS PUPPY EYES ARE SO CUTE SKSJSHYHFJFH
Alright, stop, STOP!
"You know you can just go ahead and ask if there's a problem. I'm here to help, after all", I added softly when he stayed quit.
N'Ram blinked and looked down at his paper.
He pointed at something and I leaned in closer to see it better.
Our shoulders were touching right now and I was now internally sobbing.
Oh wow he smells really good too and WHAT THE FUCK AM I THINKING???
I'M NOT A CREEP!!!
I started to explain how to solve that equation and was positively surprised at how calm and collected I managed to sound.
Thank god no one here can read minds that would be awkward.
If this whole university thing doesn't work out maybe I should consider becoming an actor…
"See? It's not as hard as it seems it is", I ended my explanation and smiled at him.
He nodded slowly and gave me a small smile in return.
"Thanks P'", he muttered softly and I felt like my heart stopped.
He talked to me.
He TALKED to me and SMILED!!!
SKSKAHSNSNKSJFJNN
Fuck, this is the best thing that happened to me so far.
"Oi King, lunch break will be over soon. Let's get some food. You can tutor them later"
Since the juniors seemed confident and had no other questions, my friends and I left to get some food.
"You and that tattoo guy get along pretty well, hm?", Boss asked all of the sudden and I chocked on my food.
They teased me while I was coughing my lungs out and I glared at them.
"Seriously, you let me die just for the sake of making fun of me? What kind of friends are you?", I muttered still coughing.
Suddenly a glass of water appeared in front of me.
"P', are you ok?"
It was Duen.
Well Bohn won't be happy with the amount of time Duen spends talking to me.
"Thanks, Nong"
I took it and he smiled at me before looking at Bohn.
"I want to talk to you P'. Would you come with me? It won't take long"
Bohn nodded and glanced at me.
I knew he remembered our talk from this morning.
Let's see how it goes this time.
Good, I sure hope.
I hate seeing Bohn cry and feeling distressed.

Chapter Text

I grew worried when Bohn didn't came back after a while and decided to go and look for him.
However, I got distracted by a beautifully grown chrysanthemums and honeysuckles.
"Oh look at you guys. How incredible you look. So magnificent and pretty", I muttered while carefully checking and stroking the plants.
"P'King? Who are you talking to?"
I looked up and saw N'Ting Ting standing next to me.
"The plants, of course. Aren't they beautiful?"
The girl looked at me and smiled.
"Yes P', they really are pretty. You like plants a lot, am I right?"
"Why of course I do. They are easy to handle, calming and harmless. So magnificent and rewarding when you take good care of them"
She hummed thoughtful.
"That's true. Sadly, I am not good at taking care of plants. My mother bought some marigolds for me to take care of but they aren't in a good shape"
I frowned at her and thought about it.
"How do you water the plants?"
"I water them from above, why?"
"Marigolds don't like that. You should water them at their base and make sure that the soil gets dry before watering them again. Using fertilizer also isn't something I wouldn't recommend"
"Oh I see! I'll make sure to treat them right. You know so much about plants, P'King. You really like plants, don't you?"
I smiled and stood up.
"I absolutely adore plants. They are incredible"
N'Ting Ting nodded understanding.
"Did you come here to visit the plants?"
"Ah no, I was looking for Bohn, actually. I just got distracted by those beauties", I answered sheepishly and she giggled.
"I see, I see. Well I was looking for Duen as well so we can look together"
I nodded and we started walking down the path the couple had taken.
All of the sudden, the girl grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a bush.
"P', look! They seem to have a dispute"
I looked at where she was pointing and, indeed, it seemee like they were shouting at each other.
"Maybe he's jealous again", I said.
"P'Bohn seems to be a rather protective person"
I sighed and nodded.
"You can say that"
Ting observed me for a moment.
"Has he always been like that?"
I thought about her question.
"He has always been a very strong person who has a bad temper from time to time but…"
"But?", she asked curiously.
"But I think it's this bad with N'Duen because he's afraid that he will him once he meets someone better than him"
She smiled softly at that.
"He really loves him doesn't he?"
"N'Duen is a treasure to Bohn that he wants to protect at all times but he tends to be a bit too overbearing", I answered.
"And Duen is too naive and inattentive to notice that he's hurting his boyfriend by giving other men hope without even noticing it", Ting added.
"They are two halves that make a whole but communication is very important and I believe that that's something both have to learn"
"You are a wise man, P'King"
I snorted and smiled at her amused.
"Thanks but everyone can talk a lot when it isn't about themselves"
She chuckled and nodded.
"That's true. A wise man, as I said"
I took a look at Bohn and Duen again.
"They seem to have calmed down. I think they'll work it out. Let's leave them be"
The girl agreed and we made our way back to the mensa.
"So… What do you think about Ram?", she asked all of the sudden, smiling mischievously.
"He's N'Duen's best friend, is good in boxing and doesn't talk much. He has tattoos too and seems like a overall cool guy", I answered.
"So you would like to get to know him more?"
"It would be easier to help him with his homework etc when we were closer, yes", I responded as nonchalant as possible.
Ting Ting looked slightly disappointed but accepted my answer.
"Very well… See you later?"
"Ah no, I will meet some friends from another university so we probably won't see each other often today"
"That sounds nice! I hope you'll have a lot of fun, then", Ting Ting answered smiling and I thanked her.
"Just text me if you need anything. You have my number, right?"
"Ah no, I don't"
"Oh, well then I'll give it to you", I said and we exchanged numbers.
"Is it ok if I give your number to my friends as well? It would be confusing when I had to send you all the questions they had"
"Of course, go ahead but please don't give it to anyone else"
She smiled and shook her head.
"No worries, P'King. I will make sure that no weird person will get their hands on your number"
I thanked her and smiled.
"Alright then, I have to go. Take care and have a nice day, N'Ting Ting"
"You too P'!"
When I arrived at our table, Bohn was there as well.
"Oi King, are you done flirting?", Boss joked and I smacked him lightly.
"We didn't flirt. We were talking about plants"
"Ah, did she ask you for advice?", Mek asked and I nodded.
"She had some problems with taking care of her marigolds so I explained to her what the problem was"
Mek hummed and nodded.
"Taking care of plants really isn't easy… Which reminds me of something my Mom wanted me to ask you! She said that she has trouble with insects killing her plants but she doesn't want to use something that could harm her flowers as well"
I hummed thoughtful and took a moment to think about possible solutions which I then started to explain and promised Mek to make some notes for him that he could send to his mother.
"Thanks King, I appreciate it"
I smiled softly at my friend.
"No problem, that's what friends are for"
"So… Are you excited to meet the others?", Boss asked.
"Heck yeah, we haven't seen them in a long time", Bohn said enthusiastically.
"What do you think? Did Pha finally confess to N'Wayo?", Mek asked amused.
"From what I heard from Kit, he didn't even manage to recognize his love because he isn't wearing glasses anymore. Kit also said that Pha scared the poor child so badly that he asked Kit and Beam not to tell Pha that it's him because he thought Pha would be even more pissed", I explained and the others sighed.
"So he's a lost cause then", Boss concluded.
"If he's lucky the kid will make it work himself", Bohn added and I nodded.
"Well, we'll see"
"And we can tease him to no end. Who doesn't recognize his crush because of a pair of glasses?", Boss chuckled in disbelief.
"As intelligent as he is he truly isn't that bright when it comes to love" Mek muttered.
I couldn't help but agree with him.
Why do I feel like all my friends are idiots?

