The Secret Power of Whipped Cream | MINHO x READER

"Minho, put that back!," I snapped at the black-haired Runner who stood with his back to me – still, I knew what he was doing.

"Dufno fat'cha thafkin 'bou,' he answered, his voice muffled by what I guessed was whipped cream – it wasn't part of the weekly supplies normally so when Frypan found two of it in the Box he said we shouldn't waste it, instead let's try and make something delicious.

He asked me to help him make a cake or something. I wasn't particularly good at cooking (one of the reasons I didn't become a cook, the other one being the fact I was somewhat of a klutz) but I was the only one he trusted not to 'accidentally' not be able to account for one of the bottles while he takes a nap.

The only factor Frypan didn't calculate on was the slightly grumpy, walking sarcasm-ball running under the name of Minho.

I mean, seriously. Like, you know, he was a Runner and everything…

Our friendship did not start off very easily, me being the only girl, a headstrong one with the desire to proof I'm jut as useful as ay other boy, but it got better. We were pretty close by now and he decided to honor me wit his completely unasked company.

Not that I was complaining. Somehow over the months every time he was with me a strange feeling set his feet in my belly.

I dropped the beater and looked at him with my hands on my hips. "Minho, put that back!"

Slowly, he turned around, smiling innocently. Right above the right corner of his mouth was a small white fleck.

"You think you're smart, askin' for something twice? Lemme' just tell you: you are wrong."

"You have whipped cream on your mouth, slinthead!" I rolled my eyes and stepped closer. He raised an eyebrow, not the least nervous by getting caught, and he crossed his arms in fornt of his hard, muscular chest with a smug look on his face.

"Why are ya watchin' my mouth?"

My face fell in a mere second. All the blood escaped my face before it just rushed right to my cheeks. The words came slowly to my mouth.

"I-I don't know what… I'm of course not… watching your mouth! Why would I?" I faltered out, hugging myself tightly with my arms. They were not half as strong as Minho's – and bloody hell, all the things those strong arms could've do to me…!

A huge weight pulled my chest toward that cheeky bastard but I did my best to ignore it. Blaming it on my teenage-hormones and Minho's bloody hot Runner-body with all those muscles and veins and his witty remarks.

Usually, it worked…

"Because you wanna kiss me."

…but not when he was saying things like that.

Okay, so maybe he wasn't saying things like that on a daily basic. To be honest, this was the first time he'd ever suggested something sexual like that. This is why he caught me off-guard.

"That's klunk," I mumbled and looked away, fixing my gaze on the floor. Minho stepped closer so I didn't only see his shoes but also his pants.

"Yeah? Why don't you look at me, then?"

I don't dare. No, there was no way I'd have said that aloud. That just wouldn't have suited the girl who annoyed everyone to death in order to get into the Maze once with his brother.

Suddenly, Minho reached toward me and placed one of his large hands on my upper arm. The skin on his palm was rough and calloused but their mere heat sent tiny little sparkles all over my body. My eyes snapped up, looking straight into Minho's eyes. His irises were like melted chocolate and I felt like I could just swim in them all day.

My lower lip trembled before I pulled my hand away and stepped forward. "Just gimme the bottle, shuck-face," I ordered, trying to reach and look behind his back but he just wouldn't allow me.

I've tried from the other side but he quickly turned around, blocking my way. He was obviously hiding that bugging bottle and I was starting to get frustrated from both no succession and his closeness.

After a few turning sideway, I've nearly laid my hands on the spray bottle which glinted a faint ray of hope. He must've realized the same because he suddenly didn't care about hiding it anymore, he just used his height-advantage and held the bottle above his head.

My face got redder with annoyance as I jumped up and fell back without even touching the bottle.

"Minho, just give it to me!"

"If you want it, come and take it, pixy."

"Shuck-face," I grumbled. An idea popped into my head – I jumped up so I was kneeling on the counter and finally I was on the same level as Minho. I tried to be really fast and so my movements were not planned or safely executed and then it just… I don't know, happened. My knee must've slipped on the tiled surface of the counter because as I reached toward the bottle in Minho's hands I felt that heart-aching shakiness of tiptoeing over the edge of falling. I let out a high-pitched breath and tried to grab something to hold on. What I took hold of was Minho's shoulders and since I was so close to him my lips brushed his as my torso bucked forth.

When he saw me loosing my balance he reached to catch me and so one of his hands was holding my waist while the other one was placed on my shoulder. The cold metal of the whipped-cream bottle pinched my skin.

We stood like that for a moment, looking into each others eyes – Minho's look was concerned but soon he grinned at me widely. At any other time I loved his grin – it didn't only made him actually look his age but also his eyes looked like curved lines.

Now it only made me nervous.

