Work Text:
Learning how to deal with long-distance relationships was tough for Jeno.
As the rain poured outside, he imagined how he would be spending his days with Jaehyun. Some days, they would spend their rainy days in comfortable silence, cuddling until the other fell asleep in their arms. Jeno would usually catch his boyfriend drifting off first. He cooed at him as he placed a small kiss on his cheeks before wrapping his arms tighter around Jaehyun's torso, comfortable in the silence that accompanied them.
Some other days, they would spend their rainy days slow-dancing on the kitchen floor while songs from their playlist blasted through the speakers. Jeno isn't one for romance, but if he smiles just a tad bit sweeter when he twirls Jaehyun around, it's a secret for him to keep. He often indulges Jaehyun with romantic gestures actors would do in a rom-com, but who wouldn't? With a radiating smile painting his face and his brown fluffy hair, he looks perfect under the cheap, dim lights of their shared apartment.
Jeno can only imagine those scenarios, though. Jaehyun is worlds away from him, in New York. A whole sixteen-hour flight and fourteen-hour difference, between Seoul and New York. Jeno got into a prestigious college and is currently studying to become a veterinarian, one of his dream jobs that he wanted to do as a kid. He'd like to tell his younger self that he's so close to reaching his dreams, studying his hardest on lonely nights. Jaehyun, on the other hand, got an opportunity to move offices from Seoul to New York, as he had worked on being a lawyer for a while. He knew that working in New York as a lawyer was a great opportunity for him to make acquaintances and build his reputation, but it didn't make delivering the news any easier. Jaehyun would never want to leave the younger one alone in Seoul, but they had different aspirations that were happening in different places.
As the sound system announced the next flight, Jeno turned to his boyfriend and gave him a bone-crushing hug. He'd never liked giving goodbye kisses, knowing that he would undoubtedly never let go of Jaehyun from his embrace. Jeno would never tell him how much he wanted him to stay in Seoul and dance in the refrigerator light when the rain struck. He would never tell him how weeks leading up to his departure, he held Jaehyun as tight as he could when they cuddled, fearing that he would disappear any second if his grip was a tad bit loose. He just gave him a small, stiff smile before he needed to let the elder go to catch his flight.
—
Two months passed like dragging a dead body, hard and heavy.
Video calls were only sufficient for two weeks until Jeno started moping . At least that's what Renjun told him. He missed Jaehyun's entire presence. He misses the days when the elder would stick a small sticky note on the refrigerator if he happened to leave early for work. He misses the days where Jaehyun would gently mess his hair and pepper kisses all over his face whenever he was playing games with his friends whilst Jaehyun was needing some attention (He would never admit that all he heard on his headphones were some of his friends teasing him with kissy noises while the rest dramatically retched in disgust).
He mourns the day the elder would come and run to his embrace, holding him tight and never letting go. One day, he told himself, one day.
His heart lay heavy on their shared bed as the space beside him was too large, too empty for only one person. He was used to having the bed dip and creak whenever Jaehyun sits before laying his body down to cuddle him—waking up with their legs intertwined as their faces were facing each other. He'd be damned if he admits he has never once dreamed of days where he could just stay like this and ignore reality for a split second before Jaehyun stirs awake from the harsh rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains.
He thinks he misses Jaehyun the most whenever it rains. He remembers all the times when the lights went off due to the intensity of the rain outside—where he would share his deepest thoughts with the light from candle flames burning in the background of their room.
The buzzing of his phone brought him back from his thoughts, seeing as he had nothing better to do, he decided to open his phone. It was from Jaehyun. His smile curled higher as he checked the messages on his phone.
my love <3
hiiii love
what are you doing rn?
i miss you a lot :(
it's raining in new york and i miss you
i miss you too :(
it's raining too in seoul, must be a coincidence
we should call when you're not busy
my love <3
ofc!! i would love too
how abt rn? i have a day off today
if not then it's alright!! you've been working hard on your finals right? you should rest if you're tired angel :(
He knows his boyfriend is exploiting his weakness towards being called 'angel', his cheeks burned red in embarrassment, but that was another thing he wouldn't like to unpack as he's texting his boyfriend.
no it's alright!!
i can call rn
i haven't been doing anything much today
my love <3
good!! i'll call you now
He ruffled his hair in an attempt to straighten his hair before his phone started ringing. His face is floating on a small rectangular window on the corner as Jaehyun’s face fills the majority of his screen. Jaehyun took a second to adjust his arm behind his head before smiling brightly towards Jeno, his lips curling upwards as his toothy grin was shown.