Chapter Text

"Poems are awesome! You can easily win a girl's heart with nothing but a good, romantic poem!", Boss said while grinning like an idiot.
"That's true but that also means you'd have to be a poetic and creative person in order for it to work"
"Tew! Why do you always appear to do nothing but to make fun of me? King and Bohn are doing that more than enough already", Boss pouted.
I looked up.
"Tew, long time no see. How are you doing?", I asked and he smiled and sat down next to me.
"I'm doing alright. I studied a lot for the exams but since you sent me your notes I did pretty well. My mother had some problems with my father so I didn't had time to spend time with you guys"
"But now they get along again?", Bohn asked.
Tew grinned at him.
"Aww, are you worried? That's so cute. But yes, everything is fine", he teased and Bohn rolled his eyes and gave him a punch against the arm.
"I don't think there are many who'd call Bohn 'cute'", I laughed and the others agreed.
"That's true. No one but his beloved Duen", Boss giggled and Bohn glared at us.
"You are assholes, all of you!"
"But you love us", Mek answered and winked in a cheeky way.
"First of all, no. Second of all, most definitely not"
"What not even King? That's harsh", Boss teased and I laughed at them.
"This does wound me, you know? Haven't I been a great best friend? Are you not calling me your brother from time to time?", I asked and put a hand over my heaet, acting dramatically.
"How can you break his heart like this, Bohn? So cruel", Tew added, sighing disappointed.
Bohn, looking flabbergasted, glared at us.
"Stop teaming up on me! This is bullying!"
"Says the bully", Mek shot back, grinning gleefully.
When Bohn just glared at us and pouted we all broke into laughter and he ended up joining in.
"Seriously, you guys are such assholes", he forced out, still laughing and breathless.
"But you love us and you can't deny it", I responded cheeky and he just rolled his eyes.
"Awww, we love you too", Boss said theatrically and forced a hug onto Bohn, teasingly trying to kiss his cheek.
"Oi, stop it! Leave me alone!"
"It's ok, no need to be shy", Mek chirped and joined Boss.
Tew and I just laughed at them, throwing in cheers and words of encouragement for Mek and Boss from time to time.
The panicked yelling of Bohn and fake, high-pitched love confessions of both Mek and Boss ended up attracting our juniors.
I didn't notice them at first since I was sitting with my back to them.
A quiet "Don't act rashly, Duen" attracted my attention and I turned around to see the juniors standing behind me.
Duen, who had a sour expression that screamed jealousy, was discussing with his friends.
Ram was there as well and my heart fluttered at the sight of him but I had no time for that.
I carefully stood up as to not alarm the others and walked over to calm them down and settle the misunderstanding as fast as possible.
"You don't have to worry, N'Duen. They're just playing around. It's nothing serious"
Surprised, they looked up and met my eyes.
"You call that playing around? They are literally kissing!", one of the juniors hissed and I glared at him.
Duen always failed to understand Bohn when he was jealous but now that it's his turn to be jealous, he and his friends seem to know everything, I thought.
I wasn't a short tempered person but slowly, the behavior of the juniors was getting on my nerves.
Duen wasn't the only one who suffered from the fallouts he and Bohn had.
Bohn ended up crying and feeling heartbroken as well.
He hated himself for always acting impulsive and I knew that.
It was me he talked to in those moments and I was always there to comfort him.
What do they know about him and my friends?
"Do you not know joke around with your friends? It's always better to have an open mind and carefully examine the situation at hand before judging, Nong", I scolded, my voice sharp with anger.
The junior, obviously shocked at my angry reaction, avoided my eyes and mumbled an apology.
I locked eyes with Duen who was just as shocked as the others.
Should I just tell him the harsh truth or should I be calming instead?
"Do you want me to tell you what I'm thinking about your behavior right now or do you understand why I'm upset with you and your friends in this situation?", I asked and the juniors looked at each other.
Ram was doing nothing but observe me.
He was calm but looked a tiny bit surprised as well.
"The truth. I want you to tell me your honest opinion and the reason why you are upset with us... With me in particular", Duen answered after a moment of consideration while looking at me with firm eyes.
He's seems so shy and harmless but he can be quite fierce, huh?
Good.
"Whenever Bohn is jealous you get angry with him because you fail to understand him and honestly I don't think you are trying to understand. It always ends with both of you being upset. You aren't the only one who cries after another dispute, N'Duen. It hurts Bohn as well. I comfort him every time as good as I can but he hates himself for being that way and you probably didn't even think about how he feels. I understand that it's hard and that you are suffering as well. But to be a couple means trying to work with these problems and solve it. To stay silent and not communicate your feelings isn't going to change anything for the better. Bohn isn't good with expressing his feelings but he's trying. So do yourself and Bohn a favor and try as well. Talk about what makes you feel jealous or sad and try to find solutions together. It will help the both of you and it builds trust. I hope you understand that I'm not saying this to be harsh but to make you see the situation from Bohn's side as well"
A long silence followed my speech but I knew that Duen was taking my words serious and was thinking about them.
His friends stayed quiet as well.
I could feel Ram's eyes on me and looked up to meet them with mine.
His pokerface was pretty good and I didn't know him good enough to tell what he was thinking about but he seemed to be lost in thoughts and not angry.
Which relieved me a lot.
I just knew he was the type of person who would get really scary when angry.
"I... I understand what you are saying and see what I did wrong... I will try to become a better boyfriend for Bohn and take his feelings into consideration as well and not jump to conclusions so fast", Duen finally said and I smiled and relaxed.
"You can always come and ask when you aren't sure about something or if you don't really understand him, you know? I'm his best friend and know him for years now. I support his relationship with you and I will help. So don't hesitate to come to me, alright?"
The tension left his body and he smiled brightly and nodded.
"Thank you for your honesty, P'. I needed that"
"No problem, Nong", I responded and patted his head affectionately.
"Oi King, are you flirting with Duen behind Bohn's back?", Boss yelled and earned a slap from Bohn and Tew.
"Ow! No need to be so brutal"
"Stop talking nonsense! King would never do that and you know that! Others could misunderstand", Bohn hissed and Boss immediately started looking around.
He seemed to be genuinely alarmed and worried that someone might misunderstand his teasing and actually believe it.
Good thing there weren't many around and those that were close enough to hear it were classmates of us.
"Are you done showering Bohn with the love we all know he wishes for?", I asked teasingly and Boss and Mek grinned at me.
"He fought back a lot but we were able to give him some smooches", Mek said and Boss nodded proudly.
"Stop laughing you asshole! Don't think I don't remember that it's your fault they did this to me!", Bohn growled and I laughed at his annoyance.
"It's ok Bohn, we all know you are giant softie", I said, only half jokingly and shot a glance at Duen who caught the hint and smirked.
"So there IS the possibility of him being the bottom", the soft looking junior muttered to himself and I snorted.
Leaning closer to him, I acted all secretly and made sure that Bohn caught the gesture.
"He craves love and cuddles and sweet kisses just as much as you, if not more. He always acts like a cool bad boy but he loves watching romcons and is all in all nothing but an awkward softie", I whispered and Duen nodded fascinated.
"P'King do you know if... if he has any weak spots... Physically, I mean", he asked, blushing a bit and grin formed on my lips.
"You don't want to be the bottom, hm?"
He blushed a bit more but nodded shyly.
"Well there are couples where the cute looking one tops the tougher one so... Why not? Besides, you already are the one who calls the shots in your relationship"
His eyes sparkled with glee and excitement after hearing that.
"So?", he asked hopeful.
"I know that he has rather sensitive ears and that his neck is pretty sensitive too", I stopped for a moment, thinking about anything else I could say for sure.
"I think he's rather sensitive to touch in general... But I guess, the inner thighs are always a sensitive area and I think you could make him blush..."
Excited, he grabbed my shirt.
"How?"
I leaned in a bit closer to ensure no one would hear me.
"He drives you around sometimes, right?"
He nodded.
"When he's driving, when it's safe of course, then you can put a hand on his leg and wait till he got used to it and doesn't think much of it. Then try rubbing it softly and slowly but surely make your way to the inner thigh. You should have a firm, confident grip. I'm pretty sure you'll get a reaction out of him that way"
Duen, who was glowing with excitement, nodded eagerly.
"I see, thanks P'! I'll make sure to try it and enjoy my victory over him!"
I laughed at that and patted his head again.
"Good luck, I'm sure you'll succeed"
"Are you done having secrets with my boyfriend, King? Or should I leave?", Bohn interrupted, faking annoyance.
I smiled and shook my head.
"I'm done sharing secrets with him. He's all yours"
Bohn immediately took his boyfriend's hand and started pulling him away.
I waved at them and winked at Duen.
The junior grinned and winked back.
"Thanks again, P'King! Have a nice day!"
"You too! Enjoy your time with Bohn!"
Ah, young love.
I wonder how Bohn will react and deal with it when Duen actually does what I suggested.
With a smile on my lips I turned back to my friends.
"You sure are evil, P'King", Ting Ting said amused.
"Evil? Me? I'm an innocent angel", I joked and the juniors smiled amused.
"We know exactly that, whatever you suggested, it was something that will help Duen gain the upper hand in his relationship"
The smile on my lips grew and I just shrugged.
"Who knows maybe he will succeed"
They shook their heads in amusement and even Ram smiled a bit.
What a successful day.

