𝓟rivate writing blog , 𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 only . loved entirely by ﹙ 𝒂𝒏𝒊 ﹚ twenty five . 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 with @achingblushes & @melonloafs . read the : 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 , browse the 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 .
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@springrides
𝓟rivate writing blog , 𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 only . loved entirely by ﹙ 𝒂𝒏𝒊 ﹚ twenty five . 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 with @achingblushes & @melonloafs . read the : 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 , browse the 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 .
❛ did you really bring me here just to leave me to dance with michael ? ❜ steps outside to collect her thoughts , spring breeze nipping at exposed clavicle , raven tresses dancing in the wind . cerulean pool glistens beneath pale glow of crescent moon , reflected light washing over countenance , softening every sharp edge and casting her in an ethereal glow . ❛ why did you bring me here ? ❜ whips around to face them , arms folding tightly over clothed bosom . irritation laces tone , each word leaving lips like carefully aimed daggers . ❛ i could've just stood home instead of having to watch whatever that was . ❜
to her very core , maude was a professional . had grown up within the very depths of this lifestyle , knew how to carry herself with grace and dignity . so ... why was this random hockey player making her grin so hard , she could feel the lines forming to her face ? there's no hiding it , and maybe it's a mirror of his own excitement , but she finds it almost ⸻ endearing . did he really want her there ? wearing his jersey ? it wasn't her typical wear , that she could be honest about , but the idea settles into her mind , forms there , and it's slightly cute . if he wanted it , maybe she could compromise ? has to momentarily look at this from an outside view ... these were hardly asks that were part of their contract . was it so bad if she ... missed him ? wanted to maybe spend more time with him ? get to know her fake boyfriend a little bit better ? if there was one thing they could both be honest about , it was that doing this for each other would bring the paps around more . seemed like a win win in her book . simper tugs at corners of mouth , elbows still pressed into marble top , even blushes the tiniest bit . is sure a photo of such will be splashed about instagram in thirty minutes . ❝ yeah , okay . you've got yourself a deal . and i'll see what i can about bringing along a friend . ❞ nods , timidly , lashes fluttering as they reach upward , meeting homme's jubilant expression once again . singular brow quirks , almost feeling shy . ❝ are you sure you want me to meet them , like , so personally ? not at like , an event or something ? i just ... don't wanna fuck anything up . give it away , or anything . ❞
there would be no surprise to his teammates , had long followed a rehearsed script when it came to solidifying their fraudulent relationship . everyone so convinced he was head over heels in love , just as his coach preferred it to appear . had been doing elders’ work for years now , carrying the burden quietly , prioritizing not just his own career but the team’s success in every decision he made . loyalty to them , to the image they needed — he’d never questioned it out loud . he was team captain , after all, and captains learned early that sacrifice was part of the role . this one the least horrendous , in fact , it was quite the opposite . even if built on something fake , was incapable of ignoring how breathtaking she was , or how she never seemed to make things harder than they already were , something he’d come to appreciate more than expected . and if he was honest with himself , he could only hope he’d done the same for her in return . ❛ yeah , i think — ❜ arm reaches over without hesitation , stealing a single truffle fry from her plate . gesture is effortless , unthinking , something that slips out of him so naturally it almost goes unnoticed . a quiet sense of comfort in movement , kind that only comes from being near raven long enough for boundaries to blur in the smallest , most familiar ways . ❛ it's better you meet them this way . at a event feels too… formal , too manufactured . i think if you meet them this way it'll feel a little more natural , real . ❜ one word , real , it's enough to make ebonies flicker to hers , gaze locking in with sudden focus . that had been the goal , after all , to make tall tale feel grounded . had it begun to feel too real ? inquiry he doesn’t care to answer right now , not when she’s looking at him like that . ❛ you wont fuck it up . ❜ hand finds hers resting atop clothed table , thumb sweeping over milky skin . for a moment , it’s easy to forget eyes watching from every angle . camera flashes cut through the atmosphere , catching on moment of closeness , the reminder is immediate . ❛ you've been doing fine this entire time . the guys are idiots , i'm more worried your model friends might question me to death and i fail their test . what's your favorite color again ? ❜
brain stalls for a moment before she accepts the offered bag, reaching for it with the very tips of her nails. for the first time offers him a smile, not the one she uses at fan signs, or send offs — a real yura smile, apples of her cheeks rounding beneath it, mouth tipping higher on one side. opens the packaging with care, selecting one pistachio after a brief inspection. ‘ careful, cassius. i might have to change my opinion about you. ’
