There was a moment of silence before anyone responded. Jae’s hand slid off your neck to fall back into his lap but he kept his hold on yours in the other. Krystal simply stared from the door, curved into in a knowing smile. She looked away from the human tomatoes sitting on the bed and reached out towards the man teasing you. Wrapping her fingers around Michael's elbow she began towing him out of the room. His protests began the second she started dragging him backwards towards the door.

“Krystal wait! Come on, this is amazing! You have to let me bug her a little. It's my right as an American citizen!”

She turned back to close the door and paused to speak to you.

“Sorry about that, guys. Knocking isn't a habit of ours.”

Krystal focused her gaze on you and gave you a quick thumbs up before she slowly closed the door.

You slowly spun back to Jae and you saw the clear splotches of red covering ⅔ of his face. He was looking at your hands and fiddling with your fingers like a nervous habit.

“So.”

He lifted his head and beamed at you, the pink still very evident in his cheeks. “So.”

You smiled before looking away. You could feel the heat in your face as you peered down at your entwined hands.

“You know that Michael is never going to shut up about this right? There will never be another moment of peace for you in this house.”

Jae chuckled softly. “Yeah that thought went through my head too. I’m contemplating just moving.”

You smacked his chest lightly with your free hand and he laughed. “Nah, there wasn't really much peace here to begin with so I'm not too worried about it.”

You nodded. “That is true.”

After sitting there for a few moments of shy glances and hand holding you slid your hand out of his grasp and stood.

Jae watched from the bed as you nervously pushed some hair behind your left ear and cleared your throat. “I'm hungry and I was in the middle of a George Lopez marathon so I'm gonna go.”

“Alright. I actually do have to practice a little more but if you don't mind sharing your snacks I could join you after? I don't want to go down there and get my hand stuck in a mouse trap.”

You waved a hand nonchalantly and smirked a little. “Nah, it's just stale popcorn. I'd share that with anybody.”

Jae’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open in a wide smile. “Oh really? Well don't I feel special.”

“Ah shut up.” You turned around and left the room.

After closing the door you brought your hands up to cup your cheeks as you speed walked through the hall and down the stairs. You sped past the front door and flung yourself face down onto the couch.

Whipping yourself into a sitting position you thought about what happened upstairs and pulled your shirt up over your face and fell back onto the couch with a happy sigh.

“Please tone down the whole love sick thing. I’m trying to have a conversation here.”

You pulled your shirt down off your face and inspect the opposite end of the couch to see Krystal standing there with her hands on her hips. “Can I sit or are you going to keep on with the blushing and giggling?”

“You can sit but I’m making no promises about the rest.” You stuck out your tongue and sat up so she could sit down.

She walked around the arm of the couch and sat in front of you. She spent a good 30 seconds adjusting herself like some kind of house cat before her face transformed into one of girlish excitement. “Okay to be honest I totally saw this coming!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! You should've seen his face when you kissed him at that party.” Krystal waved a hand around her face. “All red everywhere. Like a cute little lobster. His face was hilarious! He sat there for like 5 seconds like this:” she closed her eyes and parted her lips just barely. There was a distinct dopey vibe to the face she was making and that seemed pretty true to character. “Poor boy looked like you short circuited him.” She started clapping gleefully and her excitement was definitely contagious. “So I saw this coming. What happened though? You guys just disappeared and then we walk in on you making out.” You felt the heat return to your cheeks at the visual that gave you.

“First off, we weren’t making out. It was just one kiss…”

She dropped the smile immediately and gave you a look of skepticism.

“And second of all, I'm not really sure. He was playing his guitar and then I started teasing him and then we ended up getting really close and it just kinda happened.”

“Well, do you like him?”

You narrowed your eyes at her. “No, Krystal. Not at all. That's why I'm over here giggling like a 2nd grader.” Your voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, I do. Which is funny considering how we met. I hadn’t really even recognized it until we accidentally kissed at the party.”

Krystal scoffed and raised her hands to make quotations in the air, “‘Accidentally.’”

She laughed when you reached over and pushed her in response. “I don't blame you though. He's a cutie. So, are y'all dating now or what?”

You hadn't thought about that yet and her question made you realize something you hadn’t before. Sighing deeply you spoke again, most of the mirth gone now. “No, I don't think so. I mean he's only here for like a month. It wouldn't make much sense to get into a whole thing.”

Krystal nodded solemnly before patting you on the shoulder. “It's okay. Just enjoy it while you've got it! You like him and I'm pretty damn certain he likes you too.”

Her advice made sense and it did make you feel a little better. You looked to your friend and smiled softly. Krystal’s mouth twisted into a grin then.

“So, is he a good kisser?”

You grabbed a couch pillow to hit her with and distract her from the redness that surely took over your face. After a few swipes you set the pillow down and fixed your hair before grinning back. “But yes.”

Jae descended the stairs and saw Krystal and you giggling on the couch. As soon as Krystal heard the soft pads of his feet on the wood floorboards she turned her head to look at him quickly before turning back to you with a grin. She stepped off the couch and stole a hand of popcorn before heading towards the hall to her room.

Jae spun to speak as she passed him. “You're not going to watch with us?”

She waved a hand and kept walking, “Nah. I’m not a big fan of reruns. You guys watch.”

You watched him spin back and stroll over to the couch before he plopped down onto the cushion next to yours. He had changed into a cut sleeve t shirt which left his arms exposed and a pair of sweatpants. His shoulder was just barely touching yours and when he leaned over to reach the popcorn in your lap his entire bicep pressed against your arm. You peeked to your right to observe the boy who had been so shy earlier. He was lounging so comfortably you wondered if perhaps you were the only one still embarrassed about the kiss. His hair was down and fluffy and it bounced a little when he laughed at something happening on the show. The more you stared the softer it looked. You found yourself wondering what it felt like.