Chapter Text

Because of the exams and tons of homework and projects that had to be done I hadn't been able to speak to Ram in weeks which depressed me greatly.
He was so interesting, so fascinating, that I couldn't help to try and get closer to him.
Whenever I saw him, even for just a second, I greeted him.
He never talked to me again after that one time but that was ok.
He wasn't disrespectful as well he would just silently greet back and that was enough for me.
The fact that he reacted and gave me some attention was all I needed to be over the moon.
He didn't even seem angry because of the nickname I gave him.
'Cool boy' really suited him.
My heart was always about to jump out of my chest so I'd probably have a heart attack if he actually talked to me with that lovely voice of his.
A beautiful man with a wonderful voice and even more blinding smile.
Yes I was whipped already but who wouldn't be?
Ram was… captivating.
Truly unique, mysterious and eye catching.
And yes, maybe Bohn was right and I sounded like a teenage girl talking about her crush, so what?
He IS my soulmate, after all.
And maybe he is my crush as well…
Anyway, because of another project I was on my way to the library when I finally got the chance to see him again.
Feeling tired, I had leaned against the book shelf and closed my eyes for a moment.
The sunlight that fell through the window warmed my face delightfully and I relaxed for a moment.
A shuffle and footsteps brought me back to reality and I opened my eyes look at who had disturbed the peaceful silence.
Surprisingly enough, it was Ram who was, as always, silently staring at me.
"Ay cool boy! Are you here because you have to do some research for a project as well?", I greeted him with a bright smile.
He frowned a bit and showed me the book he was holding.
It was a book about dogs.
"So you like dogs?"
He nodded and I sighed.
Of course he likes the one thing that scares me the most.
That explains the dog part of our soulmate mark.
Looking at him again I noticed the questioning look in his eyes.
"It's not that I don't like dogs. It's just… When I was small I was bitten by one and ever since that traumatizing experience I'm scared of dogs. They are cute to look at though", I explained and the junior nodded understanding.
Ram then looked at the book in his hand and hold it towards me.
"You want me to take it?"
A nod.
"Dont you want to read it?"
He answered by shaking his head in determination
Grabbing my hand, he shoved the book into it.
Shocked by him initiating physical contact, I took the book and stared at him in surprise.
Though slightly embarassed he seemed satisfied and gestured me to put it away.
I did was asked me to do and thanked him for it.
He shook his head and gave me a small smile.
Overwhelmed by him initiating touch and even smiling at me, all I could do was to smile back.
My poor, weak heart was about to burst.
My skin felt hot and was tingling where he had touched it.
Not knowing what to do or say I was desperatly trying to come up with a topic.
Him just staring at me with those pretty, dark eyes wasn't helpful.
Was he not feeling nervous at all?
Probably not, considering the fact that we aren't a couple, I thought.
Feeling annoyed by myself, I focused on calming down.
"So, Duen mentioned that you dogs. Huskies, if I remember correctly?"
He nodded and tilted his head in slight confusion.
"You want to know when Duen talked to me?", I guessed and he nodded.
"Ah, I gave him my phone number the other day so we chatted a bit and talked on the phone a few times"
Ram frowned at that and I wasn't sure what exactly had upset him.
Is it because he still sceptical of me because I'm Bohn's best friend?
"You don't have to worry. I'm not angry because of him being Bohn's boyfriend. I give him some advice or explain Bohn's behavior when he doesn't know what to do and stuff. We get along pretty well", I added quickly to calm him down but it seemed to have the opposite effect.
He frowned even harder, took out his phone and handed it to me.
Taking it slightly confused, I looked at him and then at the phone.
Does he perhaps want me to give him my number as well?
"You want me to give you my number?", I asked to be sure and he nodded.
Almost bursting with excitement and happiness, I tried my best to hide the fact that my hands were touching and typed it in.
After saving my number, I gave it back and the frown and obvious dissatisfaction vanished.
Relieved that he wasn't angry at me, I grinned at him.
"Now youcan always text me when you have questions or just miss your favorite P'", I teased gently and he blushed a bit and glared at me.
Laughing at his embarrassment, I took a quick picture of the cute look on his face.
Horrified, Ram immediately tried to get his hands onto my phone but I was quicker.
"Nuh uh, you're not going to delete it. It's your fault for being so cute", I said while wondering where the confidence was coming from.
He looked at me with wide eyes for a moment but then calmed down and smirked.
Grabbing my wrist, he suddenly pulled me close.
Shocked by the sudden move and him being so close, I froze.
"If that's the case then I will just take pictures of you as well. After all, you are always cute but when you are with me and blush so sweetly, you are the most adorable. So don't blame me", he whispered into my eye with a low, raspy voice.
With wide eyes, I stared at him.
My cheeks were burning and my heart was beating so fast that I would have been worried if I could focus on anything else but Ram.
My brain was stuck, trying to process whatever he had just said.
My mouth was dry and I gulped, trying to form words and failed miserably.
A soft click pulled me out of my shock and I realized that he had just taken revenge.
Trying my hardest to regain my composure, I straightened myself and closed my eyes in embarrassment.
I was so embarrassed that my body felt flaming hot and I groaned and hid my face in my hands.
How could I let down my guard like this?
How did he even think of doing that?.
Where did he take the courage for such a bold move??
My God, he's a top, isn't he?
Shit, that was hot.
Fuck, what am I supposed to do now?
Should I run away?
Running away isn't something a senior should do.
All these thoughts were running through my head and I couldn't seem to calm down.
Am I gay panicking right now?
Would have guessed that would happen to me one day.
Fuck, this shit hits differently.
Now I know what Bohn meant when he said that gay panics because of Duen sometimes.
Holy fuck.
Another click drew my attention back to Ram and I just knew that he took another picture.
"Are you done taking pictures of me?", I groaned and a soft laugh answered me and fuck.
Fuck, fuck fuck!!!
That's so cute!
That's so hot!
Taking my last bit of dignity in consideration, I gave up hiding my face and just glared at the junior instead.
I found that he never had put away his phone because he took another picture.
My glare intensified and so did his obvious glee.
You're lucky you're so hot and cute, I thought.
"You don't normally talk to me but when you tease me you do? That's not very nice, cool boy"
He laughed again and it send a shudder down my spine.
Dude, I'm so fucking whipped.
It's not even funny anymore.
"Not talking to me again, I see. Well, as much fun as I had I have a project to finish so I gotta go", I said, still trying to save my image.
Just when I had turned around to leave, he talked to me again.
"Running away from me in the middle of a conversation? That's not very nice, P'King"
This boy, I swear.
"I really don't mean to be rude but the project calls. I can't be irresponsible and give my juniors a bad impression, can I?", I answered, unwilling to turn around.
The low chuckle that followed my words resonated in my head.
"I see. Take good care of your project then. You can repay me with a meal, after all"
That got me.
Surprised, I turned around.
"You want me to treat you a meal?, I echoed dumbfounded.
Seriously, where is he taking all this confidence from??
He nodded and the smirk on his lips made my heart skip a beat.
Genuinely concerned that I'd have a heart attack when I stayed any longer, I just promised that I would treat him and hurriedly left.
How ironic that I end up running away the one time he approaches me when it was always me who chased after him.
Bohn will laugh at me for this for sure.
Duen will too but still, I have to ask what in the world happened to his stoic, always silent best friend.
After I had made sure to be far away from the library, I leaned against the wall to catch my breath.
Ram really will be the death of me one day.
What the flying fuck just happened??

