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Friday nights always smelled like Newt’s candles. Vanilla, usually. But when he was feeling dramatic -or smug- he broke out the florals. Tonight the whole apartment reeked of rose and honey. Final results weren’t due for another week, so unless he’d cracked the professor’s gradebook, Newt knew something the rest of us didn’t.
Frypan ran the kitchen like the navy, barking orders while stirring spaghetti. Newt got stuck measuring seasoning. Teresa slicing french bread with surgical precision. Minho was self-proclaimed “Game Master,” because whether by his choice or the group’s, he always planned the entertainment. Brenda sat on the kitchen peninsula, persistent in her attempts at distracting her boyfriend.
And then there was Gally. He sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the couch, aimless, like he hadn’t figured out where he fit among the mess of blankets and friends. He’d already graduated trade school, and though he was proud of his carpentry, it left him feeling out of step with the others. Classes, exams, dorm gossip- none of it belonged to him anymore. He’d always felt a certain distance from his peers, but lately the gap felt wider, harder to ignore.
It didn’t help that his younger brother, Chuck, seemed closer to Thomas than to him. Their playful rivalry had stopped feeling so playful the more Thomas treated Chuck like the brother he never had, despite already having his sister, Teresa to dote on. Not for the first time, Gally wished he wasn’t the odd one out.
Just like every other game night, he offered to build Thomas and Newt a dining room table, insisting that it would be no trouble, good practice for his carpentry, and just like every other Game Night, Newt brushed it off and explained he didn’t mind using the TV trays.
Finally, you stepped inside Thomas and Newt’s crowded apartment, shrugging off your coat and dropping a shopping bag on the counter, rambling about traffic- how it should not take 45 minutes to pick up ice cream from Safeway- before finally elbowing past Minho to put it in the freezer.
“Ow! No need for the hostility Y/N. You’re the one who’s 20 minutes late.”
“Really, Minho? You know good and well I’m only late because you forgot we’re making sundaes and left me to pick up the pieces. You're lucky I got you maraschino cherries slinthead.” You grinned at Gally, “Don’t worry, Gal, I got the caramel sauce.”
“Did you get the-” Thomas started before you cut him off.
“Yes you big baby, I got the hot fudge for you, and the sprinkles for Brenda. I got Fry’s Magic Shell and Teresa’s Andes.” You returned to the counter, removing all the toppings for the shopping bag before pulling out Root Beer, “I got the Root Beer for your float, Newt. Without me you’d all be miserable.” You turned towards Thomas, narrowly missing the lovesick puppy look in Gally’s eyes. “Now are you gonna make the popcorn or do I have to do everything for you?”
“Alright, alright!” Thomas said, raising his hands in surrender, chastened by your ruthless efficiency. He pulled the microwave popcorn down from the designated pantry cabinet. Finally you lowered yourself to the floor next to Gally. You fiddled with the hair at the nape of his neck.
“I know, I know, I need a haircut.”
“No, I was just thinking you look nice with the longer hair.” He looked away from your face.
“It’s not long.”
“Of course it’s not. I only mean that it’s not cropped down to your skull.” You moved your hand to the top of his head, ruffling the short locks, missing the flush on the tips of his ears.
“Don’t get used to it, alright.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Minho cut off the conversation.“I have a beard trimmer I got for christmas. I can get it and you two can stop being mushy.”
You shot Minho a glare, “We’re not doing makeovers tonight.”
“Of course we’re not. We’re doing truth or dare.”
“Seriously, shank?”
“Not my idea, Newt suggested it.” Now that was surprising. Newt rarely had opinions on the game, choosing to spend the whole night mooning over his boyfriend instead of participating. Currently he was pressing his face into the aforementioned boyfriend’s shoulder while he microwaved the popcorn.
Frypan finally declared dinner done and the group commenced serving themselves. The couch was packed, but Brenda still insisted you sit next to Gally, so you were crammed shoulder to shoulder. You took the opportunity and snuck a meatball from his plate.
“Hey!”
“You always get more meat than me and anyway, it tastes better stolen.” He dodged as you dived for more, nearly crashing into Frypan before he made the wise decision to just sit on the floor and give you space. Brenda joined him and was glad she had, as your attacks grew more vicious, eventually abandoning your now empty plate to tackle Gally. Playfulling antagonizing him was one of your favourite things to do and the group knew to leave space for roughhousing once it began.
