#enoch oconnor x male reader

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Habit ~ E.O.

A/n: This felt the way eating something for the first time in a longen time when you are it a lot as a kid? Does that make sense? Idk I just love it

Request: “...Enoch O’Connor x Male I beg of thee” by anon

Word count: 2200+

MASTERLIST

Jake was the most annoying person Y/n had ever met.

The problem with a boy shaking the very core of the way Miss Peregrine's Home worked, is that there was a set routine. Not just the same day, every day. Not just the same clothes. Not just the same activities and expectations, but also the same people. The same dynamics. Everything was clear and simple and predictable - as it was supposed to be. It was Enoch and Horace and Olive and Fiona and Claire and Emma and Millard and Bronwyn and Hugh and the twins and Y/n. They all had their chores, their meals, and their rooms. Wake up, do the exact same thing, reset the day, go to bed.

In some ways, Jake changing everything was nice. Emma was happier with him, and they were safer now. They'd always be safe now. Miss Peregrine didn't have to deal with her imperfect day, and they had lots of new friends.

Change was hard though, and unpredictable. Emma and Jake, and then Fiona and Hugh. And then suddenly everyone was a lot less okay with Enoch and Y/n pining for each other but never doing anything about it.

Enoch and Y/n had always been like this. They avoided each other despite everything, somehow having pulled it off for decades straight now. Anytime they did talk, the room seemed to go still. They were insatiable, starving for each other. Every look was too long, and yet too short. Every conversation saturated with so much emotion neither boy could handle it.

Being a teenager was hard.

But for decades, everyone had left it alone. At some point the distance and awkwardness and desperate yearning had become a part of the routine. Wake up, do what you did everyday, glance over the way Y/n's breath caught, a smile tugging to his face when Enoch brought something to life, ignore the way Enoch's eyes lingered when Y/n began to chat with a bird or squirrel or worm.

Even Fiona was good at it, and she was Y/n's sister. They had always been far more concerned with their own relationship as siblings. Two halves of one whole - a plant gift and an animal gift. Flora and fauna.

But now she was busy with her own crush, and without her there to fill Y/n's time, it was more and more obvious how ridiculously in love he was. Olive had met a girl in the other loop they'd joined who had wings, and the two had been having a ball flying around together - which meant Enoch was more available than normal as well.

Of course they ended up in the same space more often than they usually did.

The new kids weren't used to the pining. It wasn't routine, they hadn't learned to ignore it. And the more they pointed out that the way Enoch and Y/n acted wasn't a just-friends-and-family feelings kind of situation, the more the other kids acknowledged it too. Suddenly everyone was looking at the boys expectantly, and with all those eyes on them... it was hard to ignore their own situation even more.

This was especially hard on Y/n. He had always known he wasn't going to end up with some epic love like in the books. Even before the loop, everyone had marked him as insane and weird. His little sister could make flowers grow in the palm of her hand, and her older brother knew all the town secrets because the pets could talk to him. But after the loop? The options were so limited and he was gay - it wasn't going to happen. No way in hell that with one person he could even possibly end up with, who he liked, liked him back. That sort of thing was difficult to find even with several options. But one?

Not to mentioned he hadn't really come to terms with the fact that he wasn't straight. Everyone knew he was into Enoch, but outside of that they had no idea what was going on with his sexuality. He'd never opened up about it, and flat out denied anytime someone had asked. Even Fiona had nothing to offer in terms of information - he hadn't told her anything either. Which was weird, because they knew a lot about each other. She was his confidante.

He'd never even admitted it to himself.

That wasn't good enough for Leroy and Sofie though. They were two of the kids from the other loop, and they were determined to play match maker between the two boys. It was how a harmless game night had gone so terribly wrong. They had convinced Jake to talk about all the silly, immature party games he had heard of and to "experience the culture they were missing out on" all the kids from both loops had been dragged into several different rounds of truth and dare and spin the bottle and seven minutes in heaven. Nothing happened for most of the people, who only fist bumped or took the opportunity to info dump in a space where the other person had no option to listen.

And then Enoch and Y/n got picked.

For the first ten minutes, both boys were completely composed. But Enoch had a very good understanding of time and as more than seven minutes passed, he grew agitated. "It's been long enough, let us out," he called.

When all that came back from the other side was giggling, Y/n got irritated too. Being this close to Enoch was bad enough without there being a foreseeable end in sight. "Guys. Guys!"

"Talk about your feelings!" Sofie called back, and a dozen pairs of feet could be heard on the stairs, leaving Enoch and Y/n. In a closet. Locked for who knows how long. Alone in an entire room, in the basement.

Miss Peregrine would put it together and come and get them before dinner, but... even that was a long way away.

It was quiet a long time, but eventually even Enoch couldn't handle it. He broke first.

"Are we just going to wait for Miss Peregrine?"

Y/n shrugged. "They all left, so... It's not like even if I did anything here they'd let us out."

"Did anything?" Enoch scoffed. "Did what exactly."

"I don't know," Y/n snapped. Both boys were rather hot headed and tended to interact with each other through biting remarks and snarky banter. These snippy words were familiar to them.

Enoch rolled his eyes. "I'm not just going to sit here that whole time. At least tell me what they think we need to share feelings about?"

Y/n shrugged. "Beats me."

Another king quiet and then Enoch seemed to soften. He had changed a lot since Jake too. He had been so defensive of Emma before, but now he saw the flaw in that. Emma and Jake were happy, and more than anything he... envied them. He wanted that. And he had wasted enough time keeping himself from it. If Emma could open her heart to getting broke to risk love and succeed... maybe he could too. "Y/n."

"What?" He was gorgeous. That withering look and unwavering attitude. Enoch loved that he could always keep up, matching any sass off or sarcastic comment. Often beating Enoch at what he had always considered as his own private game. A game he never lost at... until Y/n. Y/n who found his homunculus fascinating instead of disturbing and never scared at even the worst of Enoch's attempts. Y/n who was so awkward and brash with people, but so gentle and calm and caring toward animals. Y/n, who was his best self out in the woods with no shoes on and a smile on his face as he closed his eyes and listened to the wind through the trees, the birds singing, the bugs buzzing...

"Do you want to play Twenty Questions?" It was another of Jake's silly games. They had planned to play it after Seven Minutes in Heaven but, well, now they were locked in a closet.

Y/n shot him a withering look, cocking an eyebrow. "No."

Enoch's lips almost twitched into a smile. "Come on. Since when are you more of a buzz kill than I am?"

