A/N: um.... welcome to the author's note of shame. I'm so sorry for not updating this or any of my other fics for so long. But im single and having a lot more time on my hands so i can finally finish them up! ive really been itching to write so hopefully it's up to my standard. also i would recommend reading the last few chapters just to remember what happened (i know i had to). anyways let's get on with it!

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In the beginning, Ten would have known things would've happened like this. 

Before Ten became tech intern crushing on finance bro Kun Ten, his heart was made of stronger stuff than it was now. Back then he knew crushes were always temporary, fickle things that are not meant to be taken seriously. He would never have let himself get sad that a one-night stand was avoiding him. Back then, that was protocol. 

But Ten was different now, and despite how hard he'd tried to stop it from happening, his heart was a tiny bit broken. 

It wasn't like they were actively avoiding each other. They weren't avoiding each other, they were just avoiding their real selves. They still met for coffee at eleven, still ate lunch together. But it was quiet, and conversations mostly consisted of work and the weather.

They were trying so hard to pretend it didn't happen that it was all they could think about.  

LITERALLY this is also your problem, Xiaojun texted the group chat on a Saturday night. Yes, Ten was so torn up that he didn't even want to go out on a Saturday night. He really hated this version of himself. Xiaojun and Yangyang were out together, most definitely talking and crafting their messages to him together. 

You could also bring it up

ur tortured my dude! Yangyang added. 

im always tortured, Ten answered.

anyways, the ball is in his court. im sure after what happened he knows how i felt. 

but the fact that hes trying to pretend it didnt happen tells me everything i need to know

what is it that you think you know? Xiaojun answered, then Ten got nothing but typing bubbles. He sighed and set his phone face down on the bed, a ping five minutes later the only thing that could stir him from his sad boy coma. 

But his eyes widened when the message didn't come from Yangyang. 

heyyy can i git another tatooo? 

Ten's laughter turned to confusion quickly. Kun was 100% not the type to send a message with any typos, let alone ones as glaring as in his text. He must've been drunk. 

