Work Text:
Akk and Khan are headed to the main office, preparing to send a short message to pupils via the intercom.
Through the prolonged silence between them, Khan huffed out, “why do we have to do it?”
“because we are prefects, Khan.” Akk mutters, rolling his eyes as he pushed the office door open.
Khan followed through, luckily Akk was in a good enough mood to hold the door open for him without slamming it right in his face.
“are you still moody because i mentioned the Ayan thing?” Khan managed, a small sound between a laugh and a squeak slipping from behind the hand that was now covering his mouth.
“no.” Akk was quick to add, sounding seemingly guilty considering his hasty motion to distract himself. “i already told you, he’s a dick!” The taller added, now straightening some papers that were of no use to him.
“aren’t you into those?” Khan fired playfully, eyebrows raised, earning him a swat on the arm from Akk.
“Khan, don’t joke like that!” Barked Akk, his gaze now fixated on the floor underneath him, hoping it would swallow him whole.
“alright, fine,” Khan assured, rubbing the side of his arm dramatically, or at least that’s what Akk classed it as. “but seriously, every time someone brings him up, you try and change the topic!”
Akk scoffed, still fidgeting with some nearby files that were slightly unorganised. “no, i don’t.”
“you do!” Insisted Khan, watching as Akk tried to fix nothing. “you’re doing it right now.”
“doing what?” Akk scoffed, leaning against the rim of the desk while now facing Khan.
“you get agitated whenever you have to talk about him and try distract yourself.” Khan replied.
Akk mumbled something under his breath, inaudible for Khan but he got the message that Akk didn’t seem to agree.
“well, i’m talking about him right now yet i’m completely fine, hm?”
Khan didn’t reply, although, Akk noticed the way his eyes pointed towards the files he had earlier sorted, the pointless papers that were already neatly stacked, and the way Akk’s fingers were currently gripping the edge of the desk a little too firmly.
His grip loosening slackly, Akk glared at the blank wall until he slowly started tripping over his own words.
“this is ridiculous,” Akk said, restlessly walking closer to Khan again. “just say whatever you’re trying to imply.”
Khan sighed quietly to himself, knowing Akk is going to annoyed at him again. “well, maybe you do actually like him?”
A small noise came from Akk, barely passing as a pathetic gasp for air. “no way, he’s so loud and never knows when to shut up.” Akk scoffed before continuing on with the list of Ayan’s personality quirks that have been cemented into his brain. “and he’s so shameless, not to mention how much trouble he gets himself into!”
“have you ever thought that maybe you like those things about him?” Khan asked, softer this time, eyebrows arched slightly just under his hairline.
Akk fell silent, considering Khan’s words. really considering them.
If he was being honest, he was totally insane over Ayan, yet he never let his mask slip up. He would pretend to hate him in the day, typically rolling his eyes at his presence, yet when nobody was around and it was just the two of them, he always found himself taking second glances, his heart beating a little faster than it originally was.
“fine, yes, i like Ayan!” Akk admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he started to feel the flush slowly climbing up from behind. “and i despise it, but whenever i’m with him he seems so happy, even when i’m calling him annoying.”
Khan didn’t interrupt this time, he simply smiled as he watched Akk try and defend himself against no real threat.
“but…i suppose he is cute, and it’s his fault!” Akk blabbed, unaware of how Khan was smirking at him. “i can’t help but stare when he styles his hair like that, or looks up at me with those wide eyes and-“
Khan chuckled silently, but as he lowered his head to try and stop Akk from seeing him…he noticed something.
A red light that was flashing consistently, the adjustable microphone sitting beside it and…oh my god!
“Akk…” Attempted Khan, shifting slightly closer but he was soon cut off by Akk once again.
“no, you wanted to hear it!” Akk nudged him away, assuming Khan was going to tease him about this stupid crush! “i mean, how does he expect me to act normal when he’s always following me around like a lost puppy?” Akk added, still blissfully unaware of what he had just done.
“Akk-“ Kahn tried to intervene again, his tone increasing, sounding strangely impatient.
Akk didn’t acknowledge Khan st the moment, his mind fully occupied with Ayan. “and the way he says things like ‘you’re so cute’ casually?!” Akk stammered, his mind repeating all the times that Ayan has called him cute or unmistakably flirted with him; Akk had lost count after the seventh time.
“Akk!“ Khan hollered, his tone piercing through the sudden silence in the room as he finally came to the realisation that Akk needed to stop talking now!
Akk fell silent, blinking slowly at Khan as he waited for him to speak up again, expecting an explanation of why he was suddenly shouting.
“Akk, the mic is on…” mumbled Khan, pointing at the eavesdropping object, his whisper barely audible for the mic to pick up.