Chapter Text

"Hahahaha, so you really ran away from him? I wish I would have seen that!!", Duen giggled and I sighed and sipped my coffee.
"I'm glad you find so much glee in my misery"
Whipping away the tears that were streaming down his face, he started giggling again.
"Aww, P', it's ok. No need to be embarrassed. I know how you feel", he tried comforting me amused.
I sighed again.
"It was horrible. How am I supposed to look him in the eyes again without blushing out of embarrassment??"
Letting my head hit the table, I groaned.
"Calm down, P'King. It isn't that bad. Besides, Ram asked you to treat him to dinner, didn't he? He will expect you to do that soon", Duen said and patted my shoulder.
"Where did he even take this much confidence? He isn't normally like that…"
"Actually, Ram is very straightforward. It's just that he feels awkward with strangers so he doesn't usually talk that much. But you know that already so… I guess he just really enjoys teasing you and that's why he talks to you in certain situations only"
I hummed thoughtful.
That makes sense.
Still, how am I supposed to ever speak to him again??
Urgh, gay panic sucks.
The embarrassment is too strong to handle.
For fuck's sake!
I really should get a grip on myself and regain my composure!
I'm a senior and should act like one!
Sitting up straight, I took another sip of my coffee.
"Anyway, I won't have the time to think about that for now. Too many projects are waiting to be done"
"Being y senior sucks, huh? I really don't know if I want to continue when I look at you and your mountains of assignments, homework etc.", Duen commented and grimaced.
I laughed and ruffled his hair.
"Just tell me when you struggle and I'll help. Don't think about it too much for now. You're still a first year, so enjoy your time and study for your exams. It's all preparation you'll need later on", I lectured and he nodded.
"I'm doing fairly well so far but thanks for the advice! I'd there anything else I should keep in mind?"
"Hm… Make sure to write down everything the professors say. They tend to put things they talked about before into the exams and if you didn't write it down you'll have a hard time"
"Oh I see… That explains why I struggled in the last few exams. There was always a part Thad seemed familiar but I just couldn't remember it even though I studied so much"
"Its tough but if you are prepared and are attentive in class you'll get good grades. I will copy my notes from the first year and give them to you tomorrow. I added notes from time to time so that should be helpful when the professor connects the topic to something you didn't had yet but could technically know"
"Thanks a lot, P'King! Now I know how Bohn and the others made it this far! My friends said you are really good at explaining and tutoring as well! You sure are amazing", he said and I smiled and shook my head.
"It's nothing. I enjoy helping others. And if you don't have to struggle as much as we did then I don't have to worry about you guys not getting enough sleep and falling ill because of the stress. It's really no fun to go to class with sleep deprivation"
"You are really nice, P'. I'm glad I have such a gentle senior and not a harsh and strict one"
"You better not let Bohn head you compliment me", I teased and he chuckled.
"No worries, he won't be able to do anything. I can make become completely tame by now", he joked back and I grinned.
"So it worked?"
"It worked really well! He was so flustered that not just his face and ears but even his neck flushed bright red. It was a really funny and adorable sight. He was so lost that he barely managed to say a word and refused to look at me"
"Awww", I cooed laughing and he grinned mischievously.
"I'm enjoying my new found power a lot. Whenever we're alone I do everything I can to make him blush and shy. He's just too cute and irresistible when embarrassed"
"You, my friend, are a sadist" I commented amused and he chuckled.
"Maybe I am but it's his own fault for teasing me so much earlier on!"
Shaking my head, I looked at my junior.
"Poor Bohn. Don't tease him too much or he might ends up running away like I did"
"Oh don't worry, I wouldn't let him get away so easily"
He sure changed a lot since I adviced him to try and be a bit more dominant.
Who would have thought that the two would totally switch roles?
It sure is astonishing what a little push in the right direction can do.
Bohn will probably kill me as soon as finds out that it was me who gave Duen the idea to make him blush…
Oh well, life is full of dangers and risks.
But that will probably come back to bite me in the ass.
I don't think I got good karma by causing that…
"Ah by the way, I might have told Ram that I was going to meet up with you and where", he stated innocently as if he didn't just told me that he dug my grave.
What did I just say?
Bad karma always gets you when you least expect it…
Choking on my drink, I was thrown into a coughing fit.
A hand gently patted my back and through teary eyes I saw Duen grin devilishly and cursed internally.
You will regret shocking your P' like this, brat!
Don't you think I won't help Bohn to get back on you!
Slowly calming down, I slowly turned my head.
Please, let it be Bohn.
Anyone would be ok, really!
Anyone but-
"N'Ram. What a coincidence to meet you here", I forced out sarcastically, still coughing a bit.
He smiled a bit and greeted me.
"You can sit here, Ram! I was just about to leave!", Duen, that traitor, said eagerly and stood up.
"Leaving so early, N'Duen? Am I that bad of a companion?", I asked slightly teasing.
"No, no, of course not! I just promised P'Bohn to be back soon so…", hehe answered awkwardly, unwilling to be disrespectful but also unwilling not to give Ram some time with me.
Cursing my soft heart, I sighed.
"It's fine. I'm not offended easily, don't worry. Off you go"
Obviously relieved, he beamed at me and left with a bow.
Ram sat down and I sighed again.
"You're not playing fair, cool boy"
He smirked a little and tilted is head as if saying 'so what?'.
"You could have just texted me, you know?"
He just looked at me for a moment and then pulled out his phone.
Really?
Now you're going to text me?
Cool boy: I wasn't sure if you wouldnt run away again if I told you that I'd come too
….
I probably would have done just that but…
He really doesn't need to know that.
"I wont run away again as long as you don't bully me too much"
He raised his eyebrow and fuck.
WHY IS THAT SO HOT SKSKSJKSJS!!!.
Alright, deep breaths, King, deep breaths.
Cool boy: I don't bully you. You bullied me first
What?
"I bullied you?", I echoed confused and frowned at the handsome junior in front of me.
He nodded stoic.
Thinking back, I tried to remember times where I could have bullied him.
"Ah, you mean because I kept greeting you?"
He denied it.
"Hm…? Then… Because I didn't help you with your homework lately?"
Ram denied that as well.
Slightly frustrated and confused, I tried hard to think of a time where I bullied him.
Not managing to come up with something, I looked at him.
Cool boy: Not able to recall it?
"No. I honestly don't have a clue what you're talking about"
Cool boy: You keep teasing me all the time but you don't even recall it
I keep teasing him?
Hm…
Maybe he's referring to me coming close to him more or less often?
"Ah, you mean because I leaned on close whenever I was tutoring you and the others?"
He nodded.
Cool boy: It's not nice to keep other's hope up without any intentions of taking responsibility
Once again lost, I looked at him perplexed.
"Taking responsibility?", I echoed and started to feel like a parrot.
Cool boy: You really should take responsibility, P'
Feeling helpless, I didn't know what to respond.
Cool boy: Are you speechless now?
I couldn't help but agree.
Honesty is the best defense right now.
"Yes. You really made speechless… Where do even take all that courage and confidence?"
He smirked and the way his eyes lit up was, as always, mesmerizing.
Me feeling stunned by him being handsome is starting to get old…
Will I ever stop being so whipped for him?
Cool boy: Since you agreed to take responsibility, I wiko trust you and won't mention it again!
He smiled and I couldn't but cry internally.
Why do I feel like I jumped right into a trap?
N'Ram, what are you doing to me?
Do you even know how much power you have over me?
I couldn't help but smile as well.
He seemed genuinely happy.
He's the cutest.
I want him to keep smiling at me like this…
For him to be happy and relaxed around is astonishing.
What did I do to deserve him as my soulmate?
He's so warm, soothing and just so, so beautiful.
I love him.
I am certain I do.
I fell hard and fast for him.
It has been merely some months but that's ok.
It's scary to realize a thing as important and life changing as this and I probably won't say it out loud any time soon.
N'Ram, you don't know this yet, but I love you.
And in my heart I will keep saying it until I get to tell you about my feelings for you.
I won't rush things.
And if you don't fall for me then that's ok as well.
I ache for your love.
But I can wait.
I WILL wait, till you're ready.
For what?
We will see.
I will be there, right beside you.
Whether as your future boyfriend or as your friend, I'll be there for you.
My heart was full with nothing but undying love and affection for him.
My soulmate.
My love.
Smiling lovingly, I watched him eat the cake he had ordered.
Will you fall for me, cool boy?

