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Jackson may be sweaty and tired right now from his extreme dance practice but that doesn’t mean that he has the option of going back to the dorm and sleeping his heart away.
No. Jackson has a lecture here in an hour so there’s no point for Jackson to walk all the way back to his dorm, a twenty minute walk, and all the way back for only fifteen minutes of sleep.
But Jackson is still about to fall asleep standing up so that’s how he found himself entering the café on the edge of the campus.
Soft but happy music drifted into his ears as soon as he opened the door.
Now, it’s not like Jackson had never contemplated coming into this establishment, he just never had the time to stop by. In between classes, dance practice, and fencing, he barely had enough time to eat yet alone spare time to rest in a café. So as soon as he passed through the glass doors and entered the warm environment, he found himself unsure of what to pick or do.
He was sure he had been standing in the same spot for the last few minutes, just skimming over the menu when he caught sight of the barista behind the counter taking orders.
He was tall, at least taller than Jackson was but that wasn’t saying anything because Jackson wasn’t all that tall. From Jackson could see, he had brown eyes and dark brown hair that was long enough that it was falling softly on both sides of his face, making him look softer than he probably actually was. Also, the man had what seemed like a permanent frown on his face as he took the customer’s, a young female who didn’t stop batting her eyes at him for a second, order.
Jackson skimmed over the menu one more time after removing his eyes from the man in front of him before deciding on a Caffe Mocha (it had chocolate syrup in it, it had to be good right?). Jackson silently made his way to the counter behind the younger girl who was still obviously flirting with the barista and mentally argued with himself about why he was in here in the first place.
The younger girl turned around to fast with her coffee and it almost went everywhere if Jackson hadn’t had been behind her to steady her and settle her hands.
“Ah! Thank you oppa!” She bowed slightly to him, still fluttering her eyes which made him grimace slightly while he hoped it didn’t show on the outside. Judging by the barista in front of him whose facial expression went from downright dreadful to slightly amused, it was showing very much.
A few seconds later, the girl was gone and Jackson was in front of the barista who was very attractive right in person. He had twin moles on his left eyelid, which was endearingly attractive, and playful, soft, chocolate brown eyes that had a hint of amusement in them. The man also had a bunch of earrings in both ears, yet he managed to pull it off and look incredibly handsome in them.
“Not into the chicks, huh?” The man-Jaebum- asked.
Jackson shook his head slowly. “Nah, too crazy for me. Too much drama, too much of it’s my fault, not them. Plus they don’t have the right parts to make it work for me.” Jackson was mentally beating himself up for not knowing when to shut his mouth. He watched as Jaebum’s eyebrows went up but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips before Jaebum could stop himself from not reacting to his words.
He watched as Jaebum choked back a small laugh before he forced out the words, “What would you like today?”
Jackson forgot what he wanted for a moment and he leaned his head back to see the menu again and almost fell over from how far he leaned back. Once Jackson regained his balance, he looked forward to see Jaebum watching him almost fondly.
“Uh, just a Caffe Mocha?” Jackson knew he sounded unsure and he sure as hell felt unsure.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Jaebum teased as he rang him up.
Jackson shook his head as he said, “Nope. Not at all.” Jaebum snickered as he took Jackson’s money and gave him back the change he got back.
“It’ll be a few moments, so if you want to wait at a table or over in the waiting area while we fix the drink, we’ll bring it right to you.”
Jackson nodded and brought out his phone from his pocket as he made his way to the waiting area where he proceeded to stand for the next four minutes. Jackson basically went through his Instagram insanely fast since he didn’t follow that many people. Jackson had just put his phone back in favorite pair of black sweats and had straightened out his comfiest grey tee shirt when he spotted Jaebum making his way to him with what he assumed was his coffee.
Jackson slid off his snapback for a moment and ran a hand through his dark brown hair before sliding the bright pink snapback back onto his head just as the male got to his table.
“Caffe Mocha, right?” Jaebum asked, one eyebrow raised as he held the drink out to Jackson.
“Yep.” Jackson took the drink carefully then stared at it like he was waiting for it to attack him,
And Jaebum was still standing in front of him.
Jackson looked up and sent him a confused stare. Jaebum just gestured to the drink.
“Go on and try it. I can just tell that it’s your first time trying coffee. Who doesn’t drink coffee to get their day rolling and going?” He heard Jaebum ask himself, meaning he wasn’t really expecting an answer but Jackson answered him anyways.