Y/n sighed. "Fine. Whatever." He looked at Enoch again and couldn't help but soften. They were both like this. Hard to touch, impossible to get close to. Rough and snappy. Except for those select few. For Enoch, it was the girls. Fiona and Claire had it the easiest; Olive had to work for it; Emma had gotten under his skin after Abe. For Y/n, there was no one who had worked their way into his good graces as well as Enoch had. He of course had softness for the kids, always taking to children who needed someone to have their back - even if they wouldn't admit it - but Enoch was still special. He always was.

Enoch swallowed a smile, matching Y/n's casual energy. They both leaned against the wall, Y/n crossing his arms over his chest and Enoch slipping his hands in his pocket. "You go first," Enoch encouraged. There was something playing in his eyes, so bright it shone even in the low lighting.

Y/n raised an eyebrow, unsure. "Okay... what's your favorite color?" It was a dumb question - he already knew - which meant that if Y/n wasn't going to try neither was Enoch.

"Triangle." He smirked, then leaned forward. "Do you like men?"

There was a long silence in the closet. It felt... horribly fitting. Suffocatingly on point. "Why do you ask?"

"That's not an answer," he shot back.

Y/n's face burned. "That's a dumb question! You've never cared once in our decades of friendship and now you do? Why?"

"Because of Jake." Y/n almost began going off about how annoying Jake was, but Enoch cut him off. "I thought everything was set in stone. He were the group we'd always been. Abe proved it to me. We can get smaller, but never bigger. But then Jake came along and left behind everything for Emma. And I realized, maybe that's what love is. Maybe it's giving up what was for what could be. Because it's worth it. And if I made a leap like that, I won't even have to give anything up. All I have to do is take the first step."

His voice was so soothing, but his words were like shots of ice through Y/n's veins. It was a startling contrast. "Enoch..." He frowned, pursing his lips. He couldn't look at the other boy. "What would you do if I asked you that? You can't expect me to-"

"I do. I like men."

Y/n's jaw dropped. He snapped it closed after a beat, eyes trained on Enoch. The other boy seemed... excited. Genuinely. "And you're telling me this... for a reason. I assume?" Enoch just nodded. He wasn't just excited; he was nervous too. To be fair, so was Y/n. "Because you like me?" He asked, even more softly.

Enoch hesitated. Then nodded. "I... have. For a long time."

Y/n sighed, head falling back against the wall. A part of him wanted to argue, wanted to fight it. Wanted to stick his head in the sand.

But a much larger part of him knew that this had been coming for a long time.

“I thought when I told you I was into men it would be scarier.” Enoch laughed at Y/n’s confession, and it was only a split second before Y/n joined him. It was completely bizarre and borderline ridiculous. They’d been denying their feelings so long it had become habit. First out of hesitation. You never know exactly how someone would react to something. And then it was friendship. They were so close, and they’d gotten into a pattern of thought. They were only friends - nothing else was possible. But as everything around them changed, pattern had no room in their life anymore. So habit had taken over.

And now…

Y/n rested his head on Enoch’s shoulder, hesitantly taking his hand. Enoch sighed, squeezing back. Reassuring him.

“I like you specifically,” Y/n piped up.

Enoch’s smile was small as he tried to fight it, but the blush across his cheeks gave him away. “I like you too.” Y/n chuckled again, and Enoch echoed him. Like their energy was bouncing off of each other, growing. Becoming simply by the existence of the other.

“I don’t want our first kiss to be in here,” Enoch sighed. The closet was too much a metaphor, but even more-

“I don’t like that everyone’s forced so much onto us,” Y/n agreed. “Thank god they did, but-“

Enoch huffed with amusement. “But I don’t want them to have everything. Some things are just for you and me?” Y/n nodded and Enoch smiled, leaning close and pressing his lips to Y/n’s forehead. Y/n sighed, content. They stayed like that until the close door was opened, several pairs of curious eyes staring in at them.

“Are you together now?”

Y/n and Enoch exchanged looks and then scrambled to their feet, both shouldering the door open and slipping out. Everyone was laughing - even the ones who tried desperately to lock the pair back in the room.

And so the boys were out of the closet.

They took each others’ hand again when they settled onto the couch together, an everyone had to agree: that could be enough.

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Wait ~ E.O.

A/n: let’s be real this is a Drabble, and after how much I’ve struggled to write requests the rest will probably be as well so I can finally get them out to you guys.

Request: “1 from prompt list... Enoch x non-binary maybe?...” by anon

Prompt: #1 (here): “I should go” / “Or you should stay a little longer.”

MASTERLIST

Hearing the music confused Y/n just a little bit. It was definitely piano, but it shouldn’t have been playing. It was clear, far different than the old recordings they had around that scratched and slipped and popped. It couldn’t have been Miss Peregrine either, because she had taken the others out on a picnic. Y/n knew that because they were sick in bed, and Miss P had given them a head’s up on her way out so Y/n wouldn’t be startled if they got up and moved around to see an empty house.

The thing was, Y/n was torn about whether they were happy to hear the music or not. On one hand, they had the WORST headache. On the other... their favorite music had always been made by pianos and violins - The two most beautiful instruments in their mind. Most importantly, the music was being played beautifully.

Half in irritation and half due to curiosity, Y/n plodded down the steps of the very special house for very special people like Y/n, which was uncharacteristically empty today. They wandered around, trying to narrow their eyes enough to block out the sun while still being able to see.

Following the music brought them to a small parlor room. They’d just moved since the attack on the old time loop and with the chaos of so many people and adjusting to a new place, Y/n hadn’t had much time to explore. Their quirk was that they had a sort of psychic link to all living creatures. Not in the form of mind reading, but of feeling emotions. Emotions that, unfortunately, demanded to be felt rather violently. Emotions that fell of people in waves of bright colors. With the many new people they were boarding with until they found their own place to make a new loop, Y/n had been overwhelmed and very sick. It was probably why Miss Peregrine has set up the picnic to begin with.

It was also why they loved music so much. They could listen to and feel music without it messing them up. It was a beautiful experience.

That was all beside the point though.

The small parlor was new to Y/n. It didn’t have much in it. In fact, the most noticiable things were a bunch of seats forming a semi circle around a large, blank wall, which is probably where the others sat to watch Horace’s dreams. The other thing in the room was a gorgeous grand piano. Sitting on the bench playing it, to Y/n’s shock, was Enoch.

Upon hearing the door open, Enoch jumped away from the piano like it had burned him, spinning around and tripping over himself to get away from the thing. Y/n covered their mouth to hide a laugh they knew Enoch would find offensive.

“You- you’re here,” he stuttered. For someone who was usually gloomy and withdrawn and sulky, Enoch was suddenly very read faced, waves of magenta rolling off of him and pooling on the floor like mist. The bits higher up twirled into the air and spun around, like rays of sun. Compared to his dark grey outfit, pale skin, and black hair, the colorful emotion was almost laughable in its brilliance.