his hands offer a safer place to land than his face, rough and restless in his lap while he gives her an answer far more honest than she expected. yura knows contracts, knows company rooms with glass walls and men who speak about artists like rearranging a schedule is the same thing as moving furniture. once, years ago, another trainee had been placed in the center during practice just to see how the formation looked without her there — yura went home that night unable to sleep, picturing another girl beneath her lights, wearing her styling, pretty enough to make everyone reconsider. perhaps his world is louder, rougher, built from ice and bruises instead of cameras and powder, but she understands the insult of being discussed as if absence is only a business decision. ‘ cutthroat industry, then. i suppose that makes two of us. ’ vulnerability laces her words, busying herself with the plastic bag in her hands. ‘ i hope they remember what they have before another team does. ’ she's attended baseball games from private boxes and sat courtside at many basketball games, usually placed there by a stylist, or sponsor, or someone from the company who believes proximity to athletes counts as useful publicity. ‘ no, never. ’ nose wrinkles before she can help it. ‘ people yelling, terrible lighting, men throwing themselves into walls on purpose — it sounds barbaric. ’ small space between them feels far less inconvenient than it had ten minutes ago, ‘ if i hate it, you have to make up for it. ’
there's a permanent grin etched onto countenance in her presence , as though everything about her manages to amuse him in one way or another . couldn't remember the last time a genuine beam came so easily — let alone because of a girl . he'd devoted nearly every waking moment of livelihood to sport , pouring himself into cold rinks and relentless competition . somewhere along the way , his love life had been left frozen in place , neglected in favor of chasing something else . yet now , sitting here with her in small lift that should have felt suffocating , he catches himself lingering in the moment , listening to her speak , watching every expression that crosses her face . and for the first time in a very long while , feels as though beating vessel he'd buried beneath years of discipline and routine is beginning to thaw in real time .
❛ lot of girls you have to work with . ❜ chin tips toward glowing billboard visible through lift window , six girls staring down at city from towering advertisement . each styled to perfection , yet none of them managing to draw his eye the way yura does . almost absentmindedly , hand dips into pistachio bag resting in her grip , stealing a handful . the two of them like children sharing snacks on a playground , tucked away in their own little corner of the world . ❛ do you guys all get along ? ❜ was his way of learning a little more about her — a glimpse into livelihood that appeared to be complete opposite of his own , yet shared more similarities than either of them might have expected . group mentality , for one , something he understood intimately . as team captain , success was never solely his own , nor were failures . teammates had long since become something closer to brothers than friends . but when she criticizes beloved sport , string of quiet laughter slips past lips . no offense taken , if anything , her commentary only amuses him further . truthfully , he couldn't imagine someone like her thriving in that environment , a princess in her own right . the invitation simply an excuse , a reason to see her again after elevator doors finally opened and sent them back to their separate lives . ❛ make up for it ? ❜ gaze settles on her then , corner of mouth lifting into slightest of smirks . it had sounded an awful lot like she wanted to see him again , just as badly as he wanted to see her . ❛ well now i'm hoping you absolutely detest it so i can take you on a real date . ❜ smirk is in full bloom as he waits for her reaction , excitement bubbling low in his chest . only then does it hit him — the reality of their careers , and what that could mean for any future between them , if there even was one . ❛ please tell me you're allowed to go on dates… ❜
❛ it's almost midnight — what do you want ? ❜ pair stand at doorway , aperture left wide open as he leans full weight against wooden frame. he hadn’t been asleep — hours when silver crescent hung above drifting clouds were ones in which he felt most alive . a nocturnal creature in his own right , far more comfortable beneath moonlight than the glare of day . ❛ shouldn't you be in bed crying over a pint of ben and jerry's right now or something ? ❜ he'd heard the news, the kind of gossip that spread through town faster than blades across fresh ice . he couldn't blame her for the absence of saline tears . her now ex - boyfriend happened to be the worst person in existence on slow turning sphere — and his longtime arch - nemesis since earliest days of his hockey career . @achingblushes
blinks once, then twice, cocky grin faltering just long enough to prove her words hit where it hurts most — his ego. ‘ cuter on camera is crazy. ’ speaks quite quickly for someone trying to look unbothered, hand lifting from the table as if he needs a second to recover from the disrespect. all the things she could do with recognizing him, she chooses violence immediately, which is annoying because it works. tongue presses against the inside of his cheek, grin returning like it never disappeared.