Gally didn’t fight back very hard and eventually landed flat on his back with you straddling his stomach, a hand on either side of his face. You loved how he looked like this, laughing softly. You wished you could trace his freckles, wished he liked you the same way you liked him. What you didn’t know was that he was looking up at you and wishing the same thing. And the rest of your friends were wishing you two weren’t so frustratingly oblivious.
Finally pulling back and removing yourself from Gally, you realised everyone else had finished with their pasta and grabbed yours and Gally’s plates, rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher. When you returned to the group, you realized they were all ribbing Gally about something.
“Are we gonna start the game or what?” You asked, hoping to distract from whatever was clearly bothering Gally. He looked up at you, made a face you couldn’t read and looked away.
“You bet we are.” Minho breezed over the rules and looked around for his first victim.
“Truth or dare, Thomas?”
“Um, truth?” Minho groaned. “Fine, how did you know you were into Newt?”
Thomas glanced sidewise at his boyfriend. “Well I knew I liked him sophomore year of high school when he shared his notes in psychology, but I only got up the nerve to tell him when I thought he was going to a different college and I wouldn’t have to see him if he hated me for it.”
“Lotta good that did ya, waiting when I’d liked you the whole time.”
“I’m not saying it was a smart decision to wait.” He looked around the circle for someone to pick before grinning. “Teresa! Truth or dare?”
Teresa rolled her eyes, “Dare.”
He grinned wider still. “1 minute unbroken eye contact… with Minho.”
She shrugged. “Easy.” She walked over to Minho and kneeled in front of him. She only got about halfway through the challenge when Minho broke eye contact.
“I can’t man, she’s doing that dead eye thing. You know that freaks me out.”
“That’s why I do it, Min.” Thomas smiled, knowing he’d got his revenge on Minho and nodded to Teresa that she could stop. She moved back over to her spot and moved the game along. Dares made Brenda set a timer so she couldn’t touch Frypan for twenty minutes. Newt admitted his celebrity crush (Jonathan Bailey), which earned the expected teasing (“Brown eyed brunet. You SO have a type.”). Frypan confessed his greatest fear: spiders.
“Minho!”
“Dare.”
“Text your crush. And not something negligible about homework, send them your best pickup line.”
Minho looked hesitant at first before relenting and opening his phone. Gally’s phone went off a moment later and he froze before checking it. “Work email.”
“Dude you didn’t have to look so disgusted.”
“Minho, you know good and well that would have been a weird way to find out your friend is into you.” You piped up, defending Gally even though he didn’t really need it.
“Whatever, Y/N. I still haven’t sent it yet. Newt, what’s Sonya’s number?”
Thomas had to hold the blond back. “Stay away from my sister, you little shank.”
“Kidding!” Minho laughed before pressing send and closing his phone.
“Who’d you text?” You asked.
“Not part of the dare. Y/N, truth or dare.”
“Um,” You hesitated, not wanting to reveal your crush on Gally, but nervous what Minho had planned, “Tr- Dare. I'm going with dare.”
“I’m gonna get my beard trimmer and you’re going to touch up Gally’s buzz.” You scrambled for an excuse not to do it.
“But Gally didn’t consent to that.”
“Alright.” You breathed a sigh of relief before the other shoe dropped, “Gally gets a free skip if he lets you shave his hair.”
Gally let out a long breath. “Fine. My looks are at your mercy, Y/N.” Minho grinned and ran to his apartment across the hall, returning with a trimming kit in hand.
After a tense 20 minutes of trying not to nick Gally, his hair was once again shorn close to his head. You returned to the living room. After you dared him to eat one of Minho’s cherries (“It’s such a waste, he doesn't even like them.” “Because they’re nothing but sugar Minho.”),frypan came after Gally.
“Gally. Truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
“Text your crush. It doesn’t even have to be flirty, just text them.”
“Skip.” His face was redder than the spaghetti sauce from earlier as he said it.
“Gally?” He didn’t meet your eyes.
“I’m skipping. It’s not happening. She doesn't like me.”
“Then she’s a big dumb idiot. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” You grabbed his hand, rubbing his knuckles.