“Listen, little lady. I know that I am gorgeous but if you keep staring at me I’m not gonna be able to pretend to be cool and that’s kind of what I’m going for right now.”

Caught red handed you dropped your gaze from his hair to his face and saw him peering at you. His cheeks showed slight pink tones again and you smirked. He was just pretending. He was just as embarrassed as you.

You turned back to the TV and slid deeper into the back of the couch to get comfortable. You set the remote in between the two of you rested your hand on top of it. “Last I checked, cool guys didn’t blush as much as you do. So you might wanna work on that a little.”

He didn’t turn to you but you did see him flinch a little out of the corner of your eyes and you smiled. He tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

“Well, it’s funny that you say that because I seem to recall a certain someone walking out of my room lookin like a damn tomato not 15 minutes ago.”

You kept your eyes on the TV.

“Maybe but I’m not the one still blushing 15 minutes later.”

Just then you felt warm fingers slide across the top of your hand and slide between your own. Looking down you saw his hand holding yours. Turning your gaze to his face you saw his eyes focused on the TV and you felt your cheeks warm as his thumb graze along the base of your own. Jae turned to you and scanned your cheeks before his face lit up triumphantly and he leaned back to watch the TV once more. “Now we’re both blushing. So there. Now stop harassing me and watch George Lopez.”

And you did.

The two of you sat there and watched rerun sitcoms for a while. Jae interrupting once in a while to make a terrible joke and you would make a comment every now and then. Soon enough it was getting late and you could feel your eyes begin to droop. You shifted your weight and propped your head up on the arm of the couch. Shortly the canned laughter from the TV faded out and lulled you to sleep.

Jae laughed loudly at something on the TV. When he didn’t hear you laughing with him he turned to see that you were now asleep. He looked around pensively for a moment before reaching across the long couch, careful not to jostle you, and grabbed the blanket hanging off the arm. Jae unfolded the blanket and tossed it across you as best he could with one free hand. He looked down at your entwined hands and tried to slowly slide his hand out. Almost immediately he felt your fingers tighten around his hand. You rustled slightly in your sleep and tugged his hand closer to you; pulling Jae closer in the process. 

He was leaning over you slightly now and your side was pressing against his chest. Closing his eyes he prayed for a second that the contact wouldn’t wake you. Once you were still again he took a deep breath and pulled your hand just a bit so that he could sit down comfortably. His side was pressed to yours but at least he wasn’t leaning over you like before. He gazed at you and smiled before he pulled another pillow from the far end of the couch and propped it against the back of the couch. Lifting part of the blanket and laying it across his lap he sat with you and held your hand until he too fell asleep.

----------------------------

“Hey lovebirds.”

You groaned slightly as you turned away from the loud voice to bury your face into the couch. The sun was way too bright down here.

“Hey!”

Groaning again you drug yourself into a sitting position and whipped your head to the source of the disgruntled voice and saw Michael standing there. He had his arms crossed and he was glowering down at you. “This is a public space. Oughtta have you both arrested for public indecency.”

Krystal strolled past on her way to the kitchen. “Hand holding is hardly public indecency. You’re just mad because you haven’t had a girlfriend in a year and a half.”

Michael swiveled around to gape at her in indignation. “Krystal. If you refuse to be part of the solution don’t speak of the problem.” He stomped after her into the kitchen. “Krystal. Krystal, you’re the one that refuses to go on one date with me so you don’t get to tease me.”

Jae lifted his head now and you turned to observe him. He was squinting and looking around out of one opened eye. The other still squeezed shut in the bright light and his hair was a fluffy mess. He lifted both of his hands up to his face (and yours considering he didn’t bother to let go of it) and rubbed at his eyes with his knuckles. Jae dropped his hands into his lap and looked at you through still slightly squinted eyes and smiled. “Morning.”

“Morning.” You tilted your head slightly to stare at him quizzically. “You know, you could have went upstairs.”

He laughed and pulled his legs in to cross in front of him. “Oh could I have? Because I tried and you went all hulk hands on my fingers.”

You looked at him in mock insult and swiped your hand out of his. “Oh, so I’ve got hulk hands?”

“A little bit.” He chuckled. “Hey, I was thinking. Do you wanna go to a movie or something? Tonight.”

Your heart raced a little and you grinned at the sleepy eyed man sitting cross legged in front of you. “Sure.”

His face lit up with one of those blinding smiles and you pushed on his forehead with one finger. “Pretty sure I prohibited those smiles before 10 AM.”

“Psh. You don’t control me.” He stood up. “Gonna go eat. You coming?” He extended you his hand with a pleasant smile. You took it and hauled yourself to your feet. Letting his hand go you headed toward the kitchen only to have his fingers weave into yours again when he caught up.

Walking into the kitchen you were met with Krystal’s approving grin and Michael throwing his hands into the air in frustration. He started squawking on about ‘repeat offenders’ and ‘disregarding the law’ but you weren’t paying attention. All you could think about was the date tonight and the grinning boy holding your hand. 

Okay guys! Here’s a fluffy little update. I know it’s a little uneventful but I figure it’s important to show them developing some like budding relationship type . Plus I’d been imagining a bunch of cute lately so yes I’m making you all suffer with me. Stay with me and things will definitely pick up in the coming chapters! Lemme know what you think!