Work Text:
3:27 am between 🔫🔫 and seagull
🔫🔫: did you know that tomorrow is national kiss a ginger day
🔫🔫: or today ig
seagull: why are you texting me at this time
🔫🔫: why are you texting me back at this time
seagull: …
🔫🔫: and this is important
🔫🔫: tomorrow is national kiss a ginger day and you dont have anyone to kiss
🔫🔫: kinda embarrassing if you ask me
seagull: well if youre so concerned why dont you kiss me tomorrow
3:35 am between wylan and 🤸🏽♀️
wylan: INEJ
wylan: INEJ INEJ INEJ
wylan: INEJJJJJJ
🤸🏽♀️: OMG WHAT
wylan: I THINK I FUCKED UP
🤸🏽♀️: OKAY
🤸🏽♀️: WHY
wylan sent a screenshot
wylan: HE HASNT RESPONDED IN LIKE THREE MINUTES
🤸🏽♀️: OH MY SAINTS
🤸🏽♀️: OH MY FUCKING SAINTS WYLAN
🤸🏽♀️: FINALLY
wylan: NO
wylan: INCORRECT RESPONSE
🤸🏽♀️: NO NO THIS IS GOOD
🤸🏽♀️: IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR YEARS YES
🤸🏽♀️: look
🤸🏽♀️: even if jesper doesnt like you back
🤸🏽♀️: which he totally does
🤸🏽♀️: he wont just drop you
🤸🏽♀️: hes better than that
wylan: okay but he still hasnt responded
🤸🏽♀️: you know jesper he’s probably just distracted
wylan: fineeeeeee
wylan: im still anxious
wylan: you cant take that away from me
3:35 am between INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER and ininja 🥷
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: INEJ
ininja: WHAT DO YOU WANT
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER sent an image
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: OH MY SAINTS?
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: WHAT THE FUCK DO I SAY
ininja: OH
ininja: IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
ininja: okay okay
ininja: how do you want this playing out, jes?
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: i mean i want to date him
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: like bad
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: like really bad
ininja: yes i am aware
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: but what if hes joking
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: like what if hes just tired and making a dumb joke
ininja: but what if he isnt?
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: …
ininja: what if you found out later than he was being serious? would you regret not taking the chance?
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: stop being wise
ininja: jesper
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: what if he is joking though and i fuck it up and he gets weird
ininja: do you really think wylan would do that
ininja: really
ininja: think about everything you know about wylan
ininja: and then think about the situation you are presenting
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: UGH
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: FINE
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: I WILL BE REASONABLE
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: what if i drove over to his apartment
ininja: …
ininja: i thought you were being reasonable
ininja: jesper
ininja: jesper
ininja: jesper
INEJS BESTEST FRIEND EVER: too late im already omw
ininja: okay bestie you do you
3:47 between 🔫🔫 and seagull
seagull: jesper.
seagull: why are you knocking frantically at my door
🔫🔫: no reason
🔫🔫: just let me in
seagull: but im in my bed and its very warm
🔫🔫: its fine i made a copy of your key long ago
seagull: WHAT
“Wylan?” Jesper’s voice rang through his (small) apartment, and very suddenly Wylan is more anxious than he’d been in his entire life.
“I’m in my room,” he replies, and the sound of Jesper’s ridiculous neon pink flip flops shuffling through the hallway makes his heart rate spike. Then Jesper is standing in his doorway, and Wylan is still sitting on his bed wrapped in a blanket. He knows his hair is a mess, and he can feel where his pillow indented the side of his cheek, but Jesper is here. He is here. He is standing in front of him, and he is here.
“What are you-”
“Wylan.”
“It’s the middle of the night.” Jesper looks at him, serious for once in his life.
“Wylan.” Wylan looks back, desperately trying to mask the swirling mess of emotions he feels right now.
“Jesper.”
“Wylan.” Wylan purses his lips, and Jesper sighs. “Tomorrow is national kiss a ginger day.”