‘ first of all, i don't flirt with my viewers. they flirt with me. ’ leans back in his chair, ankle crossing beneath the table as if the confidence can be put back on through posture alone. ‘ second of all, the camera does not make me cuter. lighting does. ’ longer she remains sat, the more pleased andrew becomes. says she has studying to do, calls him a stalker, is halfway out the door — yet she sits right back down into the chair across from him. ‘ and third — you know who i am, your friend watches me and you still ask if i think you're pretty. ’ whatever damage she's done to his ego fixes itself when she decides to stay. ‘ what's her username? maybe i'll send flowers to someone who actually likes me. ’
had taken a particular genre of satisfaction in crawling under his skin . his almost palpable hubris had begun to seize the better half of him , and would be more than pleased to knock homme down a peg or two as her good deed for the day . yet even after accomplishing exactly that , she made no move to leave . instead , remained cemented to her seat , lingering long after exchange should have ended . was as if neither of them could quite bring themselves to withdraw from the strange little match of cat and mouse they’d created together . ❛ so you agree ? you look better on camera with your fancy lighting and all ? ❜ simper curls glossed lips . her chin settling into propped up hands , elbows resting atop stack of textbooks before her . gaze remains fixed on him , unwavering and shamelessly amused , as though she’s content to spend a little while longer watching him squirm beneath her attention .
❛ i just wanted to hear you call me pretty — and it worked . but now that i know exactly who you are , it kind of doesn't hit the same . i mean , i've seen your stream… you so flirt with your viewers . ❜ and then possesses the nerve to ask for her friend’s username instead of asking for her name — or , really , anything about her at all ! drawing the attention of guys had never been easy for her , not with being the mayor’s daughter . most kept their distance , wary of the unspoken ordinances that came with getting too close to a public family like hers . having his undivided attention now , and so little of it actually focused on who she was , made it strangely harder to step away . ❛ you call me pretty and you ask for my friends information ? maybe you're the one who doesn't like me . ❜ allows gaze to drift elsewhere , settling on spring leaves skittering across pavement just outside cozy café window . a quiet hum lingers in her throat before she speaks softly . ❛ i like flowers. ❜
“oh, really? then why are you everywhere i go? i get it, you're obsessed with me — who wouldn't be? but i'm just not into crazy girls, no offense.”
