Archive of Our Own ^beta

They don’t notice the suspicious stares on themselves as they get out of Team’s car and keep bickering and laughing loudly on the way, until they reach their group of friends. 

Manaow smiles wickedly at them and points them out with the nail file she’s holding in her hand

“So, are you guys officially dating now?”

Win laughs and drapes himself some more around Team’s shoulder as the latter grimaces “What are you talking about? Of course not!”

Team sees Win’s smile faltering and he feels his heart aching but he just ignores it and laughs. 

Then the blonde awkwardly removes his arm from around him and announces that he has to go to class, without waiting for his classmates. Team feels the accusatory and disapproving gazes on him but he just shrugs it off and snatches one of the brown bags in Pharm’s hold.

“Omg Pharm, you’re a lifesaver, I was sooo hungry!”

They all shake their heads at him and sigh while they separate to go to their respective classes.

.

If he tried to be so nonchalant about it, once he’s sitting in the boring English class where he never seems to be able to concentrate, Team nervously holds his phone in his hand, one specific Line window open and keeps closing his phone then opens it back again.

He stares at the cheeky profile picture where the blonde is sticking his tongue out and rolling his eyes and thinks back to the very different hurt expression that painted his features this morning instead. 

After long deliberation, he types out “I swear, Hia, either you suck at tutoring or this teacher is speaking Spanish instead of English” and wits nervously while biting his lower lip.

Win answers right away “It’s more like you’re the one who thinks about other types of sucking instead of concentrating *winky sticker* ” and Team just sighs of relief. Everything is still normal between them.

.

Or so he thought.

While to outsiders it may seem like nothing changed; Win still annoys the shit out of him and Team pretends that he hates it. Team still knocks at Win’s door for comfort at night, for tutoring 3 times a week and for food at any time and Win still gladly opens both his doors and arms for him. Win still forces Team to do 5 more laps even when he’d already done more than all the other club members and he still rewards him with a pack of Lays he’d have hidden in his locker just for Team and Win still pretends to steal food from Team’s plate at lunch just to give him a bigger part when no one’s looking. 

But some things changed. For example, the next morning when they were ready to get out of Win’s room to go to school and Win hands Team his car keys. Team just stares at him confused, his brain was still sleepy and Win has been driving him for so long he almost forgot that those were his keys.

“Is it alright if you drive on your own today? I kinda miss my motorcycle..” Win says quietly, looking anywhere but at him. Team still doesn’t quite understand the meaning of this but just nods anyway “Of course, Hia”.

Later he’d thought that it made sense Win would want to use his motorcycle from time to time, if only for it not to rot. Except, motorcycles don’t rot, and if Team ignored this fact to justify the blonde’s actions, when the said blonde kept using only his motorcycle for days after, he’d started to feel a lump slightly lodging in his throat.

Then there was this other time when Win didn’t take his usual place next to Team at lunch and sat on the complete opposite side of the table. He just sat there almost naturally, laughing, teasing Dean, making Pharm blush, complimenting Manaow about her makeup, and throwing out jokes here and there. He said something to Team too, probably something to annoy him again, but Team couldn’t respond, because he didn’t even hear it. He was too concentrated thinking about the empty feeling he had on his left side, with no warm body sitting so close he could feel his every movement, no arm imposing itself in his shoulders and no whispers in his ears. And while the next day, Win did sit next to him, it wasn’t automatic anymore, he sat in a different place everyday and Team could feel his lump growing.

And this one time again, when Team wins a competition and barely manages to put their team first out of the whole 8 schools participating. After he removes his goggles and calculates the scores on the board to make sure that they won indeed, he grins and looks towards a certain blonde boy who was looking at him with so much pride, Team thought he might tear up. So he did the only thing he cared about doing at the moment, he ran towards the older, laughing and starting to open his arms for a hug. But when he had three more steps to take, Win extended his arm and simply patted his head twice whispering a “You did amazing, Team” before going to encourage other team members. This time, Team actually starts finding it hard to swallow past the lump that took home in his throat.

And then, one night, they were comfortably laying on Win’s bed, watching some silly movie on Win’s computer. With Win’s arm tightly wrapped around him, a soft blanket keeping both of them warm, a bag of honey popcorn and Lays on his lap, Team felt like he was in heaven, completely forgetting about his recent troubles.

So to complete his perfect scene, he moves around to find his chocolate bar that he cuts into pieces and mixes with the popcorn and chips, not giving much attention to the movie or the blonde that looks at him curiously and asks a horrified “What the hell are you doing?” Team just looks at him then at his 3 different snacks like it's obvious and keeps mixing and making a mess of everything.

Amusement mixes with horror in Win’s expression as he asks again “Can’t you just eat each of them separately?” and Team could hear the smile in his voice. So he just takes a big mouthful of his masterpiece before sputtering “It’s more delicious this way.”

He turns his head at Win, who just explodes from laughing as Team’s cheeks are all sticky and covered with chocolate. “You’re disgusting” He grins and the clear affection floating in his eyes betrays any sincerity behind that statement. So Team just swallows, raises his eyebrows, and jokes right back “Isn’t that why you love me?” expecting Win to just choke and retort something like “You wish!”

Except, Win clearly doesn’t take it as a joke, his grin immediately disappearing and eyebrows slightly furrowing. He looks at Team with an expression the younger doesn’t seem to recognize, before forcing a smile out and whispering an awkward “Is it?”

That’s when Team finally comes to the conclusion that everything was far from being normal and they had to talk about it. But not being an expert at that sort of conversation -or anything that involved communication or relationship at all for that matter, let alone both- he decided to postpone it until he had prepared a speech of some sort.

