straykids x reader

changbin

pure smut

You slam your book closed, an annoyed sigh escaping your lips.

You can't do this anymore.

You've been studying for hours. In fact, you've been studying for weeks preparing for those exams. Your eyes are about to melt, your body aching to move from your chair, your brain desperately seeking distraction. You're sick of this. Sick of stressing yourself out, sick of only allowing yourself to think about what is in these books. The exams are still several days away and you'll have time to fall back into your anxiety - for now, you deserve a break and you are going to take it.

Or you're going to try.

It's not the first time you tell yourself that - take a break, you deserve it. You close your books and computer, full of resolve, and escape the confines of your room. Each time you end up just pacing the apartment, unable to focus on the movie you've put on or the game you've started. Once you made it outside for a walk, but you had no idea where to go and ended up walking in circles. Your brain is so preoccupied with your exams you can't do much else. You wake up and it's all you think about - and before you know it you collapse on the bed, exhausted.

As you hear someone knock on your door, you blink and realize you've been phasing out. You shake your head, slide a hand through your hair - it has gotten too long in the past few weeks - and clear your throat.

"Come in," you say, your voice a little rusty.

changbin pokes his head in from behind the door. "Hey. You hungry?"

At least you are not alone. changbin is going through the same thing as you, so you promised each other to do what is necessary to stay sane. Remind the other to eat, for instance, and then eat the meals together, even if it is in complete silence. You're also very open about your stress, and you force each other to go out or clear your head. If he wasn't here, you have no idea how you would get through this.

You hadn't been sure about becoming binnie's roommate at the beginning of the year, but you didn't regret your decision at all. Some of your friends had raised an eyebrow at you rooming up with a guy, but you trusted changbin. You resembled each other in a few ways, but were different enough to keep the other on their toes. He was honest, hardworking, but also funny and open-minded. He bought your favorite snacks at the grocery store. He listened to you talk about your difficulties with building your thesis statements. He read your essay drafts and made useful feedback. He made fantastic homemade pizza. He was the best at impressions. He liked to braid your hair. Once he even restacked the pads when you were running low - that day you almost fell in love with him.

Almost.

You just had a stupid crush. Who wouldn't? changbin was not only kind and attentive, he was also incredibly handsome. Wavy dark hair that shone in the sun. A heart shaped smile that grew so big it swallowed your entire soul. Golden skin that was soft to the touch - you knew from applying a mask on him once. Wide shoulders and athletic body. You saw him do push ups in his room sometimes, or using the stationary bike you had in the living room. He wiped the sweat off his brow and gave you a smile, nodding his head to the beat of whatever song played in his headphones.

But changbin was your friend, first and foremost. Right now, and up until your exams, he was also your ally, your lifeline. You remember, a few weeks back, when you both sat down in front of a bowl of soup and intertwined your pinkies.

We get through this together, you said.

Together, he repeated, his eyes deeply set in yours.

Now he smiled gently at you, his mouth a thin line, his eyes wide open but red and glassy from exhaustion.