“I am,” Y/n agreed. “I’ve Uh, been sick.”

Enoch oriented himself, and his color changed. Like food coloring falling into water, a rich purple and sickly green twisted and spun, spreading out from the middle and consuming all the magenta from before. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I’ve been... there are a lot of people here. I’ve sort of been a recluse. Not talked much. Miss Peregrine said you’d all be gone.”

“I don’t think it occurred to her I’d be getting out of bed. Lots of people like you said. Very overwhelming, especially with how pretty the scenery outside is as well. I mean, emotions are one thing but living in a world that’s like some sort of painting? All those vibrant colors all the time? World’s worst headache.” Y/n suddenly rushed to end the ramble, embarrassed. They looked down at their hands and took reassurance that they could not see colors curling off of their fingers. Alone, at least, they had solace from the colors.

Enoch shuffled. “Well I’m sorry I bothered you. I just, uh, it’s peaceful. Easy way to blow off some steam, or make some noise that isn’t annoying. Never did like quiet. If you’re trying to get a break from emotions I’m sure you don’t want to see mine.” He scowled, the green taking over the purple now. It was the color green that spoke of disgust. Y/n immediately looked at their feet.

“I’m the one who should be sorry. I-“ they swallowed. In all honesty, they had a bit of a crush on Enoch. It had started ages ago when being around Enoch had been a relief. His emotions were usually duller colors, because he was broody and sarcastic. Y/n wished him happiness, but if he was going to be grumpy then Y/n was going to enjoy it. The thing was, enjoying Enoch’s company had lead Y/n to taking part in it a lot. It wasn’t until Jake came around and ruined everything that Y/n withdrew, turned away by the sudden surging vibrant red of angry annoyance that spurted off of Enoch like fireworks. Since then, it had been one thing after another until Y/n was left feeling like Enoch got rather annoyed whenever Y/n was around anymore.

They figured he’d realized he liked not having them around and tried to keep their distance. Every time they showed up, Enoch got glummer than usual and his colors became like mop water. Not just dull, but muddy, and often mixing with hate and disgust. It made Y/n sick to see. If he was being honest, it was that more than anything that made him feel terrible.

“Why would you ever need to be sorry for anything?” Enoch asked quietly, seeming genuinely curious about that. “I’m the one that’s upset you.”

“I upset you first.” It was too honest, and Y/n felt their body tense. “Er, interrupting your piano playing. Which I didn’t know you did by the way.”

For the first time in a very long time, Enoch offered a smile. It was small, and he seemed shy about it, but it was there, and it stuck. “You never upset me, Y/n. I don’t think you could if you tried.”

At that, Y/n got angry. “Well don’t go lying to me now just because you pity me.” That seemed to startle Enoch. “Mind You Enoch O’Connor, I can see your emotions, remember? I can’t see all that hate and disgust that flares up everytime I’m around. I’m not blind and I’m not an idiot - don’t treat me one and just let me apologize already!”

For a long time, Enoch was stunned. Then he slowly realized, and his face morphed into a mix of emotions Y/n had gotten used to seeing. Irritation. Disgust. Frustration. Anger. Regret. There were new ones too. Ones that didn’t make sense. Amusement. The light bubblegum that usually signaled someone making sassy comments in their head. The color of attitude. Enoch finally shook his head, watching Y/n’s eyes flick around him but never looking directly at him. He had long since learned that it was them looking at the colors. With all the emotions in him right now, he was sure that the confusion on their face was the result of attempting to dicipher any of it.

“Remember that you can see feelings, but you don’t know why they’re there.” Y/n finally looked at Enoch, wary. “The hate and disgust wasn’t directed at you, Y/n. I-“ he purses his lips for a second. “When Jake came around, I was really annoyed with him. After his stupid grandfather I didn’t want another one coming around and hurting my friends by leaving again. And I knew he would. And then he did! He came back but that’s not the point.” He sighed, seeming to be taking a second to remind himself of something. “I let that get to me too much. I... remember how you’d flinch away from me every time Jake was around and my emotions would flare up. I felt terrible. One day you just disappeared, and then so much was happening and I‘d gone and pushed you away and now we might not ever be friends again.” He shrugged. Though not usually one to express himself, he’d always been loose lipped around Y/n. More so now after all they’d been through. Jake had taught him to talk, if nothing else, and Enoch could appreciate that at the very least.

Y/n looked at their feet. “I’m sorry I made you feel like that. That you felt so pressured to be calm around me, to repressed your emotions. And that I... mixed things up, rather than just talking to you. I know it’s not fair to read into your emotions with the hints I get when you never get a look into mine when it comes to you.” Suddenly they were both on high alert. The way Y/n had said that had been so far from talking about normal feelings like Enoch had been talking about. They had used a tone that was so distinctively... something more.

“What?” Enoch asked softly.

“I- I-“ Y/n began to back up, and Enoch didn’t have to see their emotional colors to know they were panicking. “I better go.”

Enoch surged forward, catching their arm. “No, wait.” He bit his lip as Y/n refused to look at him, before reaching over and catching their chin, tugging them around to look at him again. He offered a soft smile. That same one from before, but hopeful now. “I think you could- or, you should at least, stay. Just a little longer.”

Y/n looked up at him with that same nervous hope. “Why?”

Enoch stepped closer, and Y/n felt something in his chest grow warm at the sunset orange slowly curling around and drowning all the other colors. Orange, which was sometimes admiration or idolization, but was most often proof of a crush. “I think we have a lot to talk about.”

And Y/n knew he was right.

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Shirtsleeves ~ Enoch O'Connor (Part 1)

Request: "Hello, what's up? 😊 I saw you write on Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children fandom, so... Can I ask for something for my poor boi Enoch? He deserves love ❤️😭❤️😭 (Sorry english is not my first language)" by anonymous ( @nektotersh ?)

A/n: there weren't specifics which means I done did take liberties. I hope you're okay with male!readers because I've been DYING to do something other than Jerome. I hope you enjoy it! If you'd like another with a female/gender nonspecific reader, just let me know. I love writing for Enoch... even though it's only his movie version cause I still havent read the books.

P.S: I STARTED WRITING THIS AND THEN DIDN'T STOP AND I GOT TO 4300 WORDS AND WAS ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE STORY CAUSE I MONOLOUGED TOO MUCH SO I'LL BE DOING A PART TWO LOL SORRY

Word Count: 4300+

Masterlist

When Jake came to Miss Peregrine's Loop, there was a lot of things it took him time to wrap his mind around. The powers of the other children, for one. Also the culture of people in an entirely different time than him. In a different world than him. The fact that his grandfather of all people had been apart of that same world at some point.