He noticed the way Akk’s face dropped, and Akk could feel it. His heart sinking into the pit of his stomach. his gaze carefully following the direction that Khan was pointing to and that’s when he saw the mic, the red flashing light, the humiliation.
the whole school had just heard him confessing about his crush on Ayan.
“what?”
Ayan was sitting in the classroom, resting his head on the desk as he burrowed into the corner oh his folded arm.
He listened to the voiced around him that were filling the room, making plans for the weekend, discussing homework, complaining about uniform, but none of them stuck out.
Because none of them were Akk.
The rest turned into muffled, Ayan in his own little bubble as he waited for Akk to arrive back.
In fact, his brain was already two steps ahead and was currently planing his mini speech on how he could praise Akk about how this intercom interruption.
Akk and Khan had been selected to give student a reminder about some upcoming changes, and if Ayan was being honest, he couldn’t even remember what they were.
He was more focused on hearing Akk’s whimsical voice echo across the room, bouncing off the walls and straight to his eardrums. In specific, he couldn’t wait to tell him how good he sounded and quietly watch the faint flush flicker over his cheeks; he looked so cute every time!
And when he finally heard some muffling through the speakers that were planted around the campus.
What he didn’t expect, was his name to get mentioned. it sounded like Akk and Khan were unaware that the microphone was recording.
“fine, yes, i like Ayan!”
Ayan’s head shot up from where it was previously resting on the desk, noticing everybody was already looking at him. The sudden spotlight made him feel uneasy, but that was the least of his concern.
right now, he needed to find Akk.
So, he stood up from his desk and hastily exited the classroom. He wandered through the corridors, trying to find where exactly the main office was as he didn’t really take note of it when Akk first showed him around the school; he was much more interested in admiring Akk instead.
On the way, Ayan had accidentally ran into Khan.
“Khan? where’s Akk?” Ayan asked, stopping in his tracks as he noticed Akk wasn’t with Khan.
“he’s still in the intercoms room,” Khan explained, chewing on his lower lip sympathetically. “he’s totally freaking out and refusing to come back to class.”
“is he scared people will say something?” Asked Ayan, his brows knitting together as his gaze stayed unfocused.
“i think he’s more scared that you will say something.” Khan corrected, continuing to tell Ayan about Akk but he seems dissociated from the conversation entirely. “he’s been pacing back and forth, jumping to every possible bad outcome.”
“i’ll talk to him, thank you.” Ayan gave a small nod before walking past Khan, following his last footsteps.
Eventually, he found the intercom room. His hand froze over the handle, hesitant and second guessing if he should give Akk some space.
However, Ayan had been down this route before. He would say something harmless and Akk would silently freak out and avoid Ayan for as long as he could. Ayan knew this was one of those situations.
But Ayan would never leave him alone for too long, never letting him drift too far away.
As his fingers curled over the handle, a small creek washed over the floorboards, making his presence abruptly obvious.
“Khan, i told you to leave-“ Akk scoffed, his head in his hands as his elbows rested on the desk’s smooth surface.
“well, it’s a good thing i’m not Khan.”
The voice made Akk freeze, involuntarily fucking freeze. He knew that smug voice too well, he knew that tone meant he was suppressing a smirk through his words, and he definitely knew that was Ayan.
Akk lifted his head, stiffly and against his own will but he felt as if he wasn’t controlling his body right now. He was stuck on autopilot as his mind was occupying most of his attention.
fuck.
“Ayan?” Akk whispered, his voice sounding so small compared to his slender self.
Ayan was here, right now, standing right in front of him…looking very cute — but that wasn’t the point!
Ayan had heard all of that, about how he liked his hair, about how he liked his smile, about how he liked his attitude, about how he liked his eyes, about how he thought he was-
“so, you think i’m cute?” Ayan asked playfully, stepping closer to the chair that Akk was currently slumped in.
“yes, fine, just make fun of me now.” Grumbled Akk, covering his face with his hands as he could feel the unwanted blush showing on his face.
“why would i make fun of you?” Ayan parroted, sounding genuine as his voice became gentler, smoother in a way.
Akk could hear Ayan pulling out the chair beside him, the bottom scraping against the floor only made Akk hyperaware of the fact that he wanted the ground to swallow him alive for the second time today.
“because this is the most embarrassing thing ever.” Akk groaned, rubbing his eyes slightly as he could see his vision starting to blur.
how pathetic.
he was seriously about to start crying, infront of Ayan, because he didn’t think to check if the mic was on before admitting his whole love confession!
this was all his fault.
Ayan heard the little sniffle coming from behind Akk’s barricading hands, so he slowly extended his arm and gently tugged at his wrist. no force, no pressure, he just didn’t want Akk drowning himself in his own thoughts.
“Akk, can you look at me, na?” Ayan spoke, his voice so gentle it almost sounded just as fragile as Akk, making Akk feel a little more grounded.