“Hi baby,” Jaehyun said. Jeno could see the outline of Jaehyun's collarbones from the low-hanging blue shirt that's hugging his upper body. He gulped in response, not a great time to be thinking of littering hickeys all over his boyfriend's collarbones.
“Hi love, how is everything doing?” Jeno asked, trying to distract himself from his previous thoughts.
“Everything’s alright, although it would’ve been better with you around. Work’s been hectic, but my boss insisted that I take a break from work. He says I’ve been working overtime too much,” Jaehyun says as he hums, waiting for Jeno to answer.
“Hey, take it easy over there while I’m not there. I don’t need you to constantly overwork yourself. Please promise me that you’ll always take care of your health, hm? Don’t make me go to New York myself to take care of you,” Jeno threatens, although with little success, catching Jaehyun off guard—chuckling at his boyfriend’s serious tone.
“I will. Don’t worry, you big baby. How has your week been? Is Chenle still hopelessly pining over Jaemin? How is my favorite Daegal-ie?” Jaehyun asked, the excitement evident on his face.
“Now Daegal’s your favorite? I’ve never felt so betrayed in my entire life and it was from my boyfriend! How dare he,” Jeno quips, the anger faltering on his face as he broke into a small smile. If Jaehyun was there beside him, he would’ve pinched his boyfriend’s cheeks until Jeno pleaded mercy. He is way too cute, Jaehyun decided some time ago.
“Honestly, school’s been tough. I have to study a lot of subjects, it’s been hard to adjust to a routine where I could still have enough sleep and energy to last me through the day,” Jeno sighed as he continued, “I’m trying to make things work though, so mostly I’ve been dealing alright.”
Jaehyun frowned at his lover's words. “I'm sorry I can't be there for you. Just know that you can call or text me when you need me, alright?” Jaehyun reassures his boyfriend, hoping that he would sincerely take up his promise. He knows how much Jeno doesn't like bothering others, even if Jaehyun doesn't agree that pouring his emotions on him equals bothering him.
Jeno felt some of the weight of his burden lifting his shoulders, a small smile appeared on his face. “I will, love. Thank you.”
Jeno knew he needed to review some chapters before he went to bed. He quickly says his goodbyes to his boyfriend and bids him goodnight.
The call ended, just like that. He sighs heavily as he plants his face right on the bedsheets. He tries to find the lingering smell of his lover on his bedsheets, but there was no trace of it. God, he's beginning to think if the bed can just swallow him whole until Jaehyun comes back home.
—
That's when he felt dread seep into his veins. The constant uneasiness he feels these past few days has all just weighed heavily on top of his shoulders. He knows one thing--he missed his boyfriend an unimaginable amount.
As much as he'd like to ignore his responsibilities and book an overpriced ticket to New York right now, it's way too counterproductive. He still has classes tomorrow, and Jaehyun would still have work too. He's thankful that it's almost approaching winter, where both of them will have days off for winter break.
He decides to book a ticket beforehand, knowing that winter break means overpriced tickets and the uncomfortable lack of room to cancel them. He'd plan to go to New York a few days after his finals, taking those few days off to relax and perhaps spend more time calling his lover.
He still has recurring doubts about his decision to go to New York. He isn't sure if Jaehyun would even want to see him, even if the rational part of himself knows that it's not true. Renjun is currently staying over at Jeno's apartment, both of them studying in silence.
“Yes or no?” Jeno interrupts their studying session. Renjun quizzically raised his eyebrows in confusion.
“What context is this supposed to be about?” Renjun says as he flips his notes while waiting for an answer.
“It's about Jaehyun,” Jeno confesses, picking on his fingers—a habit he often does when he's hesitant. “I just want to see him, Jun. I just don't know if he wants me to visit him, you know? That sounds dumb in retrospect, but it's always him coming to Seoul and never the other way around. I want to surprise him too. I already booked a ticket so there's no backing out of it but I'm having doubts about going there. Honestly, I'm terrified,” Jeno explains as Renjun hums, an indication Renjun does to let others know he's still paying attention despite the notes he's still highlighting.
