Bubblegum Confession
(Contains Bubblegum, Flirting, Floating, Wholesome Interaction)
(Words: 1560)

The auditorium hummed with soft chatter and laughter, students lingering after class, stretching their legs, or gathering in small clusters. The overhead lights bathed the room in a warm glow, reflecting off the polished wooden stage. In one of the middle rows, James and Mia sat close together, talking animatedly about their last class.

“…so yeah, that’s why a recursive function can be tricky. If you don’t include a base case, it just keeps calling itself forever,” James explained while stashing his note block and other belongings back into his bag. His short, brown hair, was a bit glossy after the long day filled with classes and tutorial sessions.

Mia giggled, resting her chin on her hand. “Like a never-ending spiral of doom? That’s kinda terrifying.” She seemed to have taken the long day better than James, still full of energy and behaving like her typical bubbly nature. Her long black hair was hanging partly over the chair, partly spread on the little table in front of the two.

“Well, not doom, but—” James paused, realizing she was just teasing him. He laughed, shaking his head. “Okay, maybe a little.” Mia’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in, a playful smirk on her lips. “You know, James, I really like listening to you explain stuff. It’s kinda…” She twirled a bit of her silky hair around her finger, pretending to think. “…cute.”

James blushed slightly, his face heating up. “I-I mean, it’s just… computer science stuff, nothing special.” He knew her teases well, yet they always got him. Mia giggled again but suddenly snapped her fingers, eyes widening as if she had just remembered something important. “Oh! I almost forgot!”

She rummaged through her bag, fingers sifting past notebooks and pens until she pulled out a small pink gum packet. It had white, swirly letters reading: ‘Kiss Bubblegum Delux’.
Her finger, however, covered a small warning label on the corner, something James didn't even notice. It looked like a typical colorful bubblegum package.
Mia grinned, holding it up proudly. “I wanted to show you this all day!”
James blinked at it. “Uh… gum?”

“Not just any gum.” Mia winked, unwrapping a piece and popping it into her mouth. She began to chew, her lips curving into a smile as the sweet scent of strawberries and vanilla drifted between them. “I found this gum in a very special shop in the Winterstadt district.” It dawned on the young man that this could mean many things, as the shops in that area were infamous for their rather unconventional products. He noticed that, while Mia was chewing on it, a soft blush appeared on her cheeks and she seemed to be in an especially good mood now. James tilted his head. “Okay… what’s so special about-”

Before he could finish, Mia suddenly grabbed his face, her hands warm and soft against his cheeks. “Wha-?” James barely managed before she leaned in and kissed him. Mia’s lips were sweet, flavored with the sugary gum, soft and tender against his own. His heart pounded in his chest, but instead of pulling away, he melted into it, his eyes fluttering shut. It was… nice. Really nice. Maybe all her teases against him the past weeks were more? Or the gum was doing something with her? Many thoughts flooded his mind, all while this wonderful, soft kiss continued.

But then, something felt different. The kiss grew softer… and then even softer. A strange hissing sound reached his ears. James opened his eyes, only to notice a pink glossy bubble was growing from Mia’s lips, pressing against his mouth, and shortly after against his face! The soft surface stretched and inflated at an impossible speed, gently pushing him backward.

“Hmmpfff?!” James gasped, his voice muffled as the expanding bubble pressed insistently against his face. The soft, warm gum stretched effortlessly, molding around the contours of his cheeks, his nose, and even his forehead. It didn’t just push, it wrapped as if embracing him, the texture smooth and pillowy, like resting against a cloud of silk.

Mia, still leaning close, gently placed her hands on his shoulders, pinning him lightly against the chair as she blew with deliberate, playful vigor. Her rosy lips remained sealed to the growing bubble, her cheeks puffing slightly with each breath, eyes twinkling with mischief. Through the translucent pink veil, James could still see her soft brown eyes locked onto his, filled with amusement and excitement.

