{crumbs: nct one-shots}

{the l word: luwin}

he sat up, carefully making his way out of bed and toward the door. lucas stirred a bit once he reached the door, then let out a sigh. he was thankfully still asleep. he set his hand on the door, carefully opening it and pulling it shut behind him. his feet carried him past the kitchen toward the door to the balcony. he glanced around to make sure no one else was awake, then made his way outside.

it was colder than he thought, so he pulled his arms closer to him as he walked to the edge and gripped the railing, looking out over the city. the lights were calming, in a way. the sound of traffic provided a comforting distraction from his racing mind. the moon was a spotlight showering its rays down on the wayv dorm's balcony.

after what felt like a few minutes, winwin's phone buzzed. after glancing at the time, he realized he had already been outside for an hour. he looked down at the message. it was from lucas, simply reading, "where are you? :("

winwin's heart skipped a beat at the message. "outside. what are you doing awake?" he asked.

"i don't know. i just woke up and you were gone." winwin frowned. he hadn't meant to worry lucas. he didn't even think he would wake up. he just needed to clear his head.

"do you want to come outside with me?" he asked, sending it before he looked twice at what he wrote. his heart nearly jumped through his chest as he realized it, but he tried to keep calm.

"sure. :)" winwin stared down at the message for a moment before looking back toward the dorm. he could see lights flashing in yangyang and xiaojun's room, signaling that they were still awake, most likely playing video games. he sighed and shook his head. he had no idea how they could stay up this late every night voluntarily.

just as he had managed to distract himself again, the door behind him clicked open. a chin rested on his shoulder. "hi, winwin hyung," lucas asked, his voice gravelly and underused from sleep. it made winwin's heart thud against his ribcage.

"hi," winwin managed quietly.

"how come you couldn't sleep?" the younger asked. "was it yangyang again?"

winwin shook his head. "i was just thinking," he said.

lucas nodded. winwin felt his shoulders relax in relief. that was one of the things that drew winwin to lucas. he didn't press things he thought the older would be uncomfortable with.

"why did you come out here?" lucas asked, lifting his chin from winwin's shoulder. "it's cold."

"i know. but it's kind of nice," winwin said, looking back out at the city.

"we could have cuddled," lucas said with a slight pout that nearly made winwin's heart burst.

"i-i don't think that would have been su-such a good idea," he stammered, hoping it was dark enough that lucas couldn't see the red creeping its way up to his ears.

lucas frowned again. "are you okay, hyung?" he asked.

"yeah, i-i'm fine." i'm just in l word with you. he mentally cursed himself, both for stammering and for not being able to actually use the l word.

"you just seem like something's on your mind," lucas said, his eyes wandering the older's face. it made winwin feel vulnerable and exposed.

"let's just say that... ten was right," winwin said, looking past the younger.

"about what?" lucas asked with an innocent head tilt.

"you know you're one of my best friends, right?" winwin asked.

lucas's eyes glimmered with expected hurt. "yeah," he said. "why?"

winwin took a breath, tearing his eyes away from the city and pointing them back toward lucas. "i l word you, that's why," he said, surprising himself.

lucas just smiled. "i love you too, winwin hyung. why were you so worried about—"

"no," winwin said, shaking his head. "i'm in l word with you, yukhei," he explained, grabbing the younger's shoulders. "the way you get all excited when all i do is walk into the room, the way you give me little compliments whenever you can, the way you offer to cuddle even though i don't usually like being cuddled but i like yours, i love all—"

winwin was cut off by a pair of hands on either side of his face and a pair of lips on his. his heart was jumping out of his chest now. he wasn't sure if this was real or if he was just dreaming. lucas pulled away and looked at winwin with a giggle.

"you're blushing but you were talking a lot and i didn't know how else to stop you. i also just really wanted to do that," he said, making winwin's ears go red for the nth time that night. "it's cute though."

"maybe i should talk more, then," winwin mumbled.

"maybe you should," lucas said, still smiling.

"maybe you should shut me up again," winwin said, gravitating toward the younger. he connected their lips again.

"winwin?" lucas asked softly, seemingly just admiring winwin's features in the moonlight.

"hm?"

"i l word you too."