just come over

Ten sighed and went to go make himself a drink. 

~~~~~~~~~~

When the doorbell rang Ten was glad he was sufficiently tipsy, opening up to see a 'very put together for a normal person but more disheveled than he'd ever seen Kun' standing in front of him. 

"I promise I'm more sober than when I sent that message," Kun immediately spoke. 

"Do you regret sending it? If so, then get out." 

Kun just shook his head, and Ten stood aside for him to come in. 

They looked at each other. Ten could see what Kun wanted. Ten wanted to give it so bad, but there was no ing way he was putting himself through this again. 

"I don't get it. You hated yourself after the last time." 

Kun hummed and smiled a little. "But it's the only time it's ever made sense." 

"It's the only time what's made sense?" 

Kun looked away shyly for a half second, then back up at Ten. "." 

Ten sighed softly and turned his eyes to the slightly stained carpet. "I can't be your doll." 

"I don't want you to be anything. Don't be anything, Ten." 

Ten breathed in, breathed out. He let Kun's words wash over him and something about it tugged at his heart. So when Kun beckoned him closer, Ten couldn't help but follow.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was halfway through round two, when spots on Ten's bed were wet with sweat, when their inhibition was actually, finally gone that Kun worked up the courage to ask the inevitable. 

"What's your problem with NFTs?" 

Ten snorted. "Why are you asking me this when you're literally inside me?" 

"Just tell me!" 

Kun in particularly hard and Ten moaned, cutting it off so he could answer. "First of all, it's ing stupid!" 

"What? No it's not!" 

"Yes it is! You're not even buying a real picture! You don't even really own it! I could ing screenshot them all and keep them on my phone!" 

"What's your second reason?" 

"Oh my god, Kun, ..." Ten breathed out. His brain wasn't quite comprehending feeling so, so good about Kun's but feeling so, so bad about his love of crypto. "Second of all, it's bad for the environment." 

Kun made a face, pausing for a moment. "The environment?" 

"Yeah!" Ten answered, half indignant cry, half moan as Kun continued. "They have to have these big warehouses using up a ton of electricity to make the system work!" 

"Oh." Kun seemed genuinely surprised. "How do you know that?"

"It's common knowledge!" 

Kun looked away, a ghost of embarrassment passing over his face. 

"Am I not good enough in bed to distract you from your precious NFTs?"

"No!" Kun cried back. "No. You're..." he hummed lowly and it almost sounded like a growl. Ten knew what he meant. He looked back down at Ten, beneath him in his arms, his expression turning serious. "I....just want you to like me. All of me." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Kun didn't exactly seem happy this time when they were finished, but at least he didn't look like he was about to start crying. Plus he was resting his head on Ten's shoulder. Ten considered it a win. 

"What are you thinking about?" 

"Nothing." 

Ten smiled a little. "I turned my brain off too." 

Kun looked up at Ten and returned the smile. 

Ten had no idea how long they lay like that in silence until Kun sighed softly. 

"I think he's embezzling money." 

"Who?" 

"The CEO. Of Neo Culture Tech. I think he's putting the investor's money into his own pockets." 

"You know? I can see that. I mean, the only thing I know for a fact the company does is the dress-up game I work on." 

"It's true," Kun answered. "I can see all the departments, so I can do the budgeting. There's HR, finance, marketing, the dress-up team, and the board of directors. There isn't a department for anything else." 

"Wait." Ten turned to Kun. "Does that mean I'm one of the only employees doing a real thing at the company?" 

Kun laughed. "Yes it does." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Monday morning, for the first time ever, Ten walked into Neo Culture Technology with a skip in his step. 

First of all, it felt good to know he was one of the only people at this company with a legitimate job. It made his feelings of superiority over everyone else feel deserved. 

But mostly, it was Kun. This time, he'd stayed the night and for a quick breakfast before going home to study. But that night, he'd called Ten. Ten normally wasn't a phone call kind of guy, but something about talking for hours with him made him feel safe. 

Made him feel like maybe, this crush didn't totally destroy his life. Maybe there was a chance. And yes, Ten couldn't deny that he had a crush any longer, not when the face of that very crush haunted him in the best way possible. 

Ten grinned and sat down at his desk chair, the old soft seat making a little squishing noise when he sat down. 

"What is up with you today?" Hyunjin asked, side eyeing Ten. 

"Ooh, nothing," Ten sing-songed back. 

"Got some good over the weekend." 

Ten couldn't help but smile. "Maybe..." 

"Who? From grindr? Show me his pic. Or instagram if you have it." 

"Can't." 

Hyunjin looked betrayed. "Can't?! Come on, you know this is what I come to work for!"

"Maybe later." As confident as Ten was, he didn't want to betray Kun's trust at this moment. Maybe Ten was delusional, but he just knew that in future moments, he could tell everyone, and Kun would be proud about it too.

"Wait... does he work here?" Ten didn't answer. "Oh my god, he must, you're totally making a face. Wait, Ten, is it that guy I always see you with? That one from the finance department? There's no way that guy is gay-" 

"Ten?" 

He looked up to see his supervisor Jungeun staring him down with an odd expression. Something in his heart raced. 

"What is it?" 

"The CEO would like to see you in his office." 

All of the joy and security Ten walked in with today slowly dissipated from him, replaced by burning, building anxiety. 

"Oh ," Hyunjin whispered. Ten looked at the floor, then back at Jungeun. She just nodded back. 

Ten slowly got up and giving Hyunjin a little wave, followed Jungeun down the hall. When she turned back to him, Ten could see she was angry. At him? At the CEO? Who knew? She walked back before Ten could read into it any further.

"Um...hey," a voice behind Ten finally spoke up. 

Ten turned around, and was sure he was about to cry. What was Kun doing here too?