❛ i'm sorry, am i suppose to know who you are? ❜ ebonies fall briefly before lifting again, tracing length of his stature in a slow, deliberate sweep. was as if another head to toe observation might finally reveal something she's been missing. ❛ is this how you, like, pick up girls or something? ❜ cranium cants slightly to one side, curiosity flickering across features as she studies him. ❛ and i'm not into narcissist's — so i guess we both have nothing to worry about. but you should really work on your pick up lines… ❜
playful curve leaves her mouth, posture remaining firm with no regrets for chasing the future she earned. ‘ i was expecting a warmer welcome from you. ’ applause was everything she ever wanted, dreamed of, but it never smothered his absence. ‘ okay fine, daeon, i will leave since that's so clearly what you want. ’
moment light leaves her countenance, regret settles heavily in his chest. ❛ hey, that's not what i want. ❜ hand finds her arm before she can get very far, fingers curling gently around limb as he draws her back into his orbit. distance between them disappearing almost entirely, leaving pair standing far closer than they should have been. truthfully, he no longer knew what he wanted. hurt and unwavering affection tangling together into something unruly, twisting low in abdomen and refusing to be ignored. ❛ you wouldn't have to miss me if you didnt walk out on me, an. ❜ irritation quietly laces voice, sounding less like anger and more like someone chasing an answer he already knows he'll never receive. ❛ i would've gone with you, you know. i would've gone anywhere with you. ❜
contrary to rumor and scandal surrounding a group past their rookie years, kangmin hadn't taken after his members — hadn't fallen down the trap of clubbing and nda exchanges and appearing at the dorm in last night's clothes. on the contrary, he was nothing more than bravado, cocky grin and lines that seemingly worked when said by someone else. “only on you, of course.” resounding honesty that's burdened by his credibility and inability to wipe the smirk away or say something a bit more eloquent. truthfully, he does know her — even if it's in the form daring glances between backstage shows and joint group content, or the shitty youtube guides on 11:11 he'd found online. but even he knows better than to do anything more than press his lips together and play dumb. “call it a gut feeling. but if you'd like to spend some more time getting to know each other, i won't be the one to stop you.” and considering she's made no move to leave yet, his delusions don't seem so far fetched just yet. “they're not looking for me yet.” barely considers the idea that he has a job to do once she makes contact, eyes flickering to her side profile in awe. it does look pretty. the lights and set pale in comparison to what's directly in his sight. “will you watch? for me?”
no one else possessed the courage he carried so effortlessly, and that meant something to her. continuing to pursue her despite everything stacked against them was impossible to ignore. in their sphere, even something as innocent as prolonged eye contact between idols could spark rumors capable of damaging not only themselves, but image of their entire group. yet none of that appeared to deter him — and if she was honest, there was something quietly thrilling about that. head turns to face him, expecting to find his attention fixed on glowing screen before them. instead, discovers he'd been studying her the entire time. realization catches her off guard, faint tint of carmine blooming across apples of cheeks as their gazes meet. ❛ okay, i'll watch. ❜ nods, ebonies remaining fixed on his. their proximity would likely appear alarming to anyone who happened to pass by, yet she makes no effort to create distance between them. ❛ maybe when you're done here we can go somewhere. ❜ words come quietly, almost timidly, swallowing knot forming in the back of her throat. had never been the type to break rules, and flirting with another idol had certainly never been something thought of before. considering how effortlessly charming he was, how could she be anything but a nervous wreck? ❛ here, take this. ❜ she steps toward small table positioned beneath television, its surface cluttered with music show itineraries left scattered in organized chaos. manicured finger snags a nearby sharpie before she comes to a stop directly in front of him. without a word, she lifts the sleeve of his stage outfit and carefully writes on his skin, concentration evident in slight furrow of brow. only when she's finished does she lower his arm, revealing a neatly penned string of digits. ❛ text me when you get to your dorm safely — we can meet somewhere after, grab something to eat. just try not to sweat this off when you're out there, yeah? ❜ glances up at him then, pearly whites flashing as wide grin spreads across countenance despite her best efforts to contain it.
୭ৎ open to : anyone
‘ i don't like your tone. try again, but nicer. ’
❛ can you please, ❜ knees thud against carpet, arms folding across edge of mattress where she remains perched, hands coming together in an almost prayer like gesture as cranium tilts upward. ❛ just give vivi my number — i'd be an amazing boyfriend, why cant you indulge me on this one thing? ❜
nothing could have prepared ami for the impossible revelation, but her best friends cheek doesn't twitch — not even a little, so she knows her best friend means what she says. when sawako inches closer, air leaves her lungs, attention stolen by pretty lips. hearing that she will be her first kiss fills the girls entire body with a blistering heat. own hands press into other's thighs, propping her up while her brain turns to mush. ‘ then do it. ’ ami manages to get out, words carrying all of her hidden longings.