James realized he should not fight against it. Typical slimean gum, as this one seemed to be, would not be easy to fight off anyway, and it was Mia who was blowing it. Especially after the kiss, he trusted her. His shoulders relaxed as the bubble wrapped around them and he leaned back on his chair, closing his eyes again. The soft bubble grew faster and faster, now slipping over his upper body with ease. With more and more of him wrapped in her gum, he began feeling dizzy, bubbly, and warm.

With a final whoosh, the bubble swelled completely around him. A sudden pull, like the gum bubble itself breathed in deeply, lifted James off his seat and pulled him into the bubble. With a light pop from Mia’s lips, it detached and began to float upward with him inside!
James’ heart pounded, but instead of panic, he felt… something else.

A warmth spread through his chest. A deep, glowing, affectionate warmth. It wrapped around his mind like layers of soft satin, each layer bringing in new, warm emotions of affection, playfulness and eventually love. It was like being cradled in a giant hug made of emotions.
His breathing slowed. His muscles relaxed.

Mia giggled, placing a finger against her lips. “So! This gum is the latest hype in the gum world!” she said, watching James drift weightlessly inside the pink bubble. He never knew she was into this stuff besides chewing it from time to time. “It absorbs the feelings of the one chewing it… and lets the one inside the bubble feel exactly what they feel.” Her words echoed in his mind, slowly dripping their meaning into his awareness. It dawned on him that these warm emotions of love that he was wrapped in right at this moment were indeed Mia’s feelings.

James’ eyes widened. The warmth… was Mia’s feelings?!
His heart skipped a beat. “Wait… does that mean- I mean, all the teases were not just-”
Mia smiled, her cheeks dusted with pink. “Yup! I like you, James. A lot.”
The words sank into him like honey, filling him with a fuzzy, overwhelming joy. The bubble around him felt warmer for him. The idea that he was trapped in a bubble blown by Mia, and wrapped into her feelings let him chuckle happily.
James pressed a hand against the inside of the bubble, grinning like an idiot.

He didn’t even have to think about his answer.
“I like you too, Mia.”
Mia’s eyes widened briefly before she beamed, her excitement spilling into joyful giggles. She clapped her hands together, jumping lightly in place. “Really? Yay!!” Her loud shout gained the attention of other students, who observed the situation. The students watching gasped and whispered among themselves, some smiling, some blushing at how cute the moment was, and some definitely jealous.

But Mia wasn’t done yet.
She stepped closer to the floating bubble, her soft hands pressing against its surface. It yielded like a warm marshmallow, allowing her fingers to sink in slightly before it pulled at her, inviting her inside. “James,” Mia said, her voice soft but playful, “this bubble… it’s way too cozy for just one person.” James barely had time to process her words before the bubble sucked her in, just as it had done to him moments ago.

A gentle pull, like a warm embrace, wrapped around Mia as she was absorbed into the bubble, joining James inside. She landed in his waiting arms and missed no second in returning the hug. Her own emotions now began flooding back into her mind, only increasing them further and further. He could feel her heartbeat, her happiness, her affection. It was overwhelming, yet so incredibly perfect.

The bubble floated higher, gently drifting toward the ceiling, carrying them away as they held onto each other. Mia tilted her head “Sooo, James… You really thought I was teasing you just for fun?” she purred, mischief twinkling in her eyes, “Are you ready to miss the next class?”
James nodded as his hug became a bit tighter around Mia. His own emotions now seeping into the bubble and then back to Mia and himself. With each passing moment, they felt warmer, fuzzier, and happier. It was like a rush that slowly but steadily increased more and more. They looked each other in the eyes, staring both back with love before their lips met again.
The other students were kind enough to not stare anymore. The bubble was far too high against the ceiling anyway to really see much after all.

The next day, Winterstadt’s candy and gum shops were overrun by students and their friends. The story about the Bubblegum Confession had spread over the campus quickly, unaware of James and Mia who only got out of their bubble the next morning and went home together right away.