He sighs, rolls his eyes. He doesn’t need Jesper driving all the way to his apartment at four in the morning to remind him of this stupid fake holiday, and the fact that he is alone. That he’ll probably always be alone, because there is only one person he currently wants to kiss, and that person is so not interested in him it hurts. “Is that all you’re here for?” He hopes that the hurt isn’t clear in his voice, but he fears it is. “I already told you, if you’re so concerned, do it yourself.” He regrets saying it, regrets dictating it into his phone all those endless minutes ago, and he regrets repeating it now, but he is stubborn and refuses to back off.
“I could.”
“What?”
Jesper takes a step forward, now only one stride away from his bed because Wylan’s apartment is small. He’s got a look on his face that Wylan recognizes, dully, as nerves and maybe a little hope, too. “What if… what if I did? Kiss you. Would you… would that be okay?”
Wylan stares. Jesper’s hands are twisting his sleeves, and his eyes dart around the room, then back to Wylan.
Jesper. Wants… Does he want to kiss him? Does he want to, or does he feel bad? Does he feel like he has to because he’s the one that was such an ass about it earlier? Does he-
Wylan doesn’t care.
Just as Jesper is opening his mouth to say something, just as dismay starts to cloud his face and he starts to shift his feet, Wylan leaps up from his bed, crosses the two feet of space between them, takes his face in his hands, and kisses him.
Jesper’s words- something about silences- get lost in the press of Wylan’s mouth, but he kisses back. His hands touch his waist, gently, at first, and then harder, pulling Wylan closer. Jesper tastes like toothpaste, like maybe he brushed his teethright before he came over, and the thought makes Wylan smile.
When they part, Wylan’s hands slide to rest on Jesper’s chest, but he can’t move any farther than that. Jesper’s hands are still pressed to his waist, keeping them together. He smiles, a little tentative. Suddenly, all the doubts are rushing back. What if he was just doing it out of obligation? What if he just pitied Wylan, the poor little dyslexic boy who hadn't been in a relationship in years?
“That was even better than I imagined.” When Wylan looks up, Jesper’s eyes are shining. He looks beautiful, with a boyish smile on his face and the dim light from his lamp reflecting off leftover glitter from two hours before.
“Imagined?”
Jesper ducks his head, and Wylan touches his cheek gently. It’s cold to the touch, because the night is freezing and Wylan’s apartment has a shitty heater, but that thought is forgotten when Jesper looks up and leans into the touch.
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about… that… you … for forever,” he admits, and under his fingers, Wylan feels his cheek heat with an unseen flush.
Wylan hums. He smooths a wrinkle from Jesper’s shirtsleeve, and then he snorts. “Your shirt is inside out.”
“ Wylan, ” Jesper’s voice is high pitched and whiny, and when he shoves Wylan, he takes a step back, laughing. Then there are hands on his hips again, pulling him closer closer, until there is even less space left between them than before. Jesper’s grumbling is petulant but so very endearing, and Wylan enjoys not being the flustered one for once.
His hands are gentle when he cups Jesper’s jaw and tilts it to meet him. Their last kiss- their first kiss- had been a little messy, a little clumsy, and a lot urgent. It had been the result of months and weeks and years of buildup, and it had been wonderful. Like a rubber band that had been stretched too thin, and finally released. A piano string snapping, a balloon letting out air. Now, though, it's slower- gentle, methodical. It’s relaxed, because there is no more anxiety or fear. Wylan knows exactly where they both stand because he trusts Jesper enough to be telling the truth.
Jesper is quiet, for once. He lets out a breathy sigh and circles his arms around Wylan’s waist, but all his usual boundless energy is quelled. Instead he matches Wylan, slow and intentional in the way they move together and breathe.
When Wylan finally decides to pull away, Jesper chases him. It makes sense- Jesper has never been good about not getting what he wants- and Wylan almost gives in and kisses him again, but he has something to say. So he keeps himself just out of reach, until Jesper gives in and opens his eyes. There is already the beginnings of a pout on his lips, and again Wylan has to stop himself from leaning back in, but he manages.
“I really like you, Jesper. I’d like to go on a date, tomorrow, if you’re free,” he says. Jesper grins impishly, and suddenly Wylan is wary. He no longer expects some kind of heartfelt sentiment back, or enthusiastic acceptance. Instead, Jesper looks like he’s about to say something spectacularly dumb.
“Taking me out to help you celebrate, hm?”
Wylan blinks. It takes a second, for his mind that has been consumed by Jesper kissing him and him kissing Jesper, to catch on. When it finally does, he turns and walks away.