when her best friend cradles her jaw, she leans into it, tipping her head to welcome the new closeness. first press to her lips is like pure honey, sudden thrill shooting down her backbone. eyes flutter shut, everything else fades away until the other girl becomes her entire universe. kiss deepens, following her lead as her own lips separate. tongues tangle slow, soft whimper forcing itself into sawako's mouth. any remaining distance disappears, ami sinks back against the carpet, tugging her down by her polka dot pajamas until she rests directly above her. ‘ you're so pretty, sawa. ’ breathes the words against her skin. something so irrefutable about how she looks even more beautiful resting above her, fairy lights casting a soft glow across her skin.
kiss begins tender, almost timid at first — ami was her best friend, after all. but there was nothing uncertain about the way their lips pressed together felt, as though something in her finally clicked into place. being here with her felt right, inevitable even, like it had been waiting for them both all along without either of them knowing. and when a soft, breathless sound slips between their mouths, it stirs something in petite frame, an unexpected surge of courage she didn’t realize she had. as she sinks down against carpet, allows limbs to wrap around her frame until she’s caged beneath her, straddled gently with raven strands spilling toward the floor. ❛ is this okay? ❜ pulls back just slightly, breath coming heavy as she looks down at brunette beneath her. it was both of their first kiss, and despite everything pulling her forward, she wanted it to be something worth remembering.
❛ you look pretty underneath me. ❜ falls quietly, straddling her lap as fingers absentmindedly play with strands of hair resting against the other’s shoulder. leans in slightly, elbows braced beside her, faces close enough that every breath is shared in the same small pocket of air. ❛ does it feel nice? ❜ thumb swipes gently across her lower lip, observing the way her mouth parts ever so slightly in response. feels something settle in her chest then, a quiet knowing that this exact second is something she’ll carry with her long after it’s gone. ❛ kissing me? ❜
consequences of jaein's current endeavor mean little when he's only gotten a single night's worth of shut eye in the last week. his career is a merciless treadmill, body worn down inch by inch, but he serves no purpose otherwise — being a musician is his entire existence, leaving him with no earthly clue how to find an identity elsewhere. ‘ every job has its ups and downs. it's no different. ’ can still recall working twelve hour shifts at his uncle's restaurant, feet aching and skin soaked in the reek of kitchen grease — at least now the same exhaustion affords greater luxuries. he loves it even with every bit of its faults. fatigued eyes anchor on her, quietly memorizing the effortless beauty that comes with no posing, no one checking to see if the angles are just right. ‘ and what do you do, remi? ’ inquisition falls from slightly chapped lips, crease forming in his forehead from raised brows.
‘ don't even worry about him. ’ out of habit, large hand finds the small of her back to guide her forward, touch freezes for a moment but he remains. ‘ my manager doesn't approve of a lot of things that i do. ’ towering glass of the complex loses itself in the clouds, trace of a smile pulling at the left side of his mouth. whoever she is, whatever it is — jaein finds himself admittedly impressed. for the first time in his years as an idol, there is nobody around who recognized his face. beautifully vacant stretch where no paparazzi are lurking to claim a piece of his time, no fans crowding his space for a hug or a picture. parking level steeped in cool cement, echo of soles rebounding off the concrete. doesn't need to pull his hoodie over his face, no sunglasses to half mask his identity and he feels the thrum of his heart against his chest for what life used to be. ‘ i've never been to this side of town, it's nice. quiet. ’
