NCT Oneshots {ot23} | open

Hearts of Ink: XiaoYu {Request}

▹request acc: FerrellFerrell7
▹prompt: xiaojun x yuta
▹word count: 2948
▹warnings: n/a

ˑ༄ؘ ۪۪۫۫ ▹❀◃ ۪۪۫۫ ༄ؘ ˑ

Red hair. Piercings. Leather jacket. Dark eyes.

Xiaojun doesn't know where to look, so he stares at the floor as he mumbles out his coffee order.

"What size would you like?" The barista smiles, fingers poised on the cash register as he waits for Xiaojun to answer.

He swallows and lifts his gaze to scan over the name badge of the very hot, very handsome barista. Yuta. It would be nice to put a name to such a striking face if he weren't so flustered. The man is so good looking that it's borderline intimidating.

"Uh... s-small? Please." Xiaojun curses himself for stuttering. Yuta, however, makes no comment and simply hums before asking for his name and the money.

When he finally receives his drink, Xiaojun rushes back to the table where his friends are waiting with their own orders, and slides into the booth with a sigh.

"I see you've got the hots for someone." Ten smirks. Xiaojun makes a poor attempt of swatting him away, but no one can deny the pink blush across his cheeks because Yuta really did stir some interest in him.

"Is it the cute barista?" Yangyang leans over, and Hendery is just as intrigued and begs for the answer. Xiaojun shakes his head.

A moment later, his eyes flick over to where Yuta is now serving a college student and his friends all catch it, a chorus of laughter erupting around the table that no doubt draws stares from nearby customers.

"Shut up." He hisses. "You're going to attract his attention."

"But don't you want that?" Ten continues, tucking a long strand of black hair behind his ears and bearing his teeth in an evil smile that has Xiaojun groaning.

Much to Xiaojun's relief, the conversation soon switches to discuss the upcoming exams when Kun arrives, completing the friendship group of seven, and Winwin takes many liberties to swear about all the teachers and classes, despite having chosen those subjects when applying.

Xiaojun's eyebrows sink into a frown as he sips on his iced coffee. The approaching exam season has his stomach twisting into knots and, although the cakes and cookies are enticing, he doesn't think he could manage them with the ball of anxiety burrowing deep into his stomach. Yuta comes over to clear the next table along. For a second, Xiaojun's breath hitches as he thinks he's coming over to them and he wills his eyes to not give himself away, then he exhales when Yuta carries the glasses and plates away without even a glance in their direction.

Xiaojun allows himself to peek at the man when he reappears behind the counter. His hair is tied back into a messy ponytail and a few bobby pins deal with the stray hairs. Xiaojun decides that the style perfectly accentuates the chiselled angles of his jaw.

"Earth to Xiaojun." Hendery prods his shoulder, making him look back to the table and busy himself with finishing his drink. As he swirls the ice around with the straw, he catches the initials inked on his friend's wrist. The mark barely fills a square centimetre, the letters small and delicate, but it's caused fiery debates in their small circle.

Hendery was the first of their friends to get his soulmate mark, but the initials O.ST mean nothing to any of them. Even after being told to try to recall every time he recently met someone new, Hendery doesn't know who his soulmate is. No names have matched to this day.