“I have to watch my figure since I’m in a dance team and on the national fencing team. I shouldn’t drink coffee and eat random snack food whenever I want to. Doesn’t mean that I don’t though.” Then Jackson proceeded to bring the paper cup to his mouth and he swallowed just enough to get a taste of the drink before he took a few more careful yet steady drinks.
Jackson let the cup fall back down to his side as he released a groan to the air and let his head fall backwards on the wall.
“It’s like sex in a cup. Literally. Call it ‘sex in a cup’. A much better name than Caffe Mocha.” Jackson opened his eyes and was met with Jaebum staring him down with dark intense eyes and with his mouth slightly open as he stared straight at Jackson with no care.
“Uh.” Jackson looked at him, confused for a moment, before he reached out and lightly poked the man’s cheek. Jaebum jumped back like he had been shocked yet he was still staring at Jackson with intense eyes before a smirk broke out on his lips.
“How would you know what sex in a cup taste like, exactly?” Jackson sputtered on the next sip of his drink and he quickly punched Jaebum in the arm before turning on his heel and exiting. As he left out the front glass doors, he was sure that he felt that stare of Jaebum burning into his backside the whole way out the door.
The next time he went to the café, which he just realized it was called ‘Just Right’. This time, Jackson made sure to bring along his best friend and practically brother, Mark Tuan, along with him. The past two weeks, he had been gushing to Mark about how Jaebum-hyung had took the best care of him and made him the best Caffe Mocha there ever was.
Mark had rolled his eyes every time Jaebum was brought up into the conversion and he couldn’t help but tease Jackson about Jaebum every moment he had the chance to, calling it a ‘crush’.
Jackson, of course, would blush and deny everything.
And that was what was exactly going on in that very moment. Jackson had been bragging about Jaebum and he personally watched Mark roll his eyes before he was rudely shoved to the counter where no one was waiting at. There was no cashier or barista nor was there a single customer in sight.
Jackson tilted his head backwards at Mark.
“Pick whatever you want dude. I’m paying.” He said to the unaware Mark, who was staring at the back of a slim, black-haired male that was wearing thick framed glasses that rested on the end of his nose.
Jackson called Mark’s name three more times before he rudely brought his elbow back to hit Mark right in the ribs. He listened as Mark inhaled deeply from the sharp hit and he weirdly got satisfaction from it. Just as he was about to tease Mark for looking at the worker he had never met before, he felt someone tap on his shoulder.
Jackson turned around quickly only to be met by Jaebum’s blinding smile. He was grinning at Jackson like he was the sun and frankly, Jackson loved it.
“Miss me?” Jaebum teased as he leaned coolly against the wall behind him. Jackson scoffed and acted like he was flipping his hair.
“Never.” Jackson acted like he was flipping his hair when in reality he just made his precious snapback fall to the ground. Jaebum snickered.
“What would you like today…?” Jaebum left the sentence hanging out in the air and Jackson answered a little too quickly, like he was extremely eager to say his name.
“Jackson. Jackson Wang. Uh. Could I get a Caffe Mocha again? It’s the only thing I really know from here.” Jaebum looked at him with slight sympathy before recommending a drink.
“Why don’t you try an Espressino? It has equal parts of espresso, Nutella all over the wall of the cup, with some cocoa powder on the bottom of the cup and on top of the drink, and a part of milk as well.” Jackson was in the middle of contemplating that drink when Mark decided to pop his head around Jackson’s body.
“That does sound like a Jackson drink for sure. Sweet, full of chocolate. This guy has a major sweet tooth, I’m telling you.” Mark input as he quickly skimmed the menu for what he wanted. Jackson still had eyes for Jaebum though and he watched as Jaebum’s bright expression dulled and his smile turned back into the frown Jackson had saw when he first spotted Jaebum.
“You ordering or what?” Jackson heard Jaebum practically growl at Mark. It sort of shocked Jackson, considering Jaebum had been nothing but nice and bright to him.
Mark sent a questioning look at Jackson and Jackson merely shrugged because he wasn’t aware what was happening either.
“Uh. Just a triple shot expresso. I have class in a few moments and I need to stay awake for the lecture of my life.” Mark practically groaned. Jackson was grinning on the inside but he saw that Jaebum still stared at Mark, looking like he wished he could kill him on the spot.
The slim black haired male slid in behind Jaebum and rested on the counter in front of Mark.