“No, wait, Wylan!” he hears from behind him, mixed with giggling and the sound of footsteps on his hardwood floor.
He lets himself be caught, but doesn’t let Jesper hands (which are big and warm ) turn him around. Jesper hugs him from behind, presses a kiss to his jaw, and it feels so unbelievably natural that Wylan almost melts.
“I’m sorry for making bad jokes,” Jesper whispers. Wylan can feel his breath in his hair, and he knows that the tips of his ears are burning.
“You’re not.”
“I’m not,” he agrees easily. “It was my bad jokes that finally got us together.”
“Excuse me!” In his indignation, Wylan finally turns to face a smirking Jesper. “ I told you you should kiss me! And then I kissed you first! And then again! And I’m the one that asked you on a date! All you’ve done was stand there,” he says accusingly.
Jesper looks affronted. “I drove to your house at four am to kiss you!”
“Yeah, and then you came in here and stammered about kissing me until I got up and did it myself. I have done the most for the progression of this relationship. And, quite frankly, it’s-”
Before he can finish his sentence, Jesper has a hand in his hair and on his waist, and is pulling him into another kiss. Wylan’s indignant sound gets lost against Jesper’s lips, but he can’t stay mad for too long. Kissing Jesper is quickly becoming one of his favorite things to do, even if it’s just a distraction tactic. Wylan’s hand wander, first to ghost along Jesper’s jaw, and then to trace the space where his shirt doesn’t quite meet the waistband of his pants. He feels Jesper sigh softly into his mouth, and his smile widens. Touching Jesper like this, with innocence thrown out the window, is exhilarating. He feels like a kid finally allowed to stay up late. It’s wonderfully new, and he is terrified it will be taken away from him, but he can’t stop himself from pushing a little farther. Jesper doesn’t seem to mind, if the way his skin jumps underneath the light touch is anything to go by.
“Wylan,” Jesper whispers. Wylan slips his hand higher, presses it flat to the warmth of Jesper’s stomach. “Wylan.”
“I like the way you say my name,” he says back. Jesper lets out a shuddering sigh, and says it one more time.
“Wylan. Your apartment is freezing.”
“There’s a reason I didn’t want to leave my bed to let you in,” Wylan replies. They are no longer kissing, but they haven’t moved apart. Jesper is still pressed close, their noses still bump when one of them moves too far. Wylan doesn’t want to step away.
“Can we go to your bed?”
Wylan blinks, leans away until the arm around his waist stops him. “Um-”
“Not-” Jesper steps back, scrubs his hands over his face and sighs like he does when he’s angry with himself. “Not like that. I don’t want to fuck you. Well, I do, actually, a lot, I’ve thought about it multiple times- shit, is that creepy? Sorry if that’s creepy, I just meant that I would like to-”
Wylan stops him with a hand on his chest and an amused look. “Jesper.”
“Hm?”
“Breathe.” He does, deep breaths like he really had forgotten to, and Wylan can feel his chest rise and fall beneath his palm. “It wasn’t creepy. I’ve thought about it too.” The corner of Jesper’s mouth lifts, and his breathing is steady again. Wylan doesn’t move his hand.
“As much as I like kissing you- and trust me, I really like kissing you,” Jesper says, the soft quality to his voice in complete contrast to the cheeky way he winks.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he confirms. “Probably becoming one of my favorite things, in fact.”
“Oh really?” at Jesper’s nod, Wylan steps into his space again. “Why’d you stop, then?”
“Because I’m cold, Wylan. We’ve been over this,” Jesper says with a roll of his eyes, but it’s playful and doesn’t hold any real annoyance. “ However, if we went back to your bed- not. Not like that. I don’t want to do anything yet. I…” He sighs, and when Wylan cups his cheek in one hand he wraps his fingers loosely around his wrist. “I don’t just want to hook up with you. I want a lot more than that. I want to take things slow.”
“Okay,” Wylan whispers. “Then we’ll take things slow. I’m happy with that.”
“Okay.” Wylan leans up to kiss him again, but Jesper stops him. “Wylan. I have not been kidding the last three times I said I was cold. Can we please go do this in your bed where there are blankets and warmth. ” Wylan giggles, and leads him the few feet to his bed.