Maybe it would have been easier if it was more of a clean cut between this world and the world he'd known up until now. Maybe if his grandfather hadn't secretly been some part of it. Maybe if someone so similar to him wasn't sitting two chairs away from him, integrated well despite how different he was to everyone else.

Y/n was only ten years older than Jake, even though physically he was suspended in time like all the others and couldn't have been older than sixteen. No one would answer Jake's questions about why he was here or why he was so different... Jake was starting to get the feeling it was a really sore subject and that he should stop asking. So he did.

The two did become friends, though. They only had each other as reference to the world outside of the Loop. When Jake left only to go on a crazy run around to get back to the Loop after they defeated Barron and those who ran with him, Jake may have returned for Emma, but he brought with him a bunch of tshirts that he had snagged from different stores here and there for Y/n. The boy was low on clothes, preferring to change it up every once in a while instead of wearing the same thing every day like the others. The two ended up doing it together, even though every morning at the beginning of the Loop, the clothes they had worn the previous day were perfectly clean and folded up in drawers, unworn, they both liked the normalacy they got to hold onto by wearing different clothes.

Enoch liked it a lot.

Y/n and Enoch were... complicated. Jake never pushed about the two of them, but everyone could see how much they liked each other, even if neither seemed to be willing to actually act on any emotions.

Finally, Y/n started spilling some answers to Jake's many questions... but Jake wasn't sure he was excited to finally know, or guilty for asking at all once Y/n was done telling him.

"You know, there are all kinds of Loops. All through time. Obviously. But I mean, it's that way because Peculiars pop up all the time. I mean, look at you. Sometimes Peculiars survive in the normal world, able to blend in with everyone else. Sometimes the whatever it is that makes us just pop up randomly, when Peculiars have siblings that didn't manifest any powers continue on and have families." Y/n shook his head. "I'm rambling. My point is, I was part of a newer Loop. I guess I should be like..." he tilted his head back and forth. "Mid twenties? But I'm forever stuck at fifteen, like everyone else here." He smiled. "My Loop was really cool, actually. We all held onto our early 2000's culture, even if we weren't allowed to interact with the newer stuff. We used to do all that stupid stuff, and Ashley - her talent was singing, except that when she sang, you always heard the words different, usually in a message about something going to happen. Like, um, telling the future but just for the person hearing it. She had a beautiful voice and we'd all shout songs together to go over what she was saying when we didn't want predictions." Y/n giggled. "Sometimes it was funny just to hear her predict what we were having for lunch or what Evan would find in the dirt that afternoon to the tune of some Britney Spears song."

Jake laughed at that as well. "They all sound so fun."

Y/n's smile weakened. "They were." He cleared his throat. "Of course, my talent-" he smirked. "That's what Miss Tamera called them. Talents. Anyway, my talent was of course making myself not exist. Er, we never really found a name for it. I don't leave people's minds, if they really try to remember me. I've been told it's sort of like I'm some part of a dream."

Jake sputtered for a second. "I thought you could just walk through things."

Y/n shook his head, his smile completely gone now. "My power is a little like Millard's actually. But I don't just turn invisible, I erase myself, sort of. I've never used my full power here, just little things here and there. But when my old Loop was attacked..." He swallowed again, tears in his eyes. "I watched them all die. I didn't know where to go or what to do. Miss Tamera found me. I don't know how she did it. Perhaps it was by accident. Looking for other children and she happened to stumble upon me and because we're so close she could sort of make me out. Enough to tell me where the closest Loop was and how to get to it. She told me she couldn't go with me. That she needed to try to save the others. I... I ran." Y/n looked at his hands. "I made it here before time caught up with me, thankfully. It was easy to fade into the back. Turn fake and walk wherever I wanted. I could walk onto a plane and no one would stop me because I could pull my existence out of their mind completely. They could look at me and not really see me because their brains wouldn't process my being there at all. They didn’t know me or my power well enough to combat what I could do.”

"That's horrible." Jake looked a little sick.

"It's the only reason I survived," Y/n corrected... but he also nodded when Jake first spoke, and his voice was soft. Trying to appreciate a power, even if he so obviously hated having it. "The second I stop using my power or get far enough away, the effect fades of course. I'm sure that if anyone survived from the attack, they remember me. I use it sometimes when I want to be left alone. The others feel a sort of distance from the memory of me and their lives. No one's been able to resist it fully if I actually try. I slipped into Miss peregrine's Loop and hid from her, scared she would throw me out... though I can't remember why I thought that. I think I thought that she would be protective of her own children and that Loops didn't mix usually. The truth was that they just never had a reason to." Y/n shrugged. "She didn't notice me. It was actually, um, Enoch who found me."

Raising an eyebrow, Jake leaned forward a bit. "How did he find you?"

"His doll stumbled across me. Enoch was at the edge of the garden, testing his newest creations while giving Fiona her space. I noticed the little thing and was so stunned by it that I picked it up. When the doll didn't return Enoch went looking for it and found me. I could wipe my own existence from his mind, but he didn't forget the doll, so eventually he held onto the doll that I was holding, reminding himself again and again and again that the reason the doll was floating in mid air was because I was holding it. He struggled but he managed to hold onto me despite me trying my hardest to get him to forget me. I even put the doll down but he somehow held onto me long enough to bring me to Miss Peregrine. She pulled me aside, told me to stop using my power, and had me tell her my story. Then she welcomed me into her home, giving me space at first as I slowly acclimated. It's been about three years since then. The others were slow to open up to me as I was distant and had been hiding like a creep instead of just coming forward and announcing my presence. I don't think it helped that Enoch and I took to each other pretty fast. Neither of us liked people and he thought my power was cool. Or, so he said." Y/n scrunched his nose. "I think he just likes it because it's got the same feel as his does. Both of our talents are darker. Twisted often used to harm people. Change reality. Do unnatural things people hate us doing. No one likes being forced to forget someone exists, same as no one likes watching Enoch bring his creations to life."

Jake sat back. "Huh." Y/n let him process all that. Jake looked at Y/n for a second before asking, "About Enoch-"

"No," Y/n interrupted. "You spend loads of time with Emma- I know you think we like each other or whatever. She was the first to think so, and she ships us or whatever. Used to tell me every chance she got that I should go for it. I... used to have a crush on him." Y/n blushed and Jake tried not to smirk. "But he made it clear that he wasn't interested."

"How so?" Now Jake was annoyed. Why was Enoch always such an ass? Jake had seen how Enoch looked at Y/n. Emma had confirmed it had always been like this. Why would Enoch turn Y/n down?