Chapter Text

The, more or less, forced date had ended with the both of them smiling.
Ram had even squeezed his hand.
Can you believe that??
I surely can't.
My heart was overflowing with happiness.
When I came home afterwards, I had thrown myself into the bed and rolled around while squealing like a girl who's crush had finally acknowledged her.
No one would know about that but still, I felt a bit embarrassed about it.
My friends would surely tease me to death if they knew.
So, after two hours, I had sat up and focused on my assignments instead.
Just like a dutiful senior should do.
Around 5 am I had finished every assignment, even the ones that we still had four months for.
I hadn't noticed how late, or early, it already was and just knew that Bohn won't be happy with me if he found out.
And he always found out when I stayed up longer that I should.
He definitely won't accept it when I say that I was just in a work flow and didn't noticed time flying by…
Oh well, I should start planning my funeral.
Naturally, in that exact moment my phone started ringing.
I took it and answered.
"You pulled an all-nighter, didn't you?"
"Good morning to you too, my dearest friend", I answered, genuinely wondering if Bohn was stalking me.
"So you really didn't sleep at all. King, how many times do I have to tell you that it's not healthy to stay up all night", he started nagging and I sighed.
"Do you have some kind of sixth sense which is why you always know when I didn't sleep or are you stalking me?"
"Both but that's not the point"
"What?"
"What?"
"Anyway, I didn't do it intentionally so please stop nagging and just let me eat my breakfast", I pleaded, hoping for Bohn to get distracted by something.
"You-", Bohn started but got interrupted by a faint voice in the background.
Well done, N'Duen!
Go on and distract him even more, please!
"I… roses but…know if you like…"
"What?? Ah, well, I mean.. I… No, no! I take them N'Duen! Don't you dare throw my roses away!"
Ah, so he did buy roses for Bohn.
Aww, Bohn is shy!
Aren't they the cutest?
That's some big bottom energy you are radiating there, my dear friend!
"Since I wouldn't dare to interrupt your time with your sweetheart, I'm going to hang up now. Greet N'Duen from me and tell him that roses are a great choice, please! See you!"
Before Bohn could complain I hang up and grinned gleefully.
Bohn sure is in for a lot of embarrassment if N'Duen persistently pesters him like that.
Ah, young love!
So cute!!
After eating breakfast, I got ready and then left.
On my way to university, I thought about ways to win Ram's heart.
Maybe I should buy something for his dogs?
But I don't know much about dogs so I'd better not do that…
Should I buy him flowers as well?
No, that's Bohn Duen's thing and not very original.
A book about dogs might be something he'd enjoy but I don't know which books he already owns…
God, who could have known that being in love was this tough?
Sighing, I ruffled my hair in frustration.
"Everything alright?"
I flinched when Mek appeared out of nowhere right next to me which only made him even more worried.
"Mek! Sorry, I didn't see you there. I was lost in thoughts. I'm fine, no worries"
"Are you sure? You look terrible. Did you pull an all-nighter again? You know that's not healthy"
I smiled slightly embarassed.
"I know, I know. It wasn't intentional. Besides, that's not what I was frustrated about"
"You're truly a workaholic. Make sure not to overwork yourself, King. What did you worry about then? N'Ram?"
Surprised and horrified, I looked at him and he smiled softly.
"Don't worry, your crush on him isn't very obvious. It's just that you look a lot happier with him around and since he's your soulmate it isn't hard to guess"
"I look a lot happier, hm? I guess that possible…"
"What are you worrying about? Maybe I can help?", Mek asked and I smiled at him.
"You're a good friend, you know that? I appreciate it a lot. I was trying to think of ways to make him fall for me or at least make him like me more"
"Hm… i don't really know N'Ram but from what I've seen I don't think he dislikes you. What are things he likes?"
"Dogs"
"Oh", he frowned and looked at me slightly concerned.
"That explains the dog part of your soulmark but… Are you going to be ok?"
I sighed.
"I thought about trying to get over this fear before but… An actual therapy is pretty expensive…"
"That's true and a part-time job would be hard to maintain with all the assignments, homework and projects we have to do…"
"Besides, finding a job would be hard already because a lot of shops don't need any part-time workers and our school schedule makes it hard as well"
Mek sighed and scratched his neck.
"Maybe N'Ram could help you with it? He owns dogs, right?"
I nodded.
"Then that would be the perfect opportunity for you to not only work on your fear of dogs but also get closer to him!", Mek said excitedly but I wasn't as positive as him.
"I don't know if he would do that. I mean, we've started talking to each other just a few months ago and it would take quite some time and effort to work on that trauma…"
"You don't want to annoy him, hm? Well then… Why don't you ask Duen for suggestions while N' Ram is nearby? Nobody knows that you know he has dogs and even if someone would have told you it can't be guaranteed that you remember, right?", he said grinning and I ended up smiling as well.
"Mek! Who would have thought you can be this scheming! That's a good plan!"
He laughed and put an arm around my shoulders.
"You know what they say: Still waters run deep!"
After we had a plan, we just joked around and laughed.
"Mek, King!"
Looking up, we realized that we had already arrived at university and saw Bohn, Duen, Ram and Boss standing next to a bench.
"How unusual for you to arrive together", Boss commented and I looked at him.
Is that jealousy I hear?
"Yeah we don't normally meet because King always gets up earlier than me but today we actually managed to go together", Mek answered and I could tell that he had the same thought as me by the way he observed our friend's reaction.
"Right, but it really is nice to walk with you. So I might consider to actually wait for you", I teased, feeling amused and he laughed.
"Awww, aren't you the sweetest? You would even waste your precious time to wait for me?", Mek sobbed theatrically and hugged me.
"Come on now, others might think you're a couple", Bohn joked.
"Honestly, it could be worse. King is one of the smartest if not the smartest of our class!"
"That's true. It sure would be nice to be with him instead of a dumb person", Boss said with a fake laugh and I elbowed Mek lightly.
"Your sweetheart is feeling a bit bitter. Make sure to cheer him up", I whispered into his ear and he nodded and let go of me.
Bohn immediately caught on.
"Jokes aside, we still have to talk about something, King"
I grimaced.
Of course, he wouldn't forget about that.
"Why? What is it?", Duen asked and Ram seemed curious as well.
I sighed and rubbed my neck awkwardly.
"I told you I didn't do it on purpose"
"I know but that doesn't make it any better"
"Look, I know it's not healthy to stay up all night but I just kinda… Forgot"
"You forgot to sleep?", Duen echoed.
"What he means is that he was so absorbed into doing assignments etc that he worked all night without noticing. He's probably done with every project and homework we got even those we still have some months for till we have to be done", Bohn muttered, obviously dissatisfied with my behavior.
"Wait, seriously?!", Boss asked and I nodded hesitantly.
"It's really not good to overwork yourself like that, P'King", Duen said, looking genuinely worried.
Why is everyone getting so invested?
I didn't do it on purpose!
I swear!!
Even Ram was frowning at me.
Ugh, why is he staring at me so intensely?
N'Ram, please stop staring holes into my soul.
"Shouldn't you call in sick and rest a bit?"
My friends stared at Duen in surprise.
"There's no need for that. He's done this several times already", Mek answered and the two juniors stared at him.
"That's really unhealthy! Besides, P'King is already done with everything and he's a great student so it should be ok if he rests today", Duen argued, sounding a bit angry.
"It's fine, N'Duen. I'm not very exhausted, so-"
"No! You look tired! P'King, please. Take better care of yourself!"
Surprised and a bit shocked, I looked at him.
"Hahaha, Bohn you better be careful! N'Duen might have a crush on King!", Boss laughed and Bohn and I frowned.
"Stop it, Boss. He's just worried about him. They're friends, after all"
Careful Bohn, your inner softie is showing.
"You should rest, P'King", Ram muttered softly.
…
Oof, that was a hard hit.
I think I just lost 5000 HP.
N'Ram, can you stop saying things when I least expect it?
Especially in such a sweet way!
Honestly, I might die from a heart attack!!
Have mercy with this senior!!
Trying my hardest to suppress a blush, I rubbed my nose a bit.
"He talked!", Boss exclaimed.
"It's not like he can't talk. He just rarely does so", I responded.
"Eh? You seem to know him really well!", Boss said with a suggestive grin which resulted in me and Bohn simultaneously slapping him.
"Will you stop?!"
"Don't talk about things you don't know shit about!"
"Jeez, calm down! No need to yell at me!", he sulked and rubbed his sore head.
"You two sure are in synchro", Mek commented in amusement.
Why am I friends with them again?
"Anyway, you really should rest. I will write notes so you don't have to worry about missing anything important", Bohn said and I smiled at him.
"Notes?! YOU?!", Boss yelled shocked and Bohn glared at him.
"Yes, I will write notes! Stop acting so surprised!"
"But you never write notes", Mek added.
"Well I will do it today!"
"For King"
"Yes, for King! Get over it!", he hisses blushing, grabbed them and pulled them with him.
"You better take good care of yourself, King!", he yelled and was gone.
"He's such a softie", I commented laughing.
"He really is", Duen agreed and even Ram agreed.

Chapter Text

Staring out of the window, I couldn't help but think of my P'.
Still coming to university even after a sleepless night sure suited him.
Hah, what a worrisome P' I have...
Before getting to know him better I always felt like he was a cool person but because he was friends with P'Bohn I never paid much attention to him.
Finding out that P'King is my soulmate was... Surprising.
Not in a bad way though.
I had thought that he looked attractive before but after realizing our connection he appeared to be even more attractive.
I want nothing more but to be close to him...
Even though he always ends up running away these days.
Seeing him blush made me feel... Excited.
And happy.
It was addicting to fluster him.
So adorable.
So cute.
My P'King is the best and smartest!
Everyone knows that.
But when he's with me he shows me a side that not everyone knows.
His shyness makes me melt every time.
He's just so precious and pretty that I want to cuddle him really bad.
But if I would just cuddle and hug him like I want to he would run away, probably.
Ah, what to do?
Love sure is troublesome… Or at least that's what my mom always says.
Love…
Do I love him?
Maybe.
Duen would say that I'm most definitely in love with P'King.
I don't really know…
It's too early to be sure.
But if Duen would ask me whether or not I liked him then I'd say yes.
I absolutely adore him.
He'd wonderful.
And every minute I spend with him I am happy.
It's not love yet but I'm on the way to falling for him.
Who wouldn't fall in love with P'King?
He's sweet, caring, intelligent, supportive, pretty, loyal, protective, understanding, loving and adorable.
Words cannot describe how incredible he is.
"Hey, Ram. Ram! Are you there?"
Blinking, I looked up.
"What is it?"
"Class is over. We're going to the cafeteria. Are you coming with us?", Duen asked.
"Ah, yes", I answered and stood up, slightly irritated by how fast time flew by while I did nothing but to think about P'King.
"So, what were you pondering about?", Duen asked after a moment of silent walking, pulling me once again out of thoughts about a certain senior.
"Nothing…", I answered hesitantly.
All of the sudden, I was feeling a bit shy about my infatuation with P'King.
My best friend just stared at me blankly for a second.
"P'King it is then. I should have known"
"W-what-"
Stammering and lightly blushing I tried hard to deny it but Duen didn't give me a chance.
"No, no. It's ok. I understand. You don't have to talk about it if you don't feel like it"
Another moment of silent walking.
"Though, you really aren't as sneaky as you think you are", Duen added with a cheeky grin and I wondered since when he had become this forward.
But then again, being straight forward probably was the only straight thing he would ever be and he had always been quite bold when it came to speaking his mind.
Duen certainly wasn't as shy and innocent as most people thought he was.
"At least I'm more sneaky than you", I shot right back and he gasped theatrically.
"That's not true!"
"It is"
"Not true!"
"True"
"NOT TRUE!!"
"TRUE!!"
"Are you ok or should we come back later?", P'Boss asked, who appeared tight next to them out of nowhere.
"We're good", Duen and I answered perfectly in sync with each other.
"But I'm telling you it's not true, Ram", Duen added and I raised my eyebrow at him.
"Don't look at me like that! You know I'm right!!"
I just rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"Of this is about you guys being obvious as fuck then you're both wrong. Even a blind person would be able to see just how obvious you are staring at my friends. You're just lucky they're both very oblivious and as dense as bricks", Boss stated and they just stared at him in complete awe.
"Fascinating that you are the one saying that to us", I muttered and Duen nodded.
"Yeah, you really don't have the right to say things like that. P'Bohn and P'King might be oblivious but dense as a brick is more fitting for you than for them"
Completely flabbergasted, the short senior looked at them.
"What is that supposed to mean???"
"Mek", I just answered and he blushed.
"The wife and husband thing is a joke, you know that!!"
"A joke… Right...Keep telling yourself that and one day that might actually become true", Duen murmured.
"You know what? I'm not talking to you guys anymore. I'm done", the senior said and left.
"Did we offend him?", I asked after a while and Duen frowned.
"Maybe. P'King and P'Bohn did say that he was very sensitive about the whole Mek topic"
I hummed contemplatively.
"We should apologize then…"
Duen nodded eagerly.
"Maybe flowers will help?"
"I don't know if that won't be weird… P'Bohn would probably be jealous"
"Oh… Yeah, not a good idea. You're right"
"P'King probably knows what to do…"
Duen stared at me for a moment before he started to grin.
"Oh I'm sure your P'King knows a lot"
My… P'King?
Feeling flustered, I decided not to think about how calling him mine made me feel.
Clearing my throat, I ignored Duen's teasing.
"I should go and check on him…"
"Ram! You're skipping class now?? What happened to you, my friend?", Duen asked, acting all dramatic while laughing and I rolled my eyes.
"Oh screw you, as if you haven't done that several times already for your beloved P'Bohn. P'King is actually sick, ok? I'm just being a good friend, that's all", I muttered and started walking away.
"Sure thing! Keep telling that to yourself!", my so-called best friend yelled after me as I was making my way to P'King's Dorm.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