He collapses onto the soft mattress, and pulls Jesper down on top of him, still giggling. Jesper is grinning, wider than Wylan’s ever seen him, and his mouth has lost the vague taste of toothpaste, but Wylan enjoys himself no less. He’s being pressed into his pillows by Jesper’s hand on his cheek and his kisses, firm and playful. Wylan shamelessly slips his hand back under Jesper’s shirt to map out the miles of skin he can’t see, and Jesper is laughing breathlessly against him. It’s wonderful to have this, now, after spending so long wanting it more than anything. They won’t do anything else tonight- Wylan knows that, they’ve discussed it- but if it is as fun and freeing as this has been, then Wylan can’t wait.
“Jesper,” he tries to say, but it comes out muffled because the man above him does not stop kissing him. He manages to break away, to laugh and say “Jesper!” again. The answering hum is pressed to his neck, because Jesper seems loath to pull his mouth away from Wylan’s skin for even a second. “You were so whiny about being cold, but we’re not even under the quilt.”
“Don’t care,” Jesper murmurs. One of his hands has wormed its way around Wylan’s waist, and the other is tracing something over his neck. “‘M occupied, sunshine.”
“But it’s a very nice quilt,” Wylan comments. He can smell the coconut in Jesper’s hair products. “My mom made it for me.”
“Wy,” Jesper whines. “Stop talking about your Ma’s quilt while I’m trying to seduce you.”
Wylan is about to answer when he feels a buzz at his back, and remembers Inej, who is either asleep or waiting up for Wylan to tell her what happened. He guides Jesper’s head up, presses their lips together and revels in Jesper’s pleased sound, and then rolls him off of him.
“Hey!” Wylan ignores the indignant exclamation and worms his way under his blankets. There he finds his phone, and the many missed texts from Inej.
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
“Are you ignoring me to text Inej?”
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
“Wylan!”
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: wylan
🤸🏽♀️: …
🤸🏽♀️: im gonna assume that jesper got there then
🤸🏽♀️: have fun
🤸🏽♀️: nina wants me to tell you that she left her purse there last time and there are condoms in the side pocket
Wylan laughs out loud. Jesper stops his wheedling long enough to peer over his shoulder and gasp. “I am not a slut!”
Wylan cranes his neck to look at him. “Tell that to Nina.”
“Give me your phone and I will,” Jesper says. He’s also under the blankets now, pressed against Wylan’s back with his arms snaked around him and his legs tangled with Wylan’s.
“Go get your phone!”
“I don’t know where it is. Just give me yours.” He protests, but when Jesper reaches out to snatch his phone, Wylan lets him.
wylan: tell nina im not a slut
wylan: this is jes btw
🤸🏽♀️: ah so you two are finally done
🤸🏽♀️: have you gotten all the pining out of your system
wylan: hm
wylan: no i dont think so
wylan: check back in in an hour
🤸🏽♀️: all saints
🤸🏽♀️: no i will be peacefully asleep by then
“No she won’t,” Wylan says. “She never is.”
wylan: ? no you wont
🤸🏽♀️: you dont know me
🤸🏽♀️: i could be
wylan: no
wylan: anyway there is a very pretty boy lying next to me that i would like to go back to making out with so have fun not sleeping
wylan: jesper out
🤸🏽♀️: have fun you two
“Maybe I wanted to keep texting her,” Wylan says. Just to be annoying. Just to make Jesper whine and pull him closer with greedy hands on his waist and hips and thighs.
“You can text her tomorrow,” Jesper whispers. “Right now you could be doing something much more fun.”
“I don’t usually paint five in the morning, but I could be convinced.” Wylan tries to keep his tone mild and his face neutral, but he can’t help the grin spreading across his face as Jesper grumbles like a petulant child and tucks his face into Wylan’s shoulder.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” he argues. Wylan tries to stay strong, but every time Jesper’s hands rub warmth into another spot on his body or he licks another streak of sweat from his skin, he feels his resolve crumble a little more. He has no idea where Jesper put his phone, and he doesn’t really care. Not anymore.
“Wylan,” Jesper says, breathily, insistently, desperately. “Kiss me.”
Wylan is only a man. He obliges.