Y/n sighed, leaning against the wall behind him. "One time I tried flirting with him. It was a weak attempt and I'm very awkward. I'm used to disappearing, not putting myself out there to someone. And Enoch is just as bad at things like that as I am. He's always been better with the dead and... I mean they're puppets not friends or lovers." Y/n snorted. Jake smiled as well, despite himself. "He told me to stop. He looked really uncomfortable and left the room. Didn't talk to me for a week and a half. It was really awkward trying to get back into our normal function. After, I decided that romance was dumb and that I didn't need drama anyway. I had a friend. A real friend, who liked me for me and liked my power too. Someone who didn't pity me or write me off but someone who saw me for strength and skill. Enoch and I plan the best pranks, and that's why he likes having me around. He can tell me anything- bounce ideas off of me, or rant when someone's annoyed him. Which is often." The boys chuckled to each other. "So I stopped liking him. I... I think he likes Olive anyway." He looked away and Jake got the very clear impression that this bothered Y/n a lot. "I'm not surprised he's straight. He comes from a time where that wasn't really a thing. Where people could lose their title or worth by being attracted to someone of the same gender. Could lose their life, even. I at least come from a time where it was talked about. Supported, even, if it was more or less hidden. It's kind of nice when you talk about how far the world's come even in the short time."

Jake smiled. "I had a friend when I was younger. A girl everyone thought I liked." He laughed. "She was only into girls, and when she got a girlfriend I thought they were awesome. Not long after that though we lost touch." The news made Y/n grin, so Jake kept talking about Kelly and then some other people he'd met through his life. The stories seemed to make Y/n forget about his lost Loop and his unrequited feelings for a boy who he was doomed to only be best friends with. He relaxed and eased. Jake was happy to see him so happy... even if it wasn't exactly what Y/n deserved. Living through stories. Imagining a world where he grows up with some man who he's in love with. Being able to be free and happy and perfectly himself.

At least he had this.

-

Y/n hated the dark. He'd had to shove himself in too many dark spaces and hide and hope for the best. The attacks on his Loops - the first one that had ripped him from his home, and the second one that had almost done the same with his new family - had both been in the dark. He hated not being able to see, feeling like there was something sinister inside it, just waiting to strike the second Y/n wasn't on his guard.

Since coming to Miss Peregrine's, his fear of the dark had eased a little. Miss Peregrine had a talent of drawing the truth out of Y/n so he had told her about his fear very early on and she had handled it as well as he could, leaving a little lamp on his dresser. It was fire powered of course, but if things got too out of hand then he could always wake up Olive. Miss Peregrine had told him if there were any problems he'd lose the lamp. She didn't have any better alternatives, though she did move him into a room where the moonlight always shone through his window in the small minutes he'd turn the lamp off and got to sleep. Usually it worked.

On nights like tonight, he couldn't get tired. He eventually turned off the lamp in favor of it not burning down completely in case the darkness got too much and turned his face to look at the moon. It still didn't help. He was completely awake and paralyzed by fear of the dark. His mind kept reeling with images from a past he could never escape the memories of. Not just those terrible monsters and the carnage they wrought, but also staying curled in the corner of the bottom of the ship, terrified to sleep as the dark closed on him from all sides. If he slept his power might fade and the crew might remember him. Him coming onto the ship and not having a ticket or being seen amongst the passengers since.

Of course it was never a problem. They never made note of Y/n so even though in some distant parts of their mind he existed again, they didn't think twice about the little boy they'd seen for maybe two seconds in passing. It didn't stop Y/n from fearing being found out though.

Finally Y/n couldn't take it anymore. He climbed out of bed and tiptoed as quietly as possible, activating his talent so that even if someone heard him moving around it would wipe from their mind and they could keep sleeping. He couldn't get rid of the noise he was making so he still had to be careful there. But he could wipe away the fact that it was footsteps making those noises. The others would probably dismiss it as creeks in the old house and turn over and go back to bed.

Y/n reached his destination pretty quickly. Even in the dark, Y/n had the path from his room to this one memorized. He opened the door slowly, peeking inside shyly. "Enoch?" He whispered softly.

There was a muffled, "Hm?" From inside.

Y/n debated on whether he should enter or not. "Uh... are you awake?" For a second there was silence and Y/n deactivated his power to try again. "Enoch?"

Nothing. Y/n frowned before moving out of the room, leaving the door cracked since it made a lot of noise when he closed it all the way. He moved outside, laying in an open, grassy space to close his eyes and take in the moonlight. It was cool to the touch. Bright behind his eyelids, but white instead of yellow as it would have been if the sun was up. He forced himself to breathe evenly. It wasn't exactly putting him to ease but it was lessening his anxiety a little bit. The air smelled different and the grass felt different underneath him. This wasn't a ship or a train or a truck or something. This was open space where he was perfectly safe.

"You're awake again." The voice didn't make Y/n afraid again. It was too familiar and muddled with sleep. He opened his eyes to see Enoch and he felt only guilt- not fear.

"I'm sorry I woke you up."

Enoch shrugged. He had his usual scowl, but it seemed to be more now because he was tired rather than him being grumpy. "I don't mind. But it is your fault so if we're laying out here then you get to be my pillow because its super uncomfortable."

Y/n scoffed in amusement, smiling. "That's fair." Y/n expected his stomach to become Enoch's headrest. That's not what happened. Enoch lay next to him first, then scooted really close until he lay his head on Y/n's shoulder, on his side as his stomach and chest pressed against Y/n's side. Y/n sucked in a quiet breath and tried to not make a scene. As much as he'd been trying - and failing - to convince everyone that he'd gotten over his feelings for Enoch, it just wasn't true. If anything, like had turned into love as Enoch's friendship with Y/n left him the only person that Y/n's powers couldn't really affect if Enoch really tried to remember Y/n. Even at full power, Enoch was capable of remembering Y/n existed and that he was at least in front of him. If Y/n was gone it got harder and he described it being more like a person from a dream. That was amazing considering Y/n could even get Jake and Miss Peregrine to forget him if he really tried.

Enoch always remembered Y/n.

But he didn't feel for Y/n like that, so Y/n had to just burry it all and pretend that moments like this didn't drive him crazy.

He fell asleep due to some miracle, considering his body was tingling like mad. Maybe it was the sound of Enoch's soft breathing or the warmth of his body being do close to Y/n's. Maybe it was the weight of him that seemed to ease all of Y/n's anxieties and anchor him to reality. Y/n usually went to Enoch when nights like this happened. After they found out that the other struggled to sleep sometimes, they started to go to each other for comfort when they needed it. Usually they just crawled into each other's bed though or talked about it a few minutes before falling asleep together. It was never like this.

They were cuddling.

And it was more amazing than Y/n had ever thought.

He was asleep in no time.

Enoch woke up first. He was wrapped around something warm and solid. His nose buried in the soft material under his cheek and he smelled something... really nice. Kind of like smoke, but lighter. Kind of like warm air from a fire and sea breeze.