Renjun takes a while to gather his words before answering Jeno, “I wouldn't tell you not to worry, because I know it won't get rid of your doubts. But I'm sure that Jaehyun would love it if you went to visit him. He's head over heels for you, Jen. I wish you could see him whenever he looks at you. He looks at you like you hung the stars and gave him the world! So yes, you should go visit him.”
“Thanks, Jun. That helped clear my head a bit. Do you want to go to New York with me?” Jeno asked while giggling, knowing that Renjun wouldn't dare go anywhere with him and Jaehyun. Renjun would be third-wheeling all the way, but it's still fun to tease his best friend.
“Gross. No. I would never join you guys. I do not want to be left on the streets while you guys make out in some random public bathroom,” Renjun replied, dramatically fake gagging at his best friend's invitation.
Jeno laughs boisterously in response, throwing his head back whilst muffling his laughter. The carefree atmosphere dwindled into a comfortable silence as they continued to study for their finals.
—
The bell rings loudly in the room, students already halfway through packing their belongings back to their bags, rushing through the crowd to finally go back to their dorms and sleep like the dead. Finals are finally over for Jeno, he sighs in content as he sees his remaining classmates slowly walk towards the door, blank stares remaining on their faces whilst the iced coffee drinks stay cold in their grip.
Renjun was already standing outside the lecture hall, shoulders slumping in distress as he threw a nod to Jeno, signaling him to quickly get up from his seat. They both left campus and walked back to Jeno's apartment, where Renjun decided to make some food before he headed back to his dorm. Renjun knew that Jeno would likely sleep for hours and cook himself instant ramen, the only thing he knew how to cook properly.
He finished cooking Jjampong, Jeno's favorite meal, and went to check out what Jeno was doing. Just as Renjun predicted, Jeno is sleeping soundly on his bed, the plushie clinging in his arms. He softly smiled, snapping a picture before sending it to Jaehyun.
*photo attached*
hope u know this is the view ur missing out on :p
jaehyun
oh my god.. he's so cute :(
please take care of him
i know he likes to sleep for hours after finals
ofc,, what bff am i if i don't take care of my beloved friend <3
cooked him jjampong alr
thank you sm!! i know i could count on you renjun ^^
With that, he quickly placed the jjampong in a pot for Jeno to heat it if he wanted to, and left Jeno's apartment.
—
Jeno was startled awake by the sheer coldness of his room. He must've forgotten to set the temperature properly yesterday, the room being too hot in the evening when he was trying to study. He grabbed a hoodie from his closet and decided to step back outside with his bunny slippers on.
He was about to step into the kitchen to cook instant noodles before noticing a pot of jjampong on his table. Huh. He wonders, there was no one else besides—well, that just explains everything. Renjun cooked him dinner, his favorite meal too! He quickly grabbed his phone from his pocket before texting his best friend with warm gratitude.
RENJUNNNN
you cooked jjampong earlier?
thank you so much u just saved my health from declining i love u huang renjun
junnie ^__^
next time buy me food
u owe me one u idiot
:P
He decided to reheat the jjampong before eating it. Whatever Renjun put in this jjampong, it was delicious. He finished the pot of jjampong then proceeded to wash his dishes before they stacked up. He has decided that he loves his best friend a thousand times more today.
He spent the next few days of break he had given himself in a mixed blur of sleeping for an unhealthy amount of time and drinking at parties with his friends. Renjun has to hear him hiccup and bawl his eyes out about him missing his boyfriend (and continues to retch over the toilet seat, a water bottle in one hand and the other patting Jeno's back. Jeno contemplates conspiracy theories and the meaning of life at three a.m while Renjun steadily falls asleep on his shoulders, too tired from dragging his drunk self back home).
Jeno never knew how he would survive if Renjun wasn't around.
—
An airport is a place for those who travel the world with their belongings in the grip of their palms, anxiously waiting for their flights to be announced. It was a place for new beginnings, a passage between the old, recognizable land where they were raised to the new, unfamiliar chapters waiting to be unfolded. It was home to familiarity and warmth, holding loved ones that have never seen each other.
He arrived at the airport at 7:30 A.M, the majority of people had half-asleep faces, and hoodies were a source of warmth, protecting them from the blast of the air conditioners. His flight was in half an hour, he had time to kill before he rushed to his flight. He's glad he brought Renjun around, annoying his best friend is one of his hobbies.