for miles in every direction, all that greets the eye are white clouds beyond floor length windows of her high rise apartment. she didn’t bring people home — certainly not those she’d only just met. yet with him, there was an ease she’d never experienced before, it made lowering her guard feel effortless, and made opening up to him come far more easily than it ever had with anyone else. ❛ i skate for a living… my mom curated this insane shrine. ❜ grows sheepish then, manicured finger lifting to point toward accent wall lined with gold medals accumulated throughout extensive figure skating career that had begun when she was only seven years old. setting sun spills through windows, its light glinting off polished medals and scattering flecks of color throughout the room. ❛ are you telling me leon hasnt complained about how annoyingly perfect i am to you guys yet? ❜ hands slip into back pockets as a teasing smirk tugs at her lips. had always been a point of contention between them growing up — siblings forever trying to outdo one another in their respective careers, each determined to claim bragging rights whenever possible. at the moment, she was fairly certain she held the advantage, and expression on countenance made it clear she intended to enjoy it. ❛ come on, let me show you the guest room. ❜
seeking his touch had become second nature, hand instinctively finding his as she tugs taller frame through dimly lit hall, fingers threading together without a second thought. not only were his hands far larger than hers, but warm and impossibly soft. shelves they pass decorated with photographs spanning nearly every chapter of her life — smiling family portraits and moments from competitions. was a softer side of her, one rarely offered to anyone else. ❛ you can get some sleep here. ❜ pushes open mahogany, revealing perfectly put together guest room, soft scent of lavender settling warmly in nostrils. ❛ normally my parents stay here or one of my brothers every now and then but for tonight — it's all yours. everything is clean so you don't have to worry about any leon germs. ❜ release grip on his hand, seemingly unaware she’d been holding onto it the entire time. moves farther into small space, making her way to put together bed before plopping herself down atop soft mattress. raven tresses fan across shoulders with the motion, resting there, almost waiting for him to join her. ❛ about this thing tonight… ❜ come as a whisper, voice soft as she leans into the quiet intimacy that surrounds them. ❛ do you really want me to be there? ❜
୭ৎ addressed to : @springrides
song finds her during the second chorus of the fourth song, half by accident and half because he has been looking for the same face since the lights went down. crowd becomes one bright, breathing thing beneath the stage, lightsticks moving in waves, phones lifted high enough to turn every glance into evidence. knows better than to let his eyes stay anywhere too long. he's seen how fast a fan account can slow a clip, circle one direction of his gaze, match it to the girl with hundreds of thousands of followers standing near the side barricade — he's been analyzed for far less.
by the time encore ends, sweat has cooled at his temples and his manager has already said her name twice in the same dreadful tone people use for problems they expect him to solve. says nothing in return, lets staff pull the towel from his shoulders, someone unclips the mic pack from the back of his waistband and in seconds he's slipping out of the dressing room before anyone can block the door. finds her near the service hallway, pass tucked beneath her jacket and phone in her hand. ‘ you came. ’ reaches for her not even a second after his own words meet with the air, still damp from the heat and smelling faintly of sweat mixed with cologne. pulls her into him with both arms, face turning toward her hair as the noise becomes an afterthought behind his back. it's stupid and reckless, probably — careless, definitely but he's been holding back all night. ‘ it's hard not to stare at you when i'm up there. ’
hadn’t shown up draped in head to toe merch. instead, opted for an all black ensemble, understated yet impeccably put together. diamonds glittered at wrist beneath concert lights — an anniversary gift from him, one she rarely took off. hips swayed languidly to every song she knew by heart, lyrics slipping from glossed lips as she quietly harmonized beneath crowd’s thunderous chants. would come to every single show if she could, if only to watch him stand beneath those lights and live out dreams he’d spent years chasing.
his management had grown cold toward her, and she understood why. they'd become careless with their affection, his manager had made that painfully clear when she’d been shown an array of sasaeng photographs — images his company had received alongside mounting threats. she does little to bother team encompassing her while she waits backstage, standing alone in a quiet corner with only bright glow of her phone illuminating countenance, waiting patiently until she can see him again and feel that familiar sense of safety settle back into place.
