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"m/n, catch!"
johnny called out before tossing the banana milk toward m/n with a soft grin. the carton spun through the air before landing neatly in m/n's hands. johnny dropped down beside him at the edge of the sea, sitting on the damp sand, the waves just brushing by.
the salty breeze played with their hair, and the ink-black sky above was dotted with stars, an occasional cloud drifting by. in the distance, the tide softly crashed against the shore.
m/n opened the banana milk, sipping it slowly as his gaze wandered over the ocean. the night was cool, and a slight shiver ran through him, more from the breeze than anything else. johnny noticed right away.
"cold?" johnny asked, already pulling off his hoodie before m/n could protest. without hesitation, he draped it over m/n's shoulders, the oversized fabric nearly swallowing him whole. "there you go, all cozy now."
m/n glanced up at him. "thank you, but you're gonna freeze."
johnny shrugged, unconcerned. "i'll survive. besides, it looks better on you anyway."
m/n smiled, though he felt his cheeks heat up. "are you flirting with me?"
"always," johnny replied easily, leaning back on his hands as his fingers sank into the cool sand. "but really, can you believe we're here? after everything we've been through?"
m/n followed johnny's gaze to the endless stretch of sea. "yeah... it's kinda surreal. finishing our first year of uni... all those late nights and deadlines, and now, we're here."
"it feels like a reward," johnny mused, nudging m/n gently. "we pushed through. school, life, us... even the messy bits when we didn't know what we were doing."
m/n let out a soft laugh, placing the banana milk beside him. "yeah, figuring us out wasn't exactly easy."
"i wouldn't change a thing, though. all those nights in the library, the stress... it brought us closer, didn't it?"
"it did," m/n agreed. "there were moments when i thought we might not make it... between uni, our relationship, everything. but we're still here."
johnny hummed, scooting closer until their knees touched. "and now, we get to take a break. we earned this."
"yeah, we did." m/n said, pulling johnny's hoodie tighter around himself. "it's peaceful here... it feels like it's just us and the ocean."
johnny was quiet for a moment, then asked, "what do you think comes next? after this break, after uni?"
"honestly? i don't know. but i think... we'll figure it out as long as we're together."
johnny smiled at that, a soft, knowing look on his face. "i see us happy. wherever we end up, whatever we do... as long as it's with you."
m/n's heart did a little flip at that, and he glanced over at johnny, who was now staring up at the stars like he'd just said the most casual thing in the world. "you're always so sure of everything," m/n mumbled, pulling the hoodie tighter around himself.
"not everything. just about you." he turned his head, his gaze meeting m/n's. "you're the one thing i'm always sure about."
m/n averted his gaze, feeling his cheeks warm up. "you're unbelievable."
"and yet, you're still here." johnny teased, smirking as m/n stayed silent.
they sat quietly for a while, the only sounds were the gentle waves and the breeze. johnny stretched out his legs and turned to m/n.
"do you think we'll remember nights like this? years from now?" johnny asked.
m/n tilted his head, considering the question. "i hope so. i think it's the quiet moments like this that stick with you the most."
johnny nodded, his gaze turning back to the stars. "yeah, you're right. not the big milestones or the loud memories, but the little things... like you sitting here, drinking banana milk next to me."
"banana milk is important, huh?"
"extremely," johnny said as he reached over, ruffling m/n's hair affectionately. "but mostly, it's you. just being here with you... that's what i'll remember." m/n felt his heart flutter at that.
the wind picked up again, and m/n shivered. johnny noticed and shifted closer, wrapping an arm around m/n's shoulders, pulling him into his side. "better?" he asked, his voice soothing.
m/n leaned into him, nodding. "better."
they stayed like that, nestled into each other, the stars twinkling above. despite all the challenges they'd faced — university, stress, moments of doubt — johnny had been by his side through it all.
and now, sitting together under the stars, m/n realized just how lucky he was to have johnny as his boyfriend. he couldn't imagine going through everything without him, and being here, together, made him feel more grateful than ever.