Y/n.

The boy had come to Miss Peregrine's home smelling like the ocean. In most of his travels, he'd been on land, but the ferry to the island had stained Y/n with the smell of the ship and the water and it had never left Y/n. I guess that's what happens when a Loop keeps you frozen in time. Y/n was still in the same condition as when he first came to them. The smell only got stronger after defeating Barron, when they all got on the steam ship and sailed to the new Loop. No one else really smelled like it. Only Y/n seemed to capture that smell that so matched his power. Enoch had seen him step through mist once when they were on their way to the new Loop and the day had been really muggy. He'd seen the boy waver as the mist surrounded him and he got a weird euphoric feeling. It had stayed with him and he conjured it every time Y/n tried to make Enoch forget. Enoch held onto the image of Y/n, half there and half distorted. And for some reason it just stuck. The smell of ocean and smoke and disappearing.

He looked up to see Y/n fast asleep. He moved, only to feel Y/n's arm tighten around his back to keep him in place. He recalled last night and tried not to blush. He'd been mostly asleep when he'd heard Y/n's voice. He'd thought he'd told Y/n to come in but then he never felt the weight of his friend on the other side of the bed so Enoch had looked around, only to see his door cracked and Y/n nowhere to be seen. So he went looking for Y/n, knowing that the boy would be outside in the open space with the grass soft and comfortable underneath him.

Enoch never understood it. He liked his bed. But Y/n was there as he thought and Enoch had not liked the idea of sleeping on the ground so he just lay himself on the next most comfortable thing: Y/n.

He hadn't realized just how comfortable Y/n was though. He found himself understanding why some people hated getting out of bed in the morning. Yes it was comfortable, but Enoch had always found it easy to leave when it was time to get up. He had experiments to do and if he was awake he wasn't going to save time being still and quiet with nothing to do but think. Because then he'd think of Y/n and that's not what friends did.

Laying here though, Enoch did not want to move. He was incredibly comfortable, surrounded in the warmth of the sunshine and Y/n's body. At some point he'd wrapped his arms around Y/n in turn, one of his legs resting over one of Y/n's. Like Enoch was trapping Y/n almost underneath him, if not just as close as possible. Y/n in turn had responded by holding Enoch with the arm Enoch was by, Y/n's other arm underneath his own head like a pillow.

Despite the tug to get up and carry on with his day, Enoch just lay there. He closed his eyes and breathed in Y/n's scent again. He felt himself kind of drift back into an almost-sleep when he heard a soft, "Do you think we should wake them up?"

"You better not." This soft croaking was from Y/n. "If he's sleeping in then let him." Y/n shifted and Enoch felt his body react, his arm tightening to keep him close. Someone giggled. "Stop looking at us like that, Emma. We're just friends."

"Who cuddle in the moonlight so long they fall asleep together," a voice that had been clarified as Emma's now teased.

"Totally just friends." This was a younger, lighter voice. Bronwyn. She giggled and Y/n groaned, saying something to get the two girls to go away. Enoch ignored it. He was too busy wondering why Y/n saying the two of them were just friends bothered him so much.

He wasn't... he didn't... feel that way for Y/n. Of course they were just friends. Y/n had explained to Enoch that he was into guys of course. When they first became friends and were trying to scare each other away because they were both afraid of opening up to someone who might write them off. When things seemed rocky and then Enoch had wrapped his mind around it and Miss Peregrine had answered some questions about why it was okay for Y/n to be that way and seek happiness from men when he was a boy too. Miss Peregrine had put to rest a lot of bad things he'd been taught in his youth before coming to the Loop.

But that didn't change that Enoch didn't feel that way. He'd never really had feelings for anyone. He thought it was silly and a waste of time that he didn't have. Time that no one would invest in him, so why would he even try?

If that was the problem though, hadn't Y/n invested plenty of time into Enoch? Into their relationship? I mean he knew that they used to tease Y/n for liking him, but Y/n had always brushed it off and eventually the others had left the two boys alone. Jake had pushed Enoch for answers about it in the beginning before Enoch had nearly decked him to get him to shut up.

Did the two act like more than friends? What were more than friends like? How did one feel when it came to people who weren't just your friends? He hadn't even really had friends before, other than the few times he'd gotten along with the others and the little friendship he had going with Olive. The redhead had been around a lot less once Y/n started coming around, but she was there fairly often still- especially when Y/n needed alone time or Enoch missed meals because he was too caught up in work.

Enoch thought about how much he missed Y/n when he would leave. How happy he was when Y/n and him slept up in the same bed, inches apart so that Y/n was in sight when Enoch would wake up. How nice it had been to wake up like this, even though Enoch hated going outside and being in the sunshine and the heat of daytime and the itchy hardness of the grass everyone else seemed to love so much. Why had he loved it so much when in any other situation he would have hated it here?

The answer came far too easily: because he felt more feelings with Y/n. Feelings that were definitely past friends. Feelings that danced images of them waking up like this a lot. Feelings that ingrained this moment in his mind, scrambling to remember every single detail. More than friends feelings.

...Fuck.

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Shirtsleeves ~ Enoch O'Connor (part 2)(final)

A/n: @nektotersh here's the last part! Hope you so enjoy

Word Count: 3200+

Masterlist

Y/n kind of expected things to get weird again after he and Enoch fell asleep outside together and woke up cuddling. But they didn't. Instead, Enoch seemed to hover around him more. He was more talkative and easily distracted by Y/n, even if he was trying to focus on something that had always easily held his attention, like his dolls.

Enoch would be mid-insertion when he'd spot Y/n staring at him, watching with fascination. He would stop altogether and just stare at Y/n. Y/n would look up eventually and blush. "Sorry, am I bothering you with my staring?"

"No," Enoch would reassure. Then he'd go back to the doll without further explanation, but it seemed he was fighting off a smile for... some reason.

It was weird and new and... kind of wonderful. On top of the sudden change in how Enoch treated Y/n, he also began to show up more and more into Y/n's room and in the morning they'd wake up cuddling or at least with Enoch's face pressed into the side of Y/n's arm. It was then Enoch began to steal Y/n's shirts that Y/n started to not be able to handle it anymore.

One day Enoch just came to breakfast in one of the shirts Jake had gotten Y/n during his quest to return to them. When he sat down next to Y/n and smiled at him, Y/n nearly choked. His face was so red it looked like he was about to explode, and his mouth kept moving but noise refused to come out. Any noise at all. He just looked at his food for a second before he felt eyes on him and he looked up to see Bronwyn and Emma smirking at him. Y/n ducked his head and began shoveling food as fast as he could, booking it the second his plate was clean. He grabbed his plate once he was done and raced to the kitchen to clean it off and then outside o catch some air- he was in such a rush he forgot to ask to be excused, but Miss Peregrine hadn't seemed to even think about stopping him.