I was surrounded by beautiful flowers.
They were everywhere.
Walking through the sea of flowers, I felt at ease.
Plants are the best.
They're so calming and lovely.
Softly humming a random melody, I laid down and stared up into the blue sky.
No clouds could be seen.
I closed my eyes and relished the feeling of the wind softly blowing my hair out of my face.
"Beautiful"
I sighed and nodded.
"It truly is"
Wait.
Who am I talking to?
Opening my eyes, I sat up.
Since when was N'Ram sitting next to me?
"Sorry, I didn't notice you were here too, cool boy"
The sweet smile the other boy gave me surprised me.
He never smiles like that but…
It looks good on him.
Blinking, I noticed the flower crown on his head.
"N'Ram, why are you wearing a pastel coloured flower crown?"
He reached out and adjusted it.
"Why? Is it not pretty?"
"NO, no! It's adorable and really pretty. I'm just… Surprised", I answered quickly.
Being rewarded with another soft smile, I got the feeling that I might get addicted to him looking and smiling at me like that.
It was enchanting, to say the least.
How is he this pretty?
My heart ached.
He's so beautiful that it hurts.
But…Why do I get the feeling that something isn't right?
Frowning, I looked around.
Everything was so gorgeous and perfect.
Too perfect.
"This isn't real", I whispered and somehow, realising that hurt.
I want this to be real.
I don't want this to be a dream.
"P'King?", Ram looked at me, obviously worried and reached out for him.
Flinching back, I bit my cheek.
"This isn't real. It's just a dream. You're not real", I whispered and my eyes burned.
"I'm here, P'King. I'm right here"
Shaking my head, I hastily stood up and backed away.
"No, you're not. You'd never look at me this lovingly. This is just a stupid illusion!"
Hot tears were streaming down my face and it hurt.
God, it hurt so bad.
Make it stop.
' P' KING? '
MAKE IT STOP!!
' P'King, wake up. '
PLEASE, SOMEONE.
ANYONE.
' P'KING, WAKE UP!!! '

And I woke up.
Blinking, I looked around with blurry eyes.
"P'King , are you ok?"
Ram.
He's here.
…
Why is he here?
"Cool boy?", I asked, feeling disoriented.
"I'm here, P'. It was just a dream, ok? Just dream"
A hand started to carefully stroking my back and I was pulled into a hug.
It helped with the pain.
And after a while, I stopped crying and calmed down.
Now, however, the burning feeling of shame started to grow.
I just cried in front of one of my juniors.
In front of N'Ram, out of all people!
What the hell, King?
You're supposed to be the mature and strong one.
Wiping away the tears, I sighed.
"Sorry, cool boy"
He hummed in response but didn't let go.
"What are you apologizing for? It's ok to cry. Don't worry about it"
Wow.
I think this is the most he ever said to me.
Yeah, the most he ever-
Hold on.
HE'S TALKING WITH ME??
"Cool boy, you're talking with me!", I exclaimed and looked up at him with a smile on my lips.
He just gave me a glare and silently tightened the hug so that I wasn't able to look up at him.
"Aww, don't be like that! You got such a pretty voice! No need to give me the silent treatment"
Despite not being able to see his face, I knew he rolled his eyes.
"Alright, alright. I'll stop bullying you",I chuckled and just enjoyed the hug.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, I couldn't help but start talking again.
"Say, cool boy, don't you have classes to attend?"
He answered with a determined shake of his head which made me laugh.
"No? Are you sure? Because I remember Bohn whining about how unfair it is that you have more classes than uns and that he can't see his boyfriend as often anymore as he used to"
Another shake of his head.
"You shouldn't be skipping class!", I scolded him lightly and nudged his side.
Ram sighed and took out his phone.
Welp, seems like he really won't be talking to me for now.
I reached for my phone as well and checked the messages.
Unsurprisingly, I had a new one from 'Cool boy'

Cool boy: I wasn't feeling well and decided to check on you

Grinning, I responded.

Me: Awww, you were about me? That's so cute! :3
Cool boy:... Whatever helps you sleep at night…
Me: :D
Cool boy: Seeing that you seem to be doing really well, I'll take my leave then
Me: :(

He let go and stood up.
Pouting a bit, I glared at him but he just raised an eyebrow in response.
"Who's bullying who now?"

Cool boy: You should rest, P'King

"Will do, cool boy. Get home safely!"
He nodded and left.
A few minutes after the door closed behind him, I got another message.

Cool boy: Sleep well
Me: You too, cool boy! :)

Grinning at our conversation, I fell back onto my bed.
He's so cute.
Hugging my pillow, I rolled onto my side.
"That dream was something else though…"
I should be more careful…
I can't have my hope ruin my fragile friendship with N'Ram after I worked so hard for it.
Get a grip, King.
Don't act too rash.
I'm a very patient person, I got this.
I got this.

Chapter Text

Frowning, I stared at the things I had laid out in front of me.
All those things were possible birthday presents for N'Ram that I had bought over the last few weeks.
However, none of them felt like the perfect gift.
I rubbed my face and sighed.
Should I ask N'Duen for help?
On the other hand, I don't want to bother him with something related to N'Ram again…
Maybe I should ask Bohn?
I pondered over it for a while and then decided against that idea.
As great of a friend as he is I don't believe he'd be much of a help.
Mek or Boss then?
Hm…
I think Mek said that he and Boss had a study date today so it's probably better not to bother them.
Really can't wait to ask Mek how it went and whether Boss is still as oblivious as before.
We did put a lot of thought into the set up of it.
I'm pretty sure that if Boss doesn't realize that Mek likes him Bohn is going to kick his ass to the moon…
I grinned as I remembered how done Bohn had been as he had announced his willingness to kick Boss into the next stratosphere.
As much as I love him (as a brother), he's as dense as a brick.
Chuckling, I focused on the problem at hand that I still hadn't found a salution for.
N'Ram's birthday.
Finding a gift really shouldn't be this hard.
All of these items are things that he might enjoy but maybe I should choose something that'd strengthen our bond?
Something like…
I looked around trying to find inspiration in the things I had in my room.
Much inspiration couldn't be found, however, since it was mostly filled with plants.
Plants!
That's it!
That's how I can establish a stronger bond!
It would also be a subtle hint towards our soulmark.
I can't believe I didn't think of that earlier!
My beloved babies are the perfect gift for almost everyone after all!
What plant would match Cool boy's energy…
Hm…
Maybe a cactus?
No, that's too prickly and he's not exactly a cold person or extremely hard to approach.
Aloe Vera?
He does have a calming aura but it doesn't really represent his soft side…
Flowers don't really match either.
They're pretty and he's pretty but his personality doesn't really match any flowers thst I can think of.
Gifting him herbs, trees or anything like that doesn't feel right.
Also, who gifts a whole ass tree??
Even if it's like a banana or apple tree they still take up a lot of space and most people prefer buying them themselves anyway.
Looking around once again I tried to think of all plants I'd ever heard about.
After half an hour I still had nothing and I fell onto my bed, now genuinely frustrated.
I can't believe I'm struggling this much. Maybe I'm thinking too hard…
What would my friends do?
…
They'd probably look it up in the internet using something along the lines of 'birthday gift for boyfriend' or what to buy as a birthday present'.
They really are that uncreative.
I've seen it with my own two eyes just a couple weeks ago!
Sighing, I rolled onto my side and hugged my pillow.
This won't get me anywhere.
Let's see, what kind of person is N'Ram?
He's quiet and looks rather cold but is actually a cinnamon roll and a very kind and sweet person.
He loves dogs, his friends and knows how to fight.
Some people think that he's intimidating but he's just shy and a bit socially awkward.
N'Ram listens to others very carefully and us very observant too.
If someone close to him feels down he tries to cheer them up with little presents, like he did with N'Duen last week.
He's very gentle and considerate.
I looked at the soulmark and traced it gently with a finger.
"What would be a gift that you'd like, N'Ram?", I murmured thoughtful.
Despite him being gentle he's also quite prickly.
Striking up a conversation with him is rather difficult too as he looks more intimidating due to his tattoos and cold attitude towards strangers.
I still vividly remembered the first time I tried to talked to him and got ignored.
A cactus then, perhaps?
Or maybe…
I let my eyes scan the Rion once more until I spotted something.
A carnivorous plant.
I abruptly jumped up and walked over to the small plant.
It looks harmless but isn't…
And it's not hard to care for which makes it a good gift for people who don't have much experience with taking care of plants.
Smiling I gently put it down again.
"You're the perfect gift", I muttered and with that in mind I went to the store I usually go to.
"N'King! It's good to see you again. How are you doing? How may I help you today?"
I smiled and greeted the employee.
"Hello P'Cloud. I'm doing well. How are you? I'm looking for a venus fly trap"
"Oh? Don't you have one already?", he asked curiously but went to grab it anyways.
"Yes, but this one is a present", I answered.
P'Cloud turned around gave me a cheeky smile.
"A present, huh? Must be someone important if you're giving them one of your beloved plant babies"
I rolled my eyes at his teasing and smirked.
"What can I say, a carnivorous plant is just perfect for my soulmate"
"Your soulmate?! You finally met him?!", P'Cloud exclaimed and excitedly hit my shoulder.
"Where? Is he a new classmate? What is he like??"
"In university, a freshman and he's a bit intimidating but very sweet", I answered amused.
"Sounds like a fun guy! You should bring him along the next time you come here!"
"We aren't that close yet, P'. Besides, I don't even know if it will work out. He loves his dogs after all",
P'Cloud frowned for a second.
"Is that so? Hm… well, if he's as sweet as you say that shouldn't be a problem. Why don't you ask him to help you with your phobia? That way you can be around him more often AND get used to dogs!"
That's actually not a bad idea…
I nodded and smiled.
"Thanks P'!
" You're welcome! Have a lovely day and take care!"
"You too“
Now that the pressure of trying to find the perfect gift had vanished I was in a great mood.
I wonder how N'Ram is going to react?
Happily humming a tune, I made my way home.
What a wonderful day it is!
The sky is blue with barely any clouds in sight, the wind is warm and the plants are happy.
Even the dogs are happily barking.
And coming closer.
They're coming towards me.
Wait.
THEY'RE COMING TOWARDS ME?!!!!
I froze as fear spread through my body, making it impossible to move.
What do I do, WHAT DO I DO??
The dogs had almost reached me and I still couldn't move.
Somebody, anybody, please help!!
"P'King! Be careful!"
N'Ram???