“Soooo…” Jackson heard the male drag his words out his mouth. “Are you two together?” The male, Jinyoung it looked like from Jackson could read from his name tag, asked with a smirk. Jackson was frozen on the inside and saw in his peripheral vision that Jaebum had become a little too interested in the conversation as he took Jackson’s money to pay for the coffee.
Jackson looked to his left and met Mark’s eyes with a stricken face before the two of them lost it and were in hysterical laughter almost immediately.
Jackson was still cracking up but he managed to squeeze out a few words to Jaebum and Jinyoung. “Dude. He’s basically my brother. That’s just gross.” Jackson let out a few more bursts of laughter as he listened to his friend’s high pitched laughter that never failed to make his day. He wiped his eyes and looked up at the two men who seemed to have lost all tension right then and there right after Jackson’s answer.
“That was pure gold. Gold, I tell you.” Mark told him through his little giggles every now and then as he bumped shoulders with Jackson. Jackson laughed and shoved him away.
“I told you this would happen!” Jackson pointed in Mark’s face basically saying ‘I told you so’. Mark just grinned and smacked his finger away.
When the two had settled down, they straightened back up and was met with Jaebum holding their drinks out to them with a brighter expression on his face than when he first met Mark. Mark generously took his cup and took a great big sip before sighing in contentment. He raised two fingers in salute to Jackson and Jackson tried to replicate him but he just fumbled and gave up and instead waved at Mark as he left to go to classes.
Once the door had closed and Mark had exited the building, Jackson turned on his heel and grabbed his drink. He quickly yet carefully set it down before pulling his arm backs slightly and punching Jaebum right in the arm.
Jaebum grasped his arm where Jackson had hit him and looked at Jackson with a slight accusation face on.
Jackson pointed at Jaebum. “Don’t even give me that look. You were extremely rude to Mark for no reason. Care to share with the class?” Jackson said, crossing his arms and staring directly at Jaebum, expecting at least a half-assed answer.
Jaebum looked panicked for a second before his smirk came back into full force.
“Wow, Jackson, I didn’t know you were into that teacher-student kink.” Jackson sputtered once more before glaring at Jaebum and taking a sip from his espressino and slapping his lips slightly together as he gauged the taste of the drink.
“Kudos to you, you can make decent coffee.” Jackson muttered as he took another sip of the delightful goody.
“Hey Jackson.” Jackson lifted his head slightly and hummed, still focusing on his coffee but paying attention to whatever Jaebum was going to say to him.
“If you were ground coffee, you would be an espresso because you’re so fine.”
Jackson almost lost his espressino for a second time as he didn’t expect Jaebum to hit him with a pick-up line.
The third time Jackson entered the tiny café, he was limping and wincing the whole way. For the last few weeks, he had been learning some new martial arts flipping for the dance competition which was in three weeks from today. In the process of flipping, someone had startled him and he had lost his footing badly, resulting in a sprained ankle.
And although a lot of people who have just sat on their butt and rested for the two week period he was supposed to, Jackson refused to just lie around doing nothing. So he bought an ankle sleeve to help relieve some of the ache and pain he was feeling but the majority of it was still throbbing in his ankle.
As soon as he crossed the café’s entrance, the new worker immediately spotted him. The kid’s name was Kunpimook or as Jackson called him, BamBam. The kid had immediately taking a liking to Jackson’s bright and vibrant energy and latched onto Jackson like some type of leech. Not that Jackson minded though, he was all for having more friends, especially since he barely had any to begin with.
BamBam quickly made his way across the room to Jackson, his brown hair with the bit of pink in the front flopping haphazardly against the top of his head.
“Hyung! What’s wrong?”
Jackson gritted his teeth and took another step forward all while knowing he looked like he was dying on the outside.
BamBam reached out to try and wrap an arm around Jackson’s waist but Jackson shook his head vehemently. BamBam looked unsure and out of place as he hovered around Jackson, not leaving him although Jackson wanted him to go back to playing barista.
“Hyung, you really shouldn’t be walking on that ankle. You’ll just damage it more.” Jackson just gritted his teeth more and walked a few more steps with great difficulty when the door behind him opened with a twinkle, alerting everyone that someone else had stepped in.
“Ya. Jackson-ah, what are you doing here today?” Jackson heard Jaebum say behind him and it took all of Jackson not to turn and reply. He wanted to, god, he wanted to. But he knew that if he turned, it would hurt him insanely more than he was already feeling.