They sat on the steel benches near the vending machines. Jeno started to kill his time by playing games on his phone, spending most of his time playing solitaire and chess until he got bored. Renjun was silent, Jeno noticed, he glanced curiously at what his best friend was doing.
Renjun wasn't on his phone but he was looking at someone that was standing near the vending machine. Jeno followed his stare until it landed on a person pressing down the buttons of the vending machine, groaning when their drink didn't fall through. They inserted more coins in the slot, pressing down the same button to no avail. He grinned, but Renjun seemed like he was in a trance. He glanced back again to see the person was sporting a gray hoodie, definitely too big for his size, and a pair of ripped jeans with a pair of black converse shoes to complete their look. It didn't help that they had slicked back jet black hair and a sharp jawline. He tried to put two and two together and—
Oh. Oh.
Renjun was into them.
Jeno has seen and met some of the men that Renjun dates. No matter how much Renjun denies it, he has a type. Tall, lanky yet slightly buff men with rough hands and chiseled jawlines. The men Renjun dates were mostly alright, but he remembers one of them cursing and telling him upsetting things. Safe to say he punched the shit out of Renjun's ex after Renjun came to his place, crying about the small disagreement that turned into a shouting match. He still seethes in anger whenever he thinks about that moment, where Renjun was hurt and it showed all over his face like a scar.
Jeno gently pokes his best friend in the stomach, startling Renjun out of his thoughts.
“What?”
“I know you're looking at Mr-hot-stuff over there, but keep it on the down-low, would you?” Renjun blushes furiously, embarrassed that he was caught red-handed.
“Oh my god. Please stop teasing me. I haven't seen a hot guy in a while,” Renjun blurts out, covering his red cheeks with the palms of his hands.
“Once you see men your type your brain just goes static, it's terrible.”
“Once again, I do not have a type, Lee Jeno.”
“Yes you do, do I need to mention it out loud?” Jeno continues, “Tall, lanky yet slightly buff men with—”
“Okay okay! I get it! Now shut up. I still wanna ogle him a bit longer,” Renjun interrupts, looking back at the stranger once again, seeing him texting on his phone.
“Oh you are so shameless .” He said as he chuckled. He heard the speaker loudly interrupt their conversation, stating that his flight was ready.
“Oh gosh, I gotta go now, Jun. Tell Chenle to get his shit together and confess to Jaemin already. Also, you better get that guy's number or else,” Jeno said as he got ready to catch his flight, giving his best friend an encouraging squeeze on his shoulders.
“You wouldn't do that. You need me, loser,” Renjun replied, pulling down his mask and sticking his tongue out to mock his best friend. “Okay, you have to get going now, enjoy your time in New York! Don't forget to bring me souvenirs!” Renjun continues, playfully pushing him to go.
“Bye Renjun!”
“Bye loser!”
He quickly dragged his suitcase down the path to his flight, hastily sprinting to the terminal gates of the plane where he finally got to sit on his seat.
He sinks further into his seat, drowns himself with the flight attendant's voice announcing a pre-flight safety briefing followed by the slow hum of the music coming from his earbuds, preparing for the longest sixteen hours he's going to experience, before letting the drowsiness fully lull him to sleep.
He wakes up after an eight-hour slumber, waking up and sleeping again until he finally decides he's no longer tired anymore. He must have been too hard to startle awake, his lunch already on his seat's make-shift table. He doesn't know how Jaehyun could handle the extremely long hours of flying back to Seoul just to meet him, his first time not going so well for him. He's glad after this is over he could meet his boyfriend, after eight whole months of endless ‘thinking about you’s and ‘i miss you’s, he finally gets to see and make his dreams of embracing his boyfriend, come true.
After he ate his late lunch when the sun started to set, he watched a few action movies before sitting comfortably back on his seat. He decided that he was way too full to eat dinner, so he took a short nap. That nap turned to be about.. another seven hours long before his shoulders were shaken by the person beside him. His seatmate felt a tinge of guilt for waking him up, but they said his snoring was becoming a little too loud. Jeno apologized to them, finally waking up to the soft clouds and blue skies (accompanied with the three boxes of meals that are on the table). He sighed, he needs to eat before he arrives at the airport in an hour. He doesn't want to eat at restaurants where he has to order in English, that's what he has his boyfriend for (he thanks the gods above that his boyfriend understands English, he doesn't know who would fend between them if they wanted to eat outside).