Chapter Text

"Happy Birthday to you~"
I clapped and sang along wondering how I ended up in Ram's house.
When I went to university I made sure to bring N'Ram's present with me.
Cheerfully humming a song, I walked towards my friends.
"What's the reason for your good mood?", Mek inquired curiously.
"Nothing, I just slept really well, I guess", I answered with a smile, unwilling to be teased by my friends again.
"Oh really? I think it has to do with a certain someone's birthday", Boss said with a smug smile.
"Well, it obviously has to do with him. Otherwise he wouldn't smile this much", Bohn added with a bright grin.
Rolling my eyes at them I flipped them off.
"Rude", Mek commented, "we haven't even started teasing you yet"
"How come you'd rather focus on me being in a good mood rather than on Bohn having a hickey?", I answered and successfully diverted their attention.
"A hickey?! Where? Where??", Boss asked and excitedly jumped Bohn in an attempt to take a look.
Bohn tried fighting him off and they fought for a while like that before the taller boy tripped.
Their fall resulted in them lying on the ground in a rather ambiguous way.
Coincidentally, I noticed our favorite group of juniors walking by.
Not wanting to pass on this opportunity to get a bit of revenge, I loudly asked "Are you guys ok? That looked pretty painful".
I observed how Duen turned around and froze.
Once he fully realized the position his boyfriend was in, he came over.
Mek and Boss thought of N'Duen as a sweet, innocent boy but I found that he was actually just as possessive and protective as Bohn.
Judging from the freshman's expression, Bohn is going to have more than one additional hickey tomorrow.
I gently pulled Boss off of Bohn and then went to grab the other's hand to help him up as well.
Before I could do so Duen had already helped his boyfriend up and started pulling him into the direction of their dorms.
With a helpless look on his face, Bohn accepted his fate.
"Don't worry, I'll give you my notes later!", I laughed and he flipped me off.
"I hope N'Duen won't be angry with me", Boss muttered slightly concerned and rubbed his head.
"I'm sure Bohn will be the only one who suffers in this situation", Mek joked with a smile and Boss grinned.
"True, true. Let's hope he can walk tomorrow"
I was about to say something when I saw someone move towards me out of the corner of my eye.
"N'Ram, good to see you! How is our birthday boy doing?"
He only looked at me quietly before grabbing my wrist and pulling me away.
"Oi, where are you going? Class is about to start!", Boss yelled after us.
"I'll take notes, don't worry", Mek added and I gave him a thumbs up which he mirrored.
After walking for a while we stopped and he turned to look at me.
The moment I looked into his eyes my heart started beating faster.
I never really noticed but his eyes are truly beautiful…
Nope, now is not the time to get lost in his pretty eyes.
Blinking, I forced myself to focus.
"What can I do you N'Ram?", I asked with a gentle smile.
His quiet staring gave me the feeling that he was looking straight into my soul.
Which was weirdly pleasing but also kind of concerning.
"... my name..", he muttered so quietly I barely caught anything he said.
"Sorry?", I asked and automatically stepped closer.
"You called me by my name and not cool boy"
His words took me by surprise.
"Oh, did I? If it makes you uncomfortable I can-"
"It's fine", he interrupted me firmly.
I couldn't help but smile at how seriously he said that.
"Alright, then I won't apologize"
He nodded and we quietly looked at each other for a moment.
"So, what did you bring me here for?", I asked, breaking the surprisingly comfortable silence.
Perhaps I've already grown used to him not saying much, I thought absent-mindedly.
He pondered over something for a second before taking out his phone.

Cool Boy: You promised to give me a birthday present. I thought you wouldn't want to be teased by your friends for it, so I brought you here

I laughed at his message and gave him a bright smile.
"I brought your present as promised, don't worry. After all, a happy Ram makes for a happy King"
He blinked, obviously surprised but couldn't hide his small smile from me.
"Ah! You smiled! I saw it!", I cheered playfully and he rolled his eyes.
"You must be happy then", he said and I laughed.
"Yes, I'm happy too. Now", I rummaged through my bag before carefully taking out the little gift I prepared, "here you go".
I handed him the little plant, feeling unusually shy.
He took it very carefully and looked at it.
"This is…?"
"It's a carnivorous plant. It eats flies and other insects. I actually thought about a suitable gift for you for a very long time. Plants suit your personality very well but I wasn't sure which one would make for a good present. I really wanted to combine the more introverted part of your personality and the passionate fighter we both know you can be. And so, I decided that a plant that seems harmless but isn't, would make the perfect gift", I explained nervously.
Why I was nervous, I didn't know because just after I finished explaining he gave me an actual, warm smile.
"Thank you P'King, I appreciate it a lot", he said softly and I could almost see an arrow striking my heart.
Holy shit, I think this is the first time he said my name.
It sounds really nice…
Following that thought, heat rushed into my cheeks.
Oh my god, I am blushing like my sister whenever she talks about her boyslove novels.
With that realization came a wave of unbearable nervousness and shyness.
"Uh...anyways, I gotta go. Happy Birthday, cool boy!", I said and basically ran away.
Running like a madman, I soon arrived at the corridor where my class was being held at the moment.
Panting heavily, I leaned at the wall.
Touching my flushed faceI couldn't help but groan at my own behavior.
I can't believe I just ran away as if I was being hunted by a pack of wild dogs.
My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest.
I really need to get a hold of myself.
For the past months I just wanted to talk to Ram and now I can't stand it and run away?
I'm a mess.
Seriously.
"Calm down, King, calm down. No need to have a heart attack just because you're around your crush", I muttered, trying to calm myself.
"I really can't enter class looking like a tomato", I sighed and headed towards my room instead.
Considering how much of a mess I am right now, I won't be able to listen anyway.
N'Ram, you better compensate me for this in the future.
My phone made a ping~ sound and I took a look at it.
A message from coolboy?
Without much thought I clicked on it.

Cool Boy: You ran away before I could ask you about how to care for the plant.
Let's meet up after class?

Oh shit, I did forget about that.
Unbelievable!
How could I forget about the wellbeing of one of my precious babies????
I immediately apologized and agreed to meet up with him.
And so, after class, I went to meet up with Ram once again.
He was already there, leaning against the wall and looking handsome and mysterious.
The moment I saw him my heart stopped for a millisecond before beating so fast that it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest.
"Cool boy", I called out, trying to play it cool.
He looked up with a barely visible smile on his lips.
He waved and gestured to me to follow him.
We walked for a while and I wondered where we were going.
It was pretty peaceful.
That was until I heard barking.
There were dogs running towards us.
Probably the dogs of N'Ram.
They were quite pretty and incredibly terrifying.
I reacted without a thought and immediately hid behind the tattooed freshman.
Nervously, I stared at the dogs while tightly clinging to N'Ram as if my life depended on it.
He looked at me for a moment before calmly talking to his dogs.
Because of how tense I was all I could focus on was their sharp teeth and imposing bodies.
If they'd bite him it would hurt like bitch, I thought with shudder.
Suddenly, I remembered my plan to get over my fear of dogs exactly because N'Ram loves them.
Ah shit, why did they appear now?!
"They don't bite, don't worry", Ram said softly as he looked at me.
"Right…"
"Duen said that you're scared of dogs because you were bitten by one when you were a child", he said and I nodded.
He stared at the dogs for a moment with a frown before he pulled out his phone.
"I'll ask my mom if one of our neighbors can take care of them for the rest of the day"
I looked at him in confusion.
Why would they have to do that?
I'm just going to accompany him for a moment to talk about the plant.
Isn't this a bit too much effort?
He finished his talk with his mother and yi noticed that he spoke english with her.
When asked about that he only smiled and said that she only started living here after marrying his father so she still struggles speaking our language.
"That explains why your english is so good", I said and he gave me another small smile and shrugged.
He's smiling an awful lot today.
Must be my lucky day!
"But why did you ask her to take the dogs to your neighbors?", I asked, remembering the situation with his scary dogs just now.
He hesitated and awkwardly scratched his neck as his cheeks became slightly red.
"I-", he stopped and pulled out his phone, obviously embarrassed.