It was like instantly Jaebum noticed that BamBam was hovering around Jackson.
“BamBam, what are you doing exactly?” BamBam didn’t have to answer because Jackson took another step forward when he winced visibly and a hiss escaped his lips. Before Jackson even had time to react, an arm was wrapping around his waist and his arm was lifted over someone’s shoulder. He was lifted enough off the floor where his right, hurt, foot was barely skimming the floor while his left food carried most of his weigh.
“Ya! Im Jaebum, let me go.” Jackson tried to argue with the older male but he wasn’t having any of it. Jaebum practically carried Jackson to the barista counter where he then proceeded to lift Jackson up on the counter with barely any problem whatsoever.
“Jackson Wang. So help me but you better tell me what you did right now.” Jaebum practically ordered Jackson to tell him what happened and god if the domination wasn’t hot. (Not the time to pop a boner, Jackson thought.) Jackson merely shrugged.
“We can do this all night, Jackson.” Jaebum stated, looking into his eyes with intense emotion.
Jackson shrugged once again but answered this time. “I sprained my ankle doing a flip. No biggie.”
“No biggie? Do you see your ankle?” Jaebum questioned. He lifted Jackson’s loose black sweats off his right leg to where it was resting on Jackson’s knee and Jackson got a good look at his ankle for the first time.
His ankle was swollen immensely, along with the major discoloration that was very prominent.
“You shouldn’t stand on this, let alone go for a long walk to this café. You should be resting.” Jaebum scolded him. “You have got to take better care of yourself Jackson-ah! Tell me, when was the last time you ate? The last time you truly got a full night of sleep? When have you just relaxed? Jackson, you have got to take care of yourself better.” Jaebum was starting to go into full rant about how Jackson should care more about himself and his health and that he needed to stop worrying Jaebum with his tendency to not say no to anybody.
“Jaebum.” Jackson eventually said and he watched as Jaebum took in deep breaths as he looked Jackson in the eye. “I appreciate the concern, I really do. I haven’t been show such care in a long time. But I’m a big boy, I need to learn my limits.” Jackson took Jaebum’s hand in both of his hands and clasped them tightly. “Thank you for caring. Really. I promise to take better care of myself in the future, okay hyung?”
Jaebum stared at their hands before looking at Jackson and nodding with a small smile. “Don’t think that you’re off the hook, Jackson-ah. Eomma wants to speak with you.” Jaebum nodded at somebody over Jackson’s shoulder and Jackson turned his body enough where he could see Jinyoung standing behind the counter with his arms crossed and his left foot tapping impatiently against the floor. Jackson let his head fall back and he groaned right out loud.
Later on, Jaebum had refused to let Jackson out of his sight for the remainder of the day. Therefore, Jackson was forced to hang out at the café for the rest of the day and listen to Jinyoung, Jaebum, and BamBam tease and baby him.
By the time Jaebum had pulled up at Jackson’s dorm, it was 9 o’clock and raining slightly. Jaebum exited the car first and quickly made his way over to Jackson’s side of the car where he proceeded to open the door and help Jackson out.
Jackson actually accepted the help and leaned on Jaebum the whole way up to his dorm room, which just happened to be on the fourth floor.
Ten minutes of awkward shuffling and slow walking and elevator music, the pair eventually made it to Jackson’s door where Jackson slowly unlocked the door and hobbled inside, barely aware Jaebum was following him.
“Here.” Jaebum handed him a slip of paper before he slid his hands back into his coat. “Just in case you need help or anything. Don’t want you dying on me, Wang.” Jaebum lifted his hand up in a salute and Jackson grinned and waved as he exited his dorm room, closing the door behind him.
Jackson looked down at the piece of paper just handed to him and he unfolded it carefully before a big grin stretched across his face.
Im Jaebum – 003-0813-2043 Please don’t be a little shit just texting me random things man.
Jackson quickly fished his phone out of his pocket before sending a message to the number he had just been handed.
To: attractive trash
From: unknown
What do you mean, don’t send random things? I THOUGHT YOU LOVED RANDOM THINGS.
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
Jackson, come on, I’m trying to survive.
To: attractive trash
From: immature cutie
Jaebum-hyunggg~~ Classes are so long since it’s the last week of the semester before holidays. Entertain meeee.
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
I’m working right now, I swear, if I get caught texting while on the job I’m going to kill you.