“why?” Akk managed, pulling his hands away from his face anyways, feeling too seen, too vulnerable. “why are you even here?” Akk added, his eyes soon trailing off to the side. “why don’t you hate me?”
“hate you?” Asked Ayan, almost offended at the idea. “Akk, i could never hate you.”
Ayan gracefully reached for his hand, taking it in his own as if he was cherishing the touch of Akk’s feverish skin against his own.
A stray tear ran free, gliding down the dip of his cheek as everything became too overwhelming, the pounding in his chest that seemed to ease by the way Ayan was looking at him.
oh, the way Ayan was looking at him.
It fell somewhere between too intense yet too gentle, unlocking every thought that hid behind his trapped lips yet came effortlessly through his eyes.
Ayan swiped away the tear before it had time to stain his skin, the salty blemish carrying the same weight as a ton of unspoken words.
“Akk, why didn’t you tell me?” Ayan asked, his thumbs gliding over every imperfection on Akk’s hand, the calloused skin, the crinkles on his palm, the fingernails he cut too short again, the dryness of his skin as he washed his hands repeatedly, yet in Ayan’s eyes…those were perfect. They made Akk, Akk.
“i- i don’t know.” Akk admitted, trying his very best to hide the tremble of his bottom lip. Ayan may have noticed, considering the way his brows were upturned at the edge. “this is all new to me and…and i thought you might have just been joking.” Akk added, quieter this time.
“Akk…none of that was a joke.” Ayan shook his head frantically, giving his hand a small squeeze as he continued. “every little glance, compliment, or simply wanting to be around you wasn’t a ‘joke’.” Assured Ayan, whispering another small…”i meant it.”
Akk looked back at him, another tear falling down the side of his face, but this time Ayan didn’t catch it.
Ayan let it happen, just how he always let Akk have his space, give him time to figure himself out, give him time to choose Ayan.
“i know now.” Akk sighed, a nervous chuckle embodying itself into the silence around them.
“took you long enough.” Ayan remarked, still watching Akk, his gaze glued onto his every feature.
Ayan admired how the faulty light sculpted his adorable little nose, the shadow overlying the subtle furrow of his brows and the glassy state that lined over his eyes, the inner corners spiking red from all the overflowing tears.
“so, is now the best time to say i like you too?” Ayan chuckled playfully, taking note of the way Akk nodded shyly, the same flush appearing on his face whenever he would say anything else slightly too meaningful.
Ayan stood from where he was sat, his hand detaching from Akk’s, the missing presence immediately sparking an uneasy feeling inside of Akk, but that was soon replaced with satisfaction when Ayan stepped closer, his hands gently cupping his jaw as he tilted his head up and planted a tender kiss against his lips.
Akk melted instantly, straightening his posture as he chased after Ayan’s lips, his heart hammering inside of his chest as the taste of Ayan’s sweet lips made his head feel all fuzzy.
When Ayan finally pulled back, he couldn’t contain the smile that was undeniably tugging at the corner of his lips. The way Akk was looking up at him once his lashes fluttered open carefully, completely starstruck as he watch him back, as if he were waiting for confirmation.
“is this okay?” Ayan asked, his thumb gently skimming across the sensitive skin.
“yes, it’s just-“ Akk paused, slightly embarrassed at the confession. “…i’ve never kissed anyone before.”
Ayan smiled gently, so reassuring that it made Akk’s heart squeeze with affection. “well, i’m glad to be your first.”
Akk swiftly averted his gaze elsewhere, getting all shy on Ayan and he couldn’t deny, he was absolutely smitten over it.
“how about we go to this cafe nearby after school,” Ayan started, his smirk forming into a sly grin that hinted he had something else in mind. “and then i can stare at your pretty face for as long as i’d like?”
Akk rolled his eyes at the comment, the light sprinkle of flush still plastered over this face, but this time he didn’t mind.
because it was Ayan.
it always had been.
“fine, but we have to wait for everyone to leave first.” Akk muttered, his mind replaying over every single word he said over the intercom, scrunching his nose at the thought.
“awh, still embarrassed?” Ayan teased, his voice laced with affection, casually interlinking their fingers as he pulled Akk up from his seat.
“shut up.”
“fine, but at least the whole school will know i’m yours.” Ayan smiled, sending Akk into another flustered trance.
Ayan couldn’t just go around saying he belongs to Akk!
“stop talking!” Exclaimed Akk, a small pout on his face as he knew Ayan was back to teasing him again.
Ayan chuckled once more, stealing a quick kiss on the cheek from Akk. He loved the way his cheeks turned a deeper shade of red while also occasionally glancing away when he realised he had been staring for too long.
Ayan didn’t know how he got so lucky to have Akk, but he was definitely not going to stop appreciating him…or teasing him!