Cool Boy: I'd like to invite you to stay for my birthday party… Its nothing big! Just my family cebrating with me.

I stared at the screen for a moment in stunned silence.
As my brain failed me miserably, I could only agree.
Thus, I was currently surrounded by N'Rams family and some friends.
I felt a bit awkward but also very happy because he must value me at least a bit since he invited me.
At least as a friend…
Not wanting to think about that, I focused on N'Rams smiling face.
He was pretty like this.
Not that he wasn't good looking when he wasn't smiling but his smile made him look… softer in a way.
It's cute, I thought and without noticing it I started to smile as well.
I wish he'll keep smiling like this…
Preferably at me though.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

Watching all kinds of people greet N'Ram and hand him presents I sipped on the drink Ram's mother had handed me.
I had no idea what I was drinking but it tasted pretty good.
His mother was very nice and pretty though I really had to practice my english.
When talking to her I felt like my english level wasn't good enough to talk to anyone.
But the conversation was nice and she had even showed him around a bit.
"I don't think I've seen you here before", someone said to me and I turned my head.
A girl was standing next to me with a charming smile on her lips.
"I've met N'Ram only recently", I answered.
"Ah I see! You're his senior, arent you? You look much more mature and experienced than he does", the girl continued as she let her hand run down his arm.
Feeling rather uncomfortable, I pulled away from her while keeping a calm expression.
"I'd say that N'Ram looks more mature than I do, to be honest. But I guess it just depends on the viewer not the person"
Not giving up, the girl, who hadn't even introduced herself, grasped his arm once more.
"Since you're new here, how about I show you around? A little house tour never hurt anyone. Besides, I'd love to get to know you a bit more P'."
As I tried to come up with a reason to reject her, another person already rejected her for me.
"There's no need for that. My mother already showed him around"
N'Ram!
My savior!
"Really? Then how about I-"
"My father wants to talk to you, I think. Why don't you go and find him?", the freshman interrupted her.
With a weird glint in her eyes the girl left.
"Who was that?", I asked still a bit dazed by the rather intense encounter.
"She's our neighbour's daughter and my childhood friend. Don't mind her she can be a bit…overly excited"
"Right…"
For a moment we just looked at each other.
"So, how are you enjoying your party so far?", I asked, desperately trying to break the awkward silence.
"It's nice but I prefer celebrating my birthday more quietly and with my friends and family only"
"Makes sense, you don't strike me as someone who enjoys big parties and crowds", I agreed and he gave me a small smile.
My heart jumped and my face grew warm.
How can anyone look so handsome?!!??
Deep breaths, King, everything's fine.
Wait, is he coming closer?
Oh God, he is!
Quick!
Say something!
He's so pretty!!!!
"Are you happy with the presents you got so far?", I asked while trying to maintain a calm demeanor.
He didn't stop.
FUCK!
Ram was so close that I could feel his breath on my lips.
It's time to stop!
Seriously!!
My heart was beating so fast that I felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and into his face, like in that one animated video I had seen.
What was it called again?
In a Heartbeat, wasn't it?
Such a cute video, I really enjoyed it.
Anyways, now is the time to gay panic not to swoon over a video.
Ram's hand touched my cheek as he gently brushed some strands of my hair out of my face.
It was a soft moment, filling my heart with hope and gentle fondness.
As I looked into his eyes time seemed to slow down and my surroundings seemed to vanish.
His eyes are really pretty, I thought.
Did he just stare at my lips or am I imagining things?
Perhaps I am-, nope, he is staring at my lips.
Of course he is, a voice in my head whispered, my lips are pretty.
Now is not the time to be confident, it's time to panic!
Is he going to kiss me?!
I mean, I won't stop him.
No, no, I should stop him!
I don't think I could handle that!
So what- Oh God he's coming closer?!!?
Panicked, I ducked and moved backwards.
My face was burning up and I was torn between crying at my own reaction and feeling relieved that I averted a crisis.
He only looked at me with an unreadable expression.
"Would you look at the time! I really need to go! Enjoy your birthday, N'Ram!"
With that I whirled around, ready to flee but I was grabbed by the arm and pulled into the younger man's arms.
My face was pressed flush against his chest and his scent was all I could focus on.
It was messing with my mind and now, my whole body was burning.
Someone send help.
Please.
I can't do this!
"Running away again, aren't you, P'? This time, however, I can't let you get away like that again"
Ram's voice was low as he whispered into my ear and I couldn't help it shudder.
I wanted to respond but my body wasn't cooperating.
He started stroking my back and I was losing it.
"N'Ram, I really need to go"
He only hummed at that.
This man was going to be the end of me.

Chapter Text

Ram was having the time of his life.
At first he had been quite anxious about his childhood friend being interested in his senior.
Of course he knew that there were others that were interested in growing closer to P'King.
His P' was radiant and caught people's attention as though they were moths and he a bright light in a summer night.
Wherever he went he turned heads without noticing it though many hesitated to approach thanks to his group of friends.
Ram had heard stories of Bohn having beaten up a group of guys who had stalked King for some time and were planning on kidnapping him.
For quite some time he had thought those stories were made up but after getting to know the other man through Duen that had changed.
He was aware of Bohn's deep sense of loyalty and that he was very protective of those close to him and even though it had caused a lot if problems in his relationship with his best friend, Ram respected him for that.
Besides, he'd have done the same.
Kinf deserved to be treated well and if he had to get into a couple fights to keep him safe then so be it.
He was confident that he'd win and if he ended injured then he could bask in his P's attention and gentle care once again which was an absolute win.
Though King wouldn't be very happy with him should he get himself punched or otherwise injured.
For a short moment he pondered over the pros and cons of that scenario before a small movement in his arms brought him back to reality.
Cuddling his P'King was a dream coming true and he really didn't want to let the other go.
"N'Ram"
He could listen to King saying his name all day without ever getting tired of it.
"N'Ram I really need to go. I've still got some things to do"
Are those things really more important me, he wanted to ask his senior.
Is that really necessary while we're cuddling?
They stood there in silence for a few moments and Ram couldn't help but close his eyes.
His P' was so warm and he was getting sleepy.
"N'Ram people are staring. It's fine if you want to cuddle but do we have to do this at your birthday party?"
"Leave them be. If they're rude just flip them off"
King snorted and he could feel the vibrations of his chuckle through his chest.
A smile apperead on its own on his lips and deep sense of satisfaction bloomed in his heart.
Even if King wouldn't be his soulmate he'd stay with his lovely senior.
Rarely had Ram truly wanted to befriend someone but King had caught his eye right away even though he'd probably never admit it.
Though if King asked… Ram could never lie to him.
"I don't know anyone here. What if I end up offending your family?"
"Then I'd tell them that they didn't have to stare in the first place and that they had it coming", he responded with a nonchalant shrug.
Now truly laughing the older boy backed off and they begrudgingly ended their hug.
"Alright cool boy, since you don't want me to leave how about you show me around a bit?", King proposed with a smile and had Ram not already fallen for the other he'd have fallen for him now at the latest.
Happy that his senior no longer intended to leave, he did just that.
At some point their hands touched and they continued on while holding hands.
It felt so natural that neither of the two noticed it until they were standing in Ram's room.
"Your room is way cleaner than mine", King commented with a grin.
"But yours is prettier"
"True", the other responded with a shrug causing Ram to roll his eyes.
"What? I know it hurts to admit but the truth is painful sometimes", the senior teased him, obviously enjoying himself.
Ram decided that responding to that would be childish and instead walked over to the little plant King had gifted him.
He pointed at it and King immediately joined him.
"You've found a good spot for it! This little one is going to grow very well here"
The praise caused him to blush a bit. .
Being praised by his P' always made him feel special and warm.
Somehow they were suddenly standing very close to each other and then they were kissing.
He couldn't say how it happened but he certainly wasn't complaining.
Kissing King was a dream come true and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
His body felt lighter and it was as if something, a puzzle piece, had finally fallen into place.
Ram had heard a lot about how it felt like to kiss your fated one but no one had warned him about the overwhelming rush of joy and excitement that would hit him.
He felt like every cell of his body was singing and reaching out to King.
If Ram had any doubt about King being his soulmate, which he hadn't, it would have vanished at this point.
He loved it, loved King.
Only one thought remained before he lost himself in his feeling: I'm never going to let this man go.