"I knew you wanted to kiss me!" He blurted out, laughter shaking his voice. My eyes went wide before I tapped him on the shoulder and climbed off the counter on shaky legs.

I just kissed Minho.

Okay, I couldn't call it a kiss, because it wasn't one, really, but still it was one of the closest I've ever gotten to being kissed.

"Shut up," I mumbled. The way Minho was laughing so loud made my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"C'mon now, don't act like it's such a big deal!" he hugged my shoulders, still laughing. I tried to duck under his arms and slip away but he just held me too strong. "It wasn't even a kiss. Shame, though, I'm curious what'cha got to show."

"Yeah, well, me, too," I shook my head and stepped back to the counter, not caring about the whipped cream anymore. I just wanted to get this stupid cake done so I could go back to my room and sank into my desperation.

There was silence for a few moments – I couldn't even hear Minho's breathing which was alarming. Had he left me?

Before I could've turned around, Minho's skeptical voice sliced through the air. "Are ya saying you've never kissed before?"

I spun around, irate, and narrowed my eyes. "Why, have you?"

Minho shrugged. "I'm sure I was a charmer before we got here but – no, I don't remember anything like that. I wasn't talking about the further past, though."

"What d'ya mean?"

"I mean you're the only girl here with forty boys. You have a lot of chance to practice while I don't."

"There could be a thousand boys and I still wouldn't want to kiss them," I replied before turning back. The way this conversation headed made me highly nervous.

Minho, however, thought this was the perfect subject to talk about.

"Why? You don't like boys? It's okay with me – I mean, I like girls, I get that. More than I would get you liking someone like Gally."

I opened my mouth to protest, but decided to stay silent.

"…you don't like Gally, do you?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head but still said nothing.

"Oh my shuck, it's Gally, isn't it!"

I tossed the beater to the counter and spun around sharply with an annoyed expression, bright rose-colored blush darkening my cheeks. "No, Minho, I just never got the chance, okay?!"

He stayed put for a moment, his dark eyes searching my face as if looking for a clue I'm lying. I had no bloody idea why he thought what I said was so impossible.

"We should fix that," he said with so much simplicity it took my breath away. Seriously, I couldn't breath and just stared at him for what seemed like hours.

What the bloody shuck?!

My mouth fell open and eyes grew wide in shock as I watched Minho stepping closer. My heart stopped beating for a moment only to accelerate. It beat so hard in my chest I was afraid it would eventually break free from my ribcage.

Minho took another step and gently made me look up by pushing my chin up with his fingers. His musky, manly smell filled my nostrils in the most pleasant way, embracing me in the silk sense of security. My lips trembled and a gawky, low-keyed sigh left my mouth. I closed my eyes seconds before I felt Minho's lips pressing to mine, soft and rough at the same time, his nose gently pushing into my cheek.

Butterflies?

There was a whole bloody zoo in my stomach!

The slowly it began the fast it ended and Minho bolted up. I dared not to open my eyes, wallowing in the pink haze of my first real kiss. Somewhere in the middle of our interaction, his hands slid to my shoulders, his thumbs stroking circles. Minho's touch burned my skin.

His voice was the thing waking me up form my starting daydreams. "Do you like me more than Gally?"

My eyes snapped open and when I finally saw his face I couldn't help but laugh and tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. It was an awkward and relieved laugh – Minho's expression was genuine and soft, even the light smug grin on his lips couldn't hide the fact he enjoyed the kiss as much as I did.

I got brave under his loving gaze and placed my small hands on his hips, urging him closer. "I like kissin' ya more than anyone," I whispered before placing another small peck on his inviting lips.

"We should keep practicing, then."

With that being said, he took the opportunity to lead up, to come up with his title as the Keeper of the Runners, and captured my lips in a mesmerizing, overdriving kiss. His lips pressed to mine softly, and he grasped the back of my hair and pulled my closer. Minho's lips twisted and turned, beginning gentle at first but eventually becoming hungrier with every move. He hummed in a satisfied manner, his breath tickling me.

As fantastic as it was, I found it kind of sloppy – I've always thought it'd be dryer but still my insides melted and I just wanted to go on forever and ever. A sudden urge to cuddle up next to him at night, share a fluffy blanket and just never stop kissing flooded my soul.

Minho's grab on my shoulders tightened right before he leaned away to breath. I didn't even realize I've stopped breathing until then. He didn't let go of me, though – no, he only wrapped me in a bear-hug, his face falling to the crook of my neck, hands roaming up and down my back.

I twined my hands around his neck and smiled like an idiot – a happy idiot, I mean.

There wasn't much things I remembered from my life before – I dreamt about the outside world every now and then but I rarely remembered anything specific. What I knew for sure was, however, that it wasn't only the happiest moment I've ever lived while in the Glade but also it was the most overjoyed point of my whole life.