What was going on?!

He felt trapped again like he had in those spaces of darkness, trying to get to Miss Peregrine's Loop before he died. Racing against time and becoming more and more reckless and praying that he was lucky enough to get away with it. But now he felt trapped not by shadows and walls that locked him in his bad decisions - even if they payed off in the end - but by his emotions. His stupid heart which yearned and twisted and begged and demanded. This felt like so much more than friendship. It almost felt like Enoch was... flirting.

But that was impossible! Enoch had made it very clear that he didn't feel that way about Y/n. Or, at least, that flirting had made him uncomfortable. Maybe... I mean was it possible that Enoch had stopped him not because he wasn't interested, but because he was interested and didn't know how to handle it? The fact that he, a guy, liked and wanted to be with another guy, when he grew up in a time where that was not in any way okay?

Oh god he was doing it again.

Enoch didn't feel that way about him. He needed to get over these emotions or they were going to actually destroy him. Pain like the kind heart break wracked on someone so young and impressionable was not worth it. Worth the split second moments of happiness when he almost had what he so wanted just within his grasp, but could never act on it or grasp it firmly because if he did then Enoch would shake him out of his fantasy, and then hurt like no other would be all he was left with. He had spent far too long ruining friendships with his feelings to do it again with Enoch. The only best friend he had ever had.

No, there HAD to be an explanation for this. Y/n could not get his heart broken again. He couldn't lose Enoch's friendship. It wasn't an option. So instead of jumping to conclusions that would lead to delusions and ruin everything, Y/n had to figure out why Enoch was actually doing this?

Maybe this was how Enoch expressed friendship. He'd been closed up in the past, only now really opening up and relaxing. Sine becoming friends with Y/n, Enoch had gotten better and better at being social and all around pleasant to be around, even if he still was quiet and reserved and Y/n had to give him warning looks when he went to do something that wasn't ideal. Like messing with Victor. Or Jake. The harmless, safe pranks had helped him blow off steam without scarring the other children and getting into real trouble. Everyone had appreciated them, even if it meant they usually ended up messy before the sun had even begun to go down. Enoch and Y/n had never really had really close friends before, and both of them were really bad with people. Maybe this is what Enoch did when all his guard was down. I mean, Y/n's bed was a little bigger and Enoch seemed to take comfort in being around him, even if he liked to be alone when it came to the others. And his t-shirts were more comfortable than the clothes Enoch was used to wearing. More breathable and easier to put on. Maybe Enoch had seen Jake and Y/n "sharing" shirts since some of them were the same and they were all from the same places, and had assumed that was another thing friends did. Share shirts. You know what that actually made sense. If Jake and Y/n did it, why couldn't Enoch? He'd never been one to ask permission after all. Maybe he hadn't thought about the message it would accidentally send.

Just friends. They were just friends.

"You okay?" Y/n turned around to the sound of Enoch's voice. At first Y/n had only been fixated on the fact that Enoch was wearing his shirt. He had not, until now, realized how very good Enoch looked in it.

The boy swallowed, trying to keep himself under control. "Yeah." His voice sounded steady enough, even as he had to wet his lips to keep his mouth from going totally dry. "Sorry I had a kind of rough night," he lied. "Needed some fresh air."

Enoch nodded slowly. "Have I done anything to... bother you?"

"Bother me? How could you ever do that now?" Y/n chuckled, brushing it off. "No Enoch you didn't bother me at all. You don't, ever." He didn't want to lose Enoch to his emotions. He didn't want Enoch to withdraw and close up again. He was happy that Enoch finally felt comfortable enough to be acting like this. Taking liberties. He had smiled at breakfast. Enoch NEVER smiled around the others. This was really great! He was happy. Y/n should be too.

"Okay." Enoch's voice was soft. He seemed unsure. Hesitant.

Y/n rose an eyebrow. "Are you okay?" His question was a soft prodding. Concerned.

Enoch scoffed in amusement. "I'm always okay."

It was then that Y/n realized just how different Enoch was from when they first met. His hair was a little messier. His shoulders were relaxed. He seemed more shy than that he hated being around other people. Nervous, instead of irritated. It was adorable. Stop it, he chided himself. "So, what do you wanna do today? The usual?"

Enoch seemed to think for a second. "Yeah," he finally settled on. "Come on, we've got a lot to do." He seemed to pause only a second in hesitation before he looped his arm around Y/n's shoulders. Despite being just a little younger, Enoch was tall enough to pull it off without any issue. When was the last time Enoch had even touched Y/n, let alone like this?

It wasn't until much later that day that something occurred to Y/n to make sense of it all.

"You're acting like Jake."

Enoch almost stabbed himself before putting his tools down, looking like he was a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar as his eyes met Y/n’s. “What do you mean?"

"I was trying to figure out why you've been acting so odd. I mean don't get me wrong I don't mind you sleeping with me or taking my shirts, but you're also touchier and you smile more and it just felt very not-you." Y/n tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you acting like Jake?"

There was a second of silence as Enoch swallowed, trying to collect his courage. He'd looked at Jake and saw how everyone liked him. How even in the short few days he'd been there, he'd been able to get Emma to like him despite her hate of relationships after Abe had left them. Jake, who had won over each and every person at the house and had saved them all. He'd thought if he was more like Jake, Y/n would maybe like Enoch like Emma liked Jake. "He's... cool." Enoch shrugged, trying not to choke on the words. There was nothing he hated more than complimenting Jake. This was getting ridiculous.

Y/n looked like Enoch had slapped him. "Enoch what the fuck?" It was the first time Y/n had ever cussed and it made Enoch's eyes go wide. "What is going on with you?" He grabbed Enoch's face, forcing the younger boy to look at him. "You know that you are amazing, right? Just you. You, Enoch O'Connor. YOU are my best friend. YOU are the one who found me and has since learned how to battle my power. You're the one who wakes up at all hours to comfort me when I'm struggling, or who has my back when people press on matters I don't wanna go into. Not Jake. You're enough for me, Enoch. You know that don't you?"

Enoch was knocked breathless. Y/n's expression was intense and insistent, driving home how honest and sincere his words were. Enoch felt them in his core. "Why do you like me? I mean... everyone else hates me. Why don't you?"

Y/n smiled. "You chose me first Enoch. I just chose you back."