isn’t until familiar voice echoes through backstage halls that she finally looks up from her phone. bright beam instantly captures her mouth, the wait forgotten as she’s swept into his embrace. ❛ of course i came, i couldnt miss your last show here. ❜ limbs drape around his neck, manicured hands finding the back of his head as fingers weave through damp raven strands stuck to sweat slick skin. this was safety to her — somewhere along the way, being in his arms had become its own kind of home. his tour, however, was another matter entirely. avoided thinking about it for as long as she could. the group would be heading overseas soon, gone for a stretch of time neither of them could properly quantify — would be their first real separation, and she wasn't ready to acknowledge it yet. ❛ really? because it's so easy to stare at you from in the crowd. ❜ hums softly, pressing a gentle kiss to lips before lingering there just a moment longer. she’s aware of the surrounding presence of management nearby, the watchful attention that always seemed to follow them now, but she doesn’t move, not yet, unwilling to break the closeness just for that. ❛ do you have somewhere we can talk? privately. ❜
andrew recognizes bait when it's sitting right in front of him, glossy lips and dusty textbooks included — bad habit, as he takes it anyway. pride makes the stupid choice feel earned, for some peculiar reason. ‘ do you ask every stranger that? or am i getting special treatment? ’ chair shifts beneath him as he leans back, giving her enough room to leave without making it easy to pretend the conversation is over. eyes dip once to the books gathered at her chest, then back to her undeniably remarkable features. ‘ and for the record, i never said you weren't pretty. i said i wasn't following you. wildly different accusations. ’ grin pulls across his face lazily, words said with the same stupid charm that has earned him thousands of girls in his dm's. ‘ yeah. fine. you're pretty — even for a stalker, i guess. ’
stares at homme for a long moment, eyes narrowing as she studies maddening grin spreading across countenance. no response comes — his expression far too familiar, leaving her without any worthwhile rebuttal to throw back at him. ❛ oh my god. ❜ it hits her then. books she'd been holding tightly against chest drop onto mahogany table before him with a loud thud, noise cutting through café's quiet atmosphere. a handful of miffed faces immediately turning in their direction at the disruption, but she pays them no mind. ❛ you're the guy my friend is, like, always watching — you're always flirting with your viewers! ❜ the realization settles in fully, and suddenly the compliment that had moments ago stirred an unfamiliar warmth in abdomen leave nothing but a strange chill behind. ❛ huh. ❜ sound falls quietly from plump lips, lowering herself back into her seat as chin comes to rest in propped up palm, studying him for a long moment. ❛ you're cuter on camera. ❜
sound he makes is a scoff, captivated by the sheer audacity of her words. ‘ aaaand… what reason would i have to be following you? ’ same question could be turned right back on him. ‘ look i'm flattered, really, ’ he says, playing the antagonist solely to ruffle her feathers even more. ‘ but i don't exchange numbers with my stalkers. ’
❛ i dont know, maybe you thought i was pretty and couldn't think of a way to approach me… ❜ closes dusty academic books with a quiet sigh, conceding that no real studying would be getting done with him around. only then does she glance up at him through wispy lashes from her seat at round café table, finally giving him her full attention. ❛ do you think i'm pretty? ❜ was as if they were playing entirely different games — his centered on provoking her at every opportunity, while hers seemed more dedicated to leaving him flustered whenever she could manage. ❛ if i was a stalker would i be leaving right now? ❜ she rises from wooden chair, clutching stack of textbooks tightly against bosom. ❛ i have studying to do, so if you'll excuse me, stalker. ❜
yura notes his hands to be much larger, calloused from some sports equipment she cannot name — though she does not mind the rough texture against her porcelain - like skin. his grip completely engulfs her hand while she idly drags her thumbnail across flesh between his thumb and index finger and pulls away. ‘ a pleasure to finally have a name, cash. ’ cash — cassius — is the exact persona her management team would flag immediately. wrong industry, wrong everything, kind of association that creates the wrong headlines. funny, considering he is the only person she has shared a genuine conversation with all week.