The voice of the pilot emerges from the comfortable atmosphere of the plane, stating that they are about to land in New York's airport—JFK Airport. He still can't believe he is about to meet his lover. It was just yesterday that he was in the comfort of his apartment, waiting for his boyfriend to pick up his calls.
The flight attendant announces that they have arrived at the JFK airport, for the safety of those around them to please remain seated before they are parked at the gate. The plane drags its tracks, dragging all of the passengers back to their seats. The passengers were allowed to take their belongings and get ready to get off the plane. Jeno took his suitcase out of the cramped slot of the airport luggage, passengers starting to crowd all over the main bridge area of the plane, one by one taking all their belongings with them.
He was lining up to get off the plane, the queue slowly started to thin out. He got off the plane and headed to the terminal unscathed. He carries the pack of meals he has left from the flight and goes to check his phone after a long sixteen-hour flight. His eyes couldn't help but tear up over the gush of wind from the air conditioner, he was exhausted after the flight, arriving at the airport at noon. He turned his data on, and messages from Renjun and Jaehyun started to pop up after hours of inactivity. He decided to check Renjun's texts first, so he could always check his lover's texts in the taxi.
junnie ^__^
guess WHAT
i got the guy's number!!! lee jeno ur best friend made it
the things i do for hot guys.. unimaginable
ik ur on ur flight rn hope u fly safely
get back to korea quickly ok
who will i annoy if u don't come back here :(
anyway enjoy new york tell ur bf i said hi
bring me back my beloved shoes!!! love u rice bucket
Today
JUNNIE
OMG U DID IT
tell me all abt it
i need to hear the recent renjun gossip!!
i will!! it's just a month do not worry my best friend i will still call u
yes yes i will be bringing ur shoes to u.. very lucky that i love u
ok i gotta go now bye jun i'll text you when i arrive at jaehyun's place
He easily spots a taxi near the gates of the airport, all of them lining up in a neat line to drive people to their destinations. A taxi approaches him, asking if he needs a ride home. He nods in reply, he puts his suitcase on the back trunk of the taxi and slips in the back seat, giving the driver the address to Jaehyun's apartment. He prepared for this exact moment, he thinks his advanced studying of how to say directions in broken English paid off well as he sees the driver nodding in agreement.
The car starts driving to the address he just mentioned. His peripheral vision of the outside world was limited by the small one-quarter circle-sized window, tall buildings felt like they were constantly getting taller, reaching-the-skies kind of tall. The gray skies and busy streets somehow became one, coinciding with each other as the lineup of cars and weather doesn't stop being at an all-time high.
—
The quiet hum of the music brings him out of his thoughts. He recalled that he needed to answer his boyfriend's text and call him before he arrived at Jaehyun's place.
my love <3
baby!! i just got back from work
so happy that i have a break tmrw... i'm exhausted rn
i hope we can call soon >.< i miss ur cute face
stay healthy ok!! ik how you tend to get after your finals
i'll call you tmrw <3 goodnight angel, i love you so much and i miss u :(
Today
BABY
HI
sorry for the late response i woke up late :o
can we call rn? i miss ur very extremely attractive face
my love <3
hey babyy
ofc ofc!! let me get ready then i'll call you
Jeno thinks he has never been this nervous before, hopefully, his boyfriend is clueless about his arrival in New York, on his way to meet him.
He hears his phone ring and subsequently responds to the call. He rubs his sweaty palms on his trousers, his back arching slightly to better his posture.
“Hi baby, you look great,”
Jeno blushes, he thinks he should be used to his boyfriend complimenting him, but he still stutters over his words and blushes, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering in response. “You're one to talk, I genuinely do not know how you look good after waking up,”
Jaehyun chuckles. “Nah, I washed my face and did my daily routine, baby. Anyway, where are you headed to? Don't tell me you're going out to drink with your friends again?”
Jeno didn't expect the question, making him freeze in his tracks. “Ah w-well, I'm headed to a restaurant right now, my friend picked me up earlier and we're on our way now,”
“That's great! Hope you enjoy your time with your friends! How are your finals? Did you get your results already?” Jeno chuckled at the excitement his boyfriend showed.