But of course, nothing in life ever seems to go the way Team plans. As the next week, he goes to swim practice a little bit earlier, feeling proud of himself for once until, two steps from the locker rooms, he hears a question that stuns him in place. 

“So when exactly are you planning to tell Team that you’re madly in love with him?” Said Team barely regains control of himself to hide behind the door. Eavesdropping is bad, yes, but unless he was dreaming, it was him they were talking about so he felt justified.

“ Dean ” without having to look at the blonde, you could sense the apparent threat and Team felt shivers just from listening to his voice. But Dean doesn’t seem to care as he continues “I just think you should tell him already” Team imagines him shrugging with his most stoic expression as he continues tormenting the blonde “Seriously Win, the boy doesn’t even seem to notice that you’re dating.”

‘So people know!?’ is Team’s panicked first thought before he hears a tired voice answering “That’s because we aren’t” that makes him frown.

He hears Dean’s dry laugh “Dude, I’m the last person you need to lie to”

Win sighs deeply “I’m not lying, we really aren’t” and Team’s heart sinks ‘ What!? ’

“You really need to stop denyi-”

Win’s voice sounds rougher and louder as he interrupts him “I am not denying anything.” He sighs “Yes, I do love him but no, we are not dating”

Team feels a weird rush of emotions run through him. A storm of warm and fuzzy butterflies fighting in his stomach, because while he did know that Win felt deeply for him, actually hearing him say it out loud made his heart take crazy loops. But at the same time, there was a pang in that same heart that burned for a reason Team didn’t know and it made him frown. 

“Why?” Dean sounds as confused as Team and the next words uttered by Win gave him the reason though.

“Because Team doesn’t want to and I completely respect his boundaries, not to mention understand him. He does deserve someone better for a relationship.”

Team’s brain stops working for a minute and he wants to go inside, slap the stupid blonde and shouts at him that there is no one better than him, but he stops himself as some other club members are coming towards the locker room and he has to hide and come in after them. And as he goes inside and sees Win’s broken smile and teary eyes, he decides that fuck the prepared speech , he has to talk to him as soon as possible, which meant right after practice.

But fate, personified in Manaow this time, decides it has to be postponed after a dinner together with all their group of friends to celebrate the end of exams. And Team is definitely determined to decline, even at the tempting announcement of their favorite Shabu Shabu place having a special offer tonight, but Win eagerly accepts so he just sighs and decides to talk about it later, when they’re inside the comforting and familiar space of Win’s room.

So he tries to enjoy the food and the jokes along with his friends and not dwell on the melancholic look hiding behind Win’s trademark smirk and playful gaze. As he’s coming back from the bathroom though, he eavesdrops on a conversation for the second time that day. This one being far more unpleasant than the first.

“Wow, look who’s here, the swimming club’s slut!” 

He sees Win grimacing and trying to pass an unknown tall and well-built figure on his way to the bathroom. But the other guy blocks him and Team’s eyes widen as he realizes who the insult was directed towards.

“Where are you doing? Do you think you could suck me back there real quick?” He whispers as if it was confidence but Team hears it and his blood runs cold. He looks at the blonde’s head held down and moves quicker than he could think.

He steps in between the two boys and pushes Win protectively behind him, not noticing the surprised look painting the blonde’s features. He barely hears a whispered pressing “ Team ” as he feels himself fuming.

Even if he’s much smaller than the other, Team could be really terrifying if he wanted to. And right now, with his eyebrows furrowed, lips trembling and eyes literally burning with anger and frustration, he looked much bigger than he actually was, so when he spits out an ice-cold “The. Fuck. Did. You. Just. Say !?” it actually sounds threatening.

But the other just frowns and asks “Do you know this worthless piece of shit?” his eyes directed at Win. So Team’s body reacts before his brain and a punch goes flying, the years put into training not to be underestimated and he shouts loud and clear “Try uttering one more insult towards my boyfriend and you will wish you didn’t even know how to speak.”

Team ignores all the shocked expressions he got, holds Win’s wrist, and tugs him along, out of this place. When they’re far away enough, he lets go of the older and lashes out.

“Can you explain to me why the hell did you just let him say whatever he wanted without reacting?”

He’s too worked up to see the smile tugging on Win’s lips “Or do you seriously believe any word he said? God, Hia, you’re one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met in my life, don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise?”

By now, Win’s smile has fully illuminated his face and he softly asks “What did you say?”

“Are you deaf? I said why didn’t you react? And by the way, I also said that you deserve the world and you should know it”

Win slides his wrist out of Team’s hold to hold his hand, hums, and grins “Humm and before that, what did you tell that asshole?”

Team frowns, he doesn’t understand what Win is getting at. “I told him to stop insulting you?” he asks, confused.

When Win’s eyes twinkle and he asks “What did you say to him exactly ?” it finally dawns on Team. ‘Towards my boyfriend..’ he remembers himself saying. He suddenly flushes and looks away. But as he looks again at the blonde’s bright and hopeful eyes, he just groans and hugs him. 

Team only hesitates for a second before muttering in the other’s neck “I kindly advised him not to bother my boyfriend”. Then he suddenly backs away “Just to warn you, Hia. Now that I said it out loud, you must know that you are trapped in this forever. Don’t even try to run away”. 

He tries to sound menacing, but looking at Win’s unbelievably bright smile, it has the opposite effect. “Forever?” he asks while grinning and before Team can start backtracking he continues “I would gladly get trapped by you for however long you want, baby” and hugs him tightly. Team groans at the endearment but hugs him back nonetheless.

This time, when they finally notice their friends grinning at them and Manaow asks “So are you still not dating your boyfriend ?” Team smiles and eases the flash of doubt that goes through Win’s eyes by holding his hand and lacing their fingers together “Of course we are”.