To: attractive trash
From: immature cutie
Jaebummie. Hyunggg…Don’t tell me you’re one of those guys who like to be called oppa.
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
I swear. No. I don’t have a thing for being called oppa, if you don’t recall how we first met.
To: attractive trash
From: immature cutie
YOU REMEMBER HOW WE MET? AWE, JAEBUM, THAT’S SO ADORABLE.
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
I’m deleting your number.
To: attractive trash
From: immature cutie
I WILL REMEMBER YOUUUU. WILL YOU REMEMBER ME?
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
My god, Jackson.
To: attractive trash
From: immature cutie
Hyung, do you have snapchat? And if you do, can I know your username?
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
Do you promise to not send me useless things/facts?
To: attractive trash
From: immature cutie
Yes, hyung.
To: immature cutie
From: attractive trash
Fine. Its defsoul94
*New Snap Friend Request: Wangster394, Accept or Decline*
*Friend Accepted! Click here to chat with Wangster394*
*Wangster394 nickname changed to Jacksoff*
*New Snap Received!*
And that’s basically how the next few weeks went with Jackson sending multiple snapchats to Jaebum while Jaebum rarely actually sent a snap back. There were a collection of just random snapchats that Jackson had sent to him.
In response, Jaebum had set a few back in reply to these snapchats but he didn’t respond to everything Jackson had sent him.
Jackson himself didn’t know when their relationship when from barely platonic to slightly intimate. But god, he was starting to fall for that man.
Jackson!”
Jackson had just entered the café when BamBam called out to him. Jackson waved a hand carelessly in the air as he led the younger males he had just defended to a free table. By defended, he means that he got punched in the face a couple of times and had gotten a few good throws in as well. So currently, there was a constantly flowing stream of blood exiting his nose and his lip was swollen and the right side of his face was a darker color than the left.
The older of the two, Youngjae, had been apologizing the whole way to the café. So had the younger, Yugyeom, constantly saying ‘I’m sorry’ over and over. No matter how many times that Jackson had told the pair that it was okay, it didn’t hurt that much, they still apologized for everything numerous of times.
Jackson hushed them once more as he turned to go behind the counter of the café when Jaebum walked in.
“Jaebum, your boy toy is damaged again.” Jaebum’s head immediately shot up at BamBam’s words. Jaebum locked his eyes on Jackson and Jackson just shrugged with a sheepish smile.
“Aish. What am I going to do with you?” Jaebum sighed as he made his way to Jackson.
“It’s not like I do it on purpose! I saved the two younger kids over there from being beat up by the EXO clan.” Jackson pouted, trying to defend himself.
“Mhmm.” Jaebum hummed as he once again led Jackson behind the counter to help him sit on the counter. Jaebum tilted Jackson’s head down so he could look at his injuries. Finding nothing too damaging, Jaebum grabbed a rag from under the counter before heading to the freezer in the back and grabbing a handful of ice and wrapping the rag around the ice. Once satisfied with the make-shift ice pack, he headed back to Jackson and placed the ice filled rag gently on the right side of Jackson’s face.
“Hold.” He commanded Jackson. Jackson huffed and rolled his eyes but complied anyways. Jaebum ran his eyes over Jackson once again and finally fully satisfied, he wrapped his arms loosely around Jackson’s waist and leaned his forehead against Jackson’s.
“Stop being a martyr, okay?” Jaebum muttered before landing a soft kiss on Jackson’s pout shaped lips. Jackson merely smiled and leaned down for a longer, deeper kiss that left Jaebum wanting more.
“I couldn’t leave two teenagers to fend for themselves. You know me, Jaebum.” Jaebum nodded with a fond look clearly present on his face when BamBam and Jinyoung both squealed behind them. It was so loud that Jaebum jumped and bumped his knee against the counter.
“When did this happen?” Jinyoung demanded, his foot tapping against the floor and happiness glinting his eyes.
“Uh. About three weeks ago? We all hung out at the bowling alley and he just asked me with a stupid pick up line.” Jackson laughed out loud as he explained where and when it happened to the baffled pair. Jaebum’s cheeks were starting to turn red and he tucked his face into Jackson’s neck and his arms wound tightly around Jackson’s waist. Jackson ran a hand up and down the part of Jaebum’s back that he could reach while the other one stroked gently through Jaebum’s thick black tresses.
“How’d the pickup line go hyung?”
“It is a good thing that I have my library card? Because I’m totally checking you out.”