‘ apology accepted. ’ this time words lack her habitual iciness, rare warmth softening curved cupid's bow. truth be told, yura owes him an explanation; notoriously frigid toward strangers, presenting a cold front to anyone outside her immediate circle. her eyes stray to his open bag, catching the familiar green packaging wrapped around her preferred pistachios nestled among scattered gear. clears her throat, redirecting attention toward the panel responsible for their delay. yura lifts one shoulder, a careless gesture. ‘ mmm… looks like i'm going to miss my event, so i may be able to pencil you in. ’ birthplace possessed far grander views than this town, leaving her homesick for sleepless city lights. yura offers a soft laugh hearing his praise, heat tinting her cheeks — odd sensation for someone so accustomed to constant adoration. she gives a small nod toward the massive billboard nearby. ‘ thank you. ’ tilts her head. ‘ occasionally, yes. ’ nothing could be further from the truth; she is an attention magnet, sought after features earning endless flattery. ‘ so, where were you going in such a hurry? ’
a quiet grin settles on lips and stubbornly remains there. businesslike cadence of her speech, paired with her polished demeanor she carried so effortlessly, strikes him as almost peculiar. could only imagine how many years she’d spent being trained into perfection, sculpted carefully into the ideal image expected of her. idea only deepening the relentless urge stirring within him to uncover who she truly was beneath all of it. ebonies follow the direction of hers, landing on the fresh bag of pistachios that seem to have captured her attention entirely. ❛ have some. ❜ rummages through duffel for a moment before tugging chartreuse bag free from beneath scattered equipment, extending it toward her without hesitation once he finds it. ❛ who know's how long we'll be stuck here — really cant afford having the world's princess collapsing under my watch. ❜
but the moment conversation shifts toward him, he can’t help the sharp inhale that follows. career had become a mess of its own, tangled in ways he’s certain exist far outside her world. pair moving through entirely different stratospheres, separated by lives that hardly seemed capable of overlapping at all. ❛ the office of my teams general manager is on the twelfth floor. ❜ begins slowly, attention dropping to his hands, fingers absentmindedly picking at forming callouses in a quiet attempt to steady and distract himself all at once. ❛ there's been talks about trading me to another team and i… i really dont see myself on any other team except the one i'm on right now — i mean, those guys are my family. so i'm gonna have a talk with him. ❜ hadn’t told anyone, not even own teammates, about the whispers surrounding his possible trade. yet here he was, every buried sentiment spilling from him like water through a broken dam, offered so easily to someone he’d only just met. ❛ have you ever been to a hockey game? ❜ tilts head then, smirk finding corner of mouth. ❛ i know it's definitely not your scene but… you should come tomorrow night. think i'd play a whole lot better if you were there. ❜
heavy lashed hues roll slow, no point in trying to talk sense into someone so determined. could lay out tour dates or band rules, the jam packed schedule she lives by, she doesn't have the lung capacity left to dismantle his persistence. forever isn't as easy as he makes it seem — so wrapped up in the fairytale of his own desires. something tugs inside that she hates herself for — unwanted warmth that only exists the second he's near, unraveling the boundaries she spends every waking hour reinforcing. it's so easy to lose her footing when he's around and she doesn't have the breath to fight both him and her clumsy heart.
tows him backward by his sleeve before he can spin another promise, chipped wood of her dressing room door giving way until the deadbolt clicks. sarah doesn't allow him even a second to breathe, crowding the small space by the door and the vanity until his shoulders hit the wood. palm flattens hard against his chest, feels his pulse jumping against her hand. skirt bunches right against his legs, adrenaline humming between their bodies as she forces herself flush against him. ‘ take your shirt off. ’
it was almost comical to him, way she insisted on denying anything long term in favor of their careers — only for every rational thought to abandon her the moment his large palms found her skin. does as told, like a trained dog who would follow her the end of the world, fingers toy with hem of cotton tee before tugging material up and over dark raven strands. hair falls messily across forehead as he’s left exposed, a disheveled look he wears so perfectly. he captures her lips in a heated kiss, mouth parting just enough for tongues to mingle between them. hands instinctively slip beneath the fabric of her theater skirt, gathering layers of tulle and polyester as palms settle against the backs of her thighs, lifting her effortlessly onto the vanity. kiss only deepening with movement, charged with a kind of tension only she ever seemed capable of drawing from him.
tears his lips from hers, swollen and damp from shared kiss, gaze hazy with a drunken hunger reserved solely for her. for a moment, he says nothing at all, simply taking her in through heavy breaths as though committing every detail to memory. palm rises to cradle fullness of cheek, ebonies flickering between hers while he quietly admires her almost otherworldly beauty possessed — like this might be the last chance he’ll ever have to do so, and perhaps it very well could be with next words that fall breathlessly from lips. ❛ i'm in love with you, sarah. ❜