Maybe it was the way Y/n was looking at him. Enoch wanted to blame what he did on the feeling of Y/n's hands against his skin. Or maybe that stupid smell that always hovered around Y/n, soothing and familiar and nice. Maybe it was the way that Y/n knew Enoch so well that he had called Enoch out on acting like someone else immediately. Maybe it was that Y/n hated seeing someone else in Enoch's face. That Y/n liked ENOCH, just Enoch, as himself. Maybe it was the pile up of everything that had happened since that very first time they'd met when Enoch had been struck by how pretty Y/n was and how much he wanted to be around the older boy who's rare smile was more beautiful than anything else. Maybe it was how close they were or how warm he felt or the soft feeling of Y/n's shirt that he wore.

Maybe it was just that he was in love with Y/n.

Whatever it was, Enoch leaned forward, pressing his lips to Y/n's very quickly and kind of awkwardly. He didn't know what he was doing and panicked directly after the millisecond moment had passed. But Y/n was pulling him back before he could go too far and kissing him back. Enoch's head spun and he felt his body lock up.

Y/n leaned back, eyes shut tight. "Wh- you- I'm sorry."

Enoch panicked even more. "No! I kissed you first, I should be the one apologizing."

Y/n ran his hands through his hair and Enoch realized they weren't on his face anymore. His skin felt suddenly cold. "Wh-why did you kiss me?"

"I... don't know." Enoch stepped forward and Y/n stepped back again. Enoch frowned. "Did you... not want me to?"

"Yes," Y/n grunted. "God I wanted you to so much." Y/n rubbed his eyes as Enoch stood there, stunned. Opening his eyes, Y/n looked at Enoch with terror. "Do you like me?"

Taking a second to order his thoughts and swallow the lump in his throat, Enoch was quiet at first. Then he nodded, slowly. "I do. Is that bad? Do you not want me to?"

Y/n looked ready to throw up. "Don't get me wrong, I like you too, I just... I spent my entire life waiting for someone to look at me like you're looking at me right now." Enoch tried to collect himself. He found that the walls he'd so easily hid himself in before had come down for Y/n and he felt exposed. Like he was naked in front of a crowd of strangers. He wasn't sure what to even do from here. "I got rejected... so many times. Got approached by girl after girl and I had to come up with some reason that made sense as to why I didn't want them like that, even when we were really chill with each other. Without telling them that I'm... I'm..." Y/n swallowed. "Gay." His face set and a weight seemed to lift off of him. "I've never said it out loud before."

Enoch gave a small smile. "Honestly, when you first told us that you liked guys I didn't know what to think." Y/n looked at him with wide eyes and he found himself just going off. Once he began he couldn't stop and it all came out at hyper speed. "When I first saw you, I felt... different. Different than I felt with anyone else. I used to have friends in my old town, before I came here. Before I started exploring my talent as you call it." Y/n gave a short laugh and Enoch almost smiled, if he hadn't been too nervous to do so. "I mean, it's been ages but I know generally how friendship works. I think. But you, you changed everything. I remembered thinking you were a girl with short hair at first. Your face was dirty but your eyes were wide and bright and beautiful. I remember feeling breathless and drawn to you. Then you talked and I pushed it all out of my head because you were a boy and boys couldn't be attracted to boys. I'd just thought you were a girl. Obviously." Enoch shook his head. "But then you said... and it didn't go away. It just got worse and worse until I felt like... addicted to you, I don't know." He shifted, obviously awkward about sharing his feelings so plainly.

"I know what you mean." Y/n rubbed the back of his neck. "You know they're never going to let this down if we tell them, right?"

Enoch actually laughed. "They've been telling us for, what, three years now?"

Y/n shrugged. "Something like that." He smiled and Enoch felt warmth bloom in his chest. That smile wavered as Y/n got visibly nervous. "What... what now? I mean, are we...? Are you...?" He blushed furiously, struggling to find the words he wanted to say but had told himself since childhood he would always be denied.

Wringing his wrists, Enoch shrugged. His eyes trained on his feet, suddenly very interested in the grass. "I dont know how to... do this. Not even with a girl, let alone another guy."

Thinking, Y/n went quiet. Enoch finally looked up at the older boy before Y/n spoke again. "What if we just tried things? One thing at a time? I mean, we're already comfortable enough to slip into each other's rooms and you're already stealing my shirts." Y/n smirked and Enoch tugged on the bottom of the shirt he was wearing, blushing almost as much as Y/n had. "Maybe we could..." Y/n shrugged, moving closer. Enoch thought Y/n was going to kiss him again until the older boy reached down, taking Enoch's hand before interlacing their fingers. "Is this okay?"

Y/n's hand was warm just like the rest of him. It was soft too. "That's okay." He spoke quietly, staring at their hands in awe.

Brushing his thumb across Enoch's knuckles, Y/n continued, "And this?"

"That's fine too," Enoch confirmed.

Slowly, Y/n brought the back of Enoch's hand to Y/n's lips. "And that?" Enoch could feel Y/n's lips moving against his skin and it made his stomach twist.

Swallowing again, Enoch tried to collect himself. "I like that."

Y/n grinned. "Okay then. If we want to do something new, make sure the other person is okay with it and then if we're both okay with it, we can add it to the list of things we do."

"That's what boyfriends do?" Y/n's eyes widened a little and Enoch felt his breath stop for just a second. "I-is that okay?" He cleared his throat. "If I call you that?"

A smile slowly grew on Y/n's face. "Yeah. That's okay with me."

For a while, Y/n and Enoch thought that they'd gotten away with keeping their relationship a secret. The girls didn't bother them and even Jake seemed oblivious of it. They started to get bolder, with Enoch resting his head on Y/n's shoulder in front of the others or stealing longer looks at each other when they thought no one else was looking. They sat closer together and Enoch's arm made a home across Y/n's shoulders.

Finally Emma had had enough. "Just because you guys are dating doesn't mean you need to stare at each other that long in front of the rest of us."

Both boys looked away with flaming faces as Claire and Olive cracked up into fits of giggles. Horace rolled his eyes. "Just because you weren't there to witness how affectionate you and Jake were until you got used to each other doesn't mean the rest of us didn't have to deal with it. You have no room to talk." More laughter, this time with Fiona and Bronwyn joining in.

Jake leaned over and kissed Emma's cheek, setting her face matching Enoch and Y/n's. "She hasn't quite gotten used to me yet." He was smirking and Emma shoved him, toppling him over, sending Millard and Hugh laughing as well. Miss Peregrine grinned from the doorway, watching her kids all having a good time.

They deserved it after all they've been through.

No reason to tell Y/n and Enoch that the only reason the others had left the two boys alone was because the second they'd finally gotten together she had taken aside all the other kids and made sure they'd leave the boys alone to figure things out before they got pushed. They both needed time to adjust and find comfort in the relationship before getting called out fully. It was better they thought that they weren’t just obvious... It's not like they weren't.