frenemies (with benefits)

[9]

wc: 1.1k

😁

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when the next day of school rolls around, you ain't too sure what to do. tanaka hadn't texted you all weekend, leaving you to wonder where you guys stood with each other.

you probably could have texted him yourself leaving you to wonder who truly started this radio silence between the two of y'all, but your nerves got in the way. the heck you supposed to say to start a talk like that?

the option your anxiety first wandered to was a very simple and effective plan. avoid him. unfortunately, it seemed fate and ultimately reason had different plans when you received a text from him that monday morning.

tanaka: can we talk?

it looks like your decision has been made for you. your classes fly on by as the anticipation builds in your stomach, and it's not long before tanaka shows up at your classroom at lunchtime, lunch in hand as he waves at you from the doorway.

the class let out murmurs as you excuse yourself to meet him, lunchbox in hand, and curiosity high as he led you through the empty hallways.

you end up at a bench sitting on the side of the hallway, facing the student lockers.

"here?"

tanaka simply nods, sitting down right next to you. the anxiety you had tried so hard to calm began to make waves in your stomach again as the two of you sat silent, picking through your lunches.

this was the quickest you've ever seen him.

"..you want some?" you poke at the leftovers from last night's dinner in your container, a smile settling on tanaka's face.

"sweet!" he piles it onto a napkin in his lap before rummaging for something in his lunch, "here,"

"my sister got a little ahead of herself and ordered a shit ton a these things," he explains as you look over the packaging of the.. sports drink? shake? at least it seemed.

but you're absolutely gagging on your first sip, the taste way too much for you to handle.

tanaka tried to muffle his laughter in his hand, "they kinda suck ass, but it's pretty good if you got nothing else to drink n hold your breath a bit"

however that works.

you gave him your kitchens finest and he handed you that nasty shit, but it's whatever. it's worth it to hear his laugh after what felt like hours of uneasy silence, the knot in your stomach untightening as you shove the drink in your lunch to forget about later.

"so, you just here to eat with me or what?"

he pauses, and you immediately regret saying anything as you watch him quiet again face flush, sneaker tapping against the ground,

"i, shit.." he huffs, taking a moment to stand up from the bench and shove his hands in his pockets,

"i enjoyed what happened on friday." he clears his throat, a hand going to scratch at the back of his neck, "and, i thought it would be.. cool? nice to mess around a bit more. with you,"

"okay, sounds cool,"

"and i totally understand if you- okay?"

"yeah." you nod, "i like it,"

tanaka sinks back onto the bench, incredulous. to be honest, you were also surprised with how easy that flowed out of you. i mean you wanted to, yeah, but the nervousness of actually responding seemed less a challenge than you imagined.

"is that okay?"

"yeah!" he goes stiff as a board, face still a bit red, "just don't want you to feel forced or anything. i mean, that night it felt like i just shoved my whole-"

"hey!" you shoved a finger to your lips, "you want the whole school to hear?"

he mumbled a small "sorry" into the palm of his hand, any hint a shyness he originally had gone as quick as it came.

"just, what about that girl you was gonna ask out?"

"oh, no need for trivial things like that any more," he waves his hand at the thought, a cocky grin on his face, "my loyalty is to kiyoko only!"

"right.." you hum, "and isn't like, fucking going to break your whole loyalty thing?"

"not at all!" he gives you a pat on the shoulder like some teacher lecturing their student, "from how i see it, it's just a little fun, right?"

"sure," you shrug, pausing to grab tanaka's chin in your hand and wipe some stray lunch off his cheek as he leans into your touch.

"we aren't together, so-" he blinks, circling your wrist in his rough hands, "no clue how i didn't notice this before, but you have really nice hands,"

you hum a small thanks as he presses his thumbs into your palms

"aww you guys are so cute together!" some underclassmen greet as they pass you two at your little bench, "for real, they are! sleeping on the highway tonight!"

but tanaka doesn't hear, too caught up in your hands before he snaps outta it and continues his previous ramble, "but, it's not like we're dating or anything, so it's no problem,"

"right?" he says as if trying to convince himself. you aren't quick to answer, trying to find the logic before you simply shrug it off.

"right," you hesitate, hands falling back to your side, "so, what time are you trying to link up?"

"i didn't plan this far ahead," tanaka chokes out a laugh, "but i guess anytime before or after the match this friday,"

"the match this friday?" your earlier troubles start to flood back as you remember you still don't got a ride.

"yeah, what's up?"

"i can't meet up with you this week." you run a hand over the back of your head, "or next week,"

cause if you missed your deadline with prez,

you was dead.

"why?"

"the match, this friday," you explained, "i still gotta find a ride to the game,"

"seriously? i can get you a ride if you need,"

"what's the catch?" you squint trying to find an ulterior motive in his face.

"no catch!" he laughs resting his chin in the palm of his hand, his face cocky, "just wanna make sure my favorite cheerleader is up there in the stands for yours truly!"

you open your mouth to say something, but it's caught in the back of your throat. all that comes out is a small huff as you hide your smile with the back of your hand.

"oh? the great y/n flustered?"

"when did i become the resident cheerleader?" you say with your voice muffled by your hand.

"ooh.. comeback game is pretty weak this time around," he teases.

"whatever," you scoff, voice light with laughter; like you could ever reply to something like that.

"so, you're saying you can get me to the game?"

"of course," he leans back in the bench, "it's no problem,"

"then in that case, how about thursday?"

"thursday?"

"at your place,"

"oh, right thursday's good!" he nods fervently as you stand up from the bench, "then i'll.. meet you then?"

"it's a date,"

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