“Finals were hell. I think my brain would explode if I had to go through one more day of finals. I haven't gotten the results yet actually, I'm kind of worried but I think it'll turn out alright,”
“It'll turn out alright, babe. You worked hard on it,” Jaehyun mutters, his hand reaching to fix his hair, staring contently towards the camera like a mirror.
The driver signals that they're close to his destination, nodding that he should get ready to get off. He decided to pay for the ride first, taking out his wallet to give the cash to the driver.
“We're already at the restaurant, stay with me on the phone alright?” Jeno said as he kept his phone tightly wrapped around his left hand while taking his suitcase out of the trunk. At last, he's here at his boyfriend's front apartment, stepping up the looming staircase before he could reach the wooden door. He knocked firmly on the door, anxiously waiting for Jaehyun to open the door.
“Alright, babe,” Jaehyun said, skeptically scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, but he decided to shrug his skepticism aside and pay attention to his boyfriend. Jaehyun heard the knocks from outside his door and brought his phone with him, “Wait— someone's outside, let me get the door,” Jaehyun said as he walked up to the door, slowly opening the heavy wooden door.
There he is. Jeno is outside his door.
Jaehyun's brain must've malfunctioned, or he must have been dreaming, there is no way Jeno's outside his door. Jeno was not welcomed with a hug, rather with his boyfriend's confused face and the slam of the door. Jeno giggled, his boyfriend must've not seen this coming
Jaehyun opened the door again, seeing that Jeno is still right outside his door, smiling widely at him.
“Baby! You're here! Oh my gosh!!!” Jaehyun squealed, engulfing his boyfriend in a tight hug. Jaehyun held Jeno up, half of his torso being lifted by the elder as he felt his feet dangling in the air, something akin to floating. Jaehyun brought Jeno down to the ground and hugged the younger's waist as he pulled him closer to his chest, tilting his chin up to engulf him in a kiss. If you told Jaehyun that a kiss could feel like all the words that could describe happiness mushed together, he would've stared at you in disbelief. The one where he could feel Jeno smile into the kiss, pulling his neck closer to their bodies. They broke the kiss apart, their foreheads still pressed together as they laughed in happiness, ecstatic that they were back in each other's arms once again.
“I missed you, baby. Get inside first. You better tell me how the hell you managed to do all of this during your finals and kept the secret from me,” Jeno grinned brightly, snuggling his head on Jaehyun's nape.
“Alright, lover boy. I'll tell you all about my plans and how I did it during finals. Join me for dinner later? I have leftovers from the flight,”
“ Your lover boy.”
“Mine, always mine, baby.”
They both sat on the blue couch of Jaehyun's living room, cuddling with the fluffy blanket curled between them. Jaehyun was going to get up to get his phone when Jeno pulled him back into the couch, pinned him down, and kissed him square in the face when he got pushed back into Jeno's embrace.
Jaehyun's face turns pink immediately when he gets flustered, covering his face in embarrassment. (The picture of Jaehyun's pinkish blush on his cheeks is saved on an imaginary file in Jeno's head: "Jaehyun as peaches", he titles his file).
“Awww baby, don't cover your face, I wanna see your pretty face,” Jeno teases his lover, cooing in adoration.
“Noooo, you'll never live this down,” Jaehyun keeps his hands on his face, the embarrassment still fresh in his memory.
Even if Jaehyun has his hands in front of his face, he could still feel the smirk that's slowly rising on Jeno's face.
“Well, you leave me no choice, babe.”
Jeno slowly but forcibly removes the elder's hands from his face and pinned his hands down behind his back. He proceeds to pepper kisses all over Jaehyun's face, making the elder squirm slightly in his embrace, his face getting hotter by every kiss that has been planted on his face.
—
Jaehyun reaches to rest his long hands on top of Jeno's smaller ones, carving out every little detail of his hand in his memory until he's satisfied. Jaehyun slowly pokes Jeno's arm, trying to ask him a question.
“Would you promise me something, baby?”
“What is it?”
“To be beside me no matter the distance?” Jaehyun asked as he held out his hands, closing his four fingers and lifting out only his pinky.
Pinky promises.
“I pinky promise, babe.” Jeno smiled as he held out his pinky finger in response and locked both of their pinkies together.