Minho sighed. “Frypan, pick a new victim.”
“Y/N.”
“Hey wait! Don’t we have a no dare-backs rule?”
Minho seemed thoughtful. “I’ll allow it.”
Worried he’d use the same dare he’d chosen for Gally, who you now knew liked another girl, and knowing you did not have the privilege of a skip, you quietly whispered, “Truth.”
“Y/N, have you ever been in love?” Letting out a sigh of relief, you nodded.
“Yes.”
Gally snapped his head towards yours and you felt your cheeks heat.
“Who?” You shook your head at him.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters.”
“I’m not telling you.”
He swallowed, “Oh.”
“Teresa.”
“Truth.”
“Kiss, Marry, Kill: Minho, Brenda, and Frypan.”
“Kiss Minho, Marry Brenda. Sorry Fry.”
“Hey, I agree with you. I’d marry Brenda too.” Glad that the PDA ban was over, Brenda climbed into his lap and kissed his cheek.
“Softie.”
“I’ve always been the softie. It’s why you love me.”
Minho faked retching at the affection. “Teresa, pick next.”
“Y/N.”
“This is so unfair! I’m being ganged up on!”
“Truth or dare?”
“Fine! Truth.”
“Who in this room are you most attracted to?” You mumbled your answer. Minho pushed, “Sorry, couldn’t hear that. Come again?”
“Gally, okay? I have a big fat crush on him and he doesn’t like me like that and it’s fine but stop being a dick about it! It’s not funny! My feelings aren’t a joke. I’m going home.” You got up, grabbing your jacket and running out the door before doubling back. “Minho, you owe me 30 bucks for the sundae supplies.” You rushed towards the elevator, glad for once that you lived on campus and didn’t have to stay and put up with their teasing. You pressed the close door button over and over again, not wanting to see anyone follow you out. Finally you stepped off the elevator into the lobby. You noticed Alby, the landlord, fixing a lightbulb and nodded towards him in acknowledgement, trying to keep your composure.
You finally slipped through the doors and tried to recall where you’d parked. When you heard soft footsteps behind you, you didn’t bother turning around, assuming it was Newt, ever the peacemaker.
“Leave it, alright? I’m not in the mood to go back there just for Minho to bully me again. I’ll apologize tomorrow, I just can't be around him right now.”
“Minho… or me?” You turned.
“Gally.” You sounded a bit surprised.
“Expecting someone else?”
“Kind of. I just announced I’m in love with you and you’re not into me, so you shouldn’t have to deal with it- with me right now.” Tears started leaking from your eyes, even as you tried to hold them in.
“You’re in love with me?”
“How could I not be?” Your breath caught on a sob, “You’re the most wonderful guy.”
“You think I’m not into you?”
“You aren’t. You’re into mystery girl who doesn’t like you back because she’s stupid.”
“She’s not stupid.”
“I’m not trying to disparage her, I just mean that you deserve someone who likes you back.”
He shook his head. “She’s not stupid at all. She’s you.” You froze and started to shake your head.
“Don’t just say that to make me feel better. You deserve to be happy.”
“I won’t be happy if I don’t have you.”
“You have me, I’ll still be your friend, you don’t need to date me to be around me.”
“But I want to. I’ve been in love with you for years. Why do you think I let you steal from my plate and call me at work and touch me? Why do you think you’re my phone lockscreen?”
“I’m your best friend?” You asked, in a last ditch attempt at protecting your heart.
“You are, but you’re more than that. You’re… everything.” He stepped forward, taking you in his arms. You pressed your face into his shoulder.
“I’m getting your sweater all wet.”
“I don’t care.”
“I’m an idiot.”
“No you’re not.”
“Everyone hates me.”
“They don’t. It’s their fault anyway. They spent all night picking on you.”
“Thank you, Gally.” You looked at his face, looping your arms around his neck.
His voice was rough, “Can I kiss you? Actually, no. Sorry. You've been crying. That would be weird.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Yes, you can kiss me.” You giggled, “It wouldn’t be weird, it would be perfect.”
He scanned your eyes for any sign you weren’t okay with this before leaning down and closing his mouth over yours.
Three stories up, your friends watched from their window.
“Were we too harsh?” Fry asked.
“Nah,” Newt replied, “they needed the push.”