Remember how a year ago I posted a late "happy birthday" fic to two of my fellow writer-friends Contestshipper16 and maycontestdrew?

Yeah…. same thing happened this year too….

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONTESTSHIPPER16!

HAPPYBIRTHDAY MAYCONTESTDREW!

XXX

If she had to compare Drew to a flavor, it would have to be mint.

Not because of his hair color, but because of his personality. He could be cool one moment and in the next his comments would become overpowering, changing the coolness to coldness.

When he Coordinated, he was fresh. Always thinking of something new, always appearing perfect.

Sometimes though, like his comments, he could be harsh. And the one he was harshest to was always himself.

In those moments, May would wrap her arms around him and touch his lips that were laced with ice against hers.

XXX

If he had to compare May to a food, it would be chocolate.

Not just because of her hair color, but because of her personality. She was sweet, always encouraging, always smiling. She was what everyone loved, what everyone wanted.

When she Coordinated, she took what she knew and improved it. Her flavor never got boring and if it did, she would simply add to it.

Yet she could be bitter as well, when she lost her head would fall and her eyes would glaze over.

In those moments, Drew would rub her back and brush the fallen hair from her face, whispering words of love in her ear.

XXX

Together, they were mint chocolate. A different sort of combination. His coolness mixed with her sweetness was enough to conquer any boundary, any challenge. No one would expect it, two flavors on the opposite ends of the spectrum, being able to work together.

But it did, in the strangest way.

XXX

"Do you love her?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Do you love him?"

"H-huh?"

"It will never work."

"What?"

"You two. It will never work."

"…."

XXX

Sometimes though, the balance would be upset.

Sometimes, the mint would be too overpowering, leaving no traces of the chocolate. And sometimes, the chocolate would be so strong that the mint was left with nothing but a twinge of recognition.

In those moments, people would talk. People would gossip. People would say that they knew the two weren't good together,

They knew the two would never work.

XXX

May liked to joke about what they were. "Rivals?" she would say, drawing out the word and snuggling next to Drew. "Friends?"

He would only smirk and kiss her cheek, never answering her questions.

Their relationship did not have a title. They were not "enemies" for sure, yet they were not "lovers" either.

They were too far from one word yet they stopped short of the other.

Their relationship was…. mint and chocolate. Perfect together…

Yet, both could go with anything else.

XXX

Many guys wanted her.

He knew this…. and she as well.

"Go out with me!"

"Date me!"

"Be mine!"

When showered in these words, her gaze would go to Drew. He would merely shrug and give her a push. "Maybe he's the one." He'd whisper. She would nod and go along.

But in the inside, her heart broke.

XXX

Many girls wanted him.

She knew this…and he as well.

"I love you Drew!"

"Please…say yes!"

"Won't you accept my feelings?"

When these words were showered on him, he'd look at May. She would smirk, giggle at his nervousness, then whisper to him to go for it.

He would nod and agree to the dates. But on the inside, he felt like his heart was cracking.

XXX

Each day passed like this, both encouraging the other and both helping each other. Mornings would be filled with the knowledge of knowing what they could never have, and nights would be filled with gentle touches and flirty words. Days became weeks, and weeks became months…

Then, after two years, she finally had to ask him.

"Drew…do you love me?"

He had looked up and blinked.

For the first time, she was actually asking about them.

Two years…. twenty-four months…one hundred and four weeks…. seven hundred and thirty days….

She had asked.

And in one second, everything he had been holding back came out.

"Yes." He said. "Yes…yes…yes…" His voice was cracking, his breath caught, yet his eyes stayed fixated on hers.

"Yes."

XXX

Expected or unexpected?

When tried for the first time…. mint chocolate was unexpected.

After years of being with each other, the words between the two finally seemed to break through.

Now they could feel it. The sincerity, the passion, and the love from the other…it finally broke through.

The kisses they had given each other, the sweet words they had whispered,

All of it began to make sense.

"I love you." They now whispered to each other, their faces painted a sweet pink. They laughed at how absurd they had been. At how stupid they had been. At how long they had waited.

"I've always loved you."

XXX

"It will never work."

"We'll make it work."

"You two are rivals."

"Shows what little you know."

"You two dated other people."

"Dated? Yes. Loved? No."

"It will never work."

"You already said that."

"Why now?"

"Why not now?"

"So now…"

"Now?"

"What are you two now?"

"…."

XXX

"So," May had said one day, leaning her head on Drew's chest. "Are we…dating?"

The question hung in the air, seeming to resonate in Coordinators' ears. After two years of longing and wanting, after two years of ignoring and pushing,

They could finally put a name to them.

"Yes…. yes we are."

Expected.

The taste of mint chocolate became recognizable. Became known.

Became wanted.

XXX

"You smell nice." She whispered to him, inhaling his minty scent. He chuckled.

"You taste nice." He whispered back, leaning down to taste her chocolate lips.

They kissed, eyes closing, hands entwined,

Hearts synchronizing.

XXX

Gosh…. what is me and this Contestshipping hurt/comfort/angst lately?! Aw well.

HAPPY SUPER-DUPER BELATED BIRTHDAY!

I am sorry this is late, I am sorry I haven't updated my other story, and I will now bow my head and apologize 10 times.

Sorry (x10)