[tamagotchus]

━━━━⊱༒︎       𝗒𝗈𝗎   𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅   𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄   𝗆𝖾   𝖼𝗋𝗎𝖾𝗅,   𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒   𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿𝗂𝗌𝗁.   𝖻𝗎𝗍   𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾   𝗂𝗌   𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌   𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿𝗂𝗌𝗁;   the   more   ardent,   the   more   selfish.   you   must   come   with   me,   loving   me,   to   death;   or   else   hate   me,   and   still   come   with   me,   hating   me   through   death   and   after.   ━━━━━  adored   by   cherry.   ༒︎⊰━━━━ 

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written by cherry , 28. ~ basic indie rules apply. medium to low activity, semi-selcetive multimuse blog. this blog may include mature/triggering themes & topics. please only interact if you are 21+! i am open to most plots/connections, though i do not write taboo plots. my muses consist of sof & fantasy/spn, but all can be put in either verse! anything else, just send me a message. ♡

[silkchvffon]

closed starter for @tamagotchus, with erin & royce ♡

IT'S NOT OFTEN HE GETS the privilege of playing the rational older brother, so when the call comes he's always there — most of the time anyway. these days he rarely drinks, hyper - focused on training and his gaze set on gold medals and media coverage. it's exhausting to the point that a drunk call from dana is a much needed distraction. he keeps bumping into strangers in here though, air thick and music loud, as he searches for a familiar figure. and he finds one, albeit not the one he came for. she is a distraction though. « hello, gorgeous, » he coos softly against her ear when he's directly behind her, brown locks tickling his cheek when he leans back to sport a smile in her direction. the whole world seems to burn up around them. « and you didn't invite me ? i'm hurt, erin. »

[tamagotchus]

she  needed  a  night  like  tonight.  she  was  owed  one;  the  semester  was  long  and  grueling,  but  she'd  made  it  through.  she  always  had,  with  flying  colors,  and  that  was  just  how  she  liked  things.  she  rarely  wasted  her  time  –  it  was  too  valuable.  now  that  she  had  a  little  more  room  to  breathe,  erin  had  let  her  best  friend  drag  her  out  to  this  party.  number  of  shots  she'd  taken  had  been  forgotten,  but  she'd  recognize  his  voice  anywhere.  even  his  voice  was  laid  back,  relaxed,  like  he'd  never  worried  about  the  weight  of  the  world,  medals  and  all.  part  of  erin  envied  that,  but  she  knew  where  she  was  going  and  wanted  to  work  to  get  there.  he  was  a  distraction,  someone  as  handsome  as  him  couldn't  help  being  a  distraction,  but  erin  had  refused  to  let  her  mind  go  there.  “i  figured  you'd  be  busy  training,  you  drinking  tonight?”  the  alcohol  tempted  her  further,  though.  “or  did  you  come  just  to  bother  me  royce?” 

[notgaybuckybarnes]

STEPHEN KALYN Off Campus 1.05

[filmgifs]

FORBIDDEN FRUITS (2026) Dir. Meredith Alloway

[ofecho3s]

             now   that   the   thing   that   had   bothered   him   was   out   in   the   open   ,   aspen   felt   as   if   a   weight   had   lifted   from   his   shoulders. “they’re   posh   idiots   who   are   too   concerned   about   image.   since   when   did   a   tattoo   sleeve   hurt   anybody   ,”    he   muttered   ,   gently   brushing   millie’s   hair   out   of   her   eyes.   the   small   sigh   that   escaped   her   as   she   snuggled   deeper   into   the   couch   made   his   heart   melt.   there   was   nothing   he   wouldn’t   do   for   his   baby   ,   but   he   hated   that   surrounding   circumstances   making   her   life   harder.    “i   have   considered   maybe   moving   her   closer   to   home.   it   wasn’t   my   choice   of   school   at   the   start   ,   but   i   just   wanted   to   give   her   the   best   chance   to   succeed   …”    the   thought   ,   so   clearly   repeated   from   his   parents   ,   made   his   face   twist   in   an   uncomfortable   grimace.    “might   just   have   to   bite   the   bullet   and   do   it.   it’s   not   worth   her   being   unhappy   ,   huh ?”

[tamagotchus]

“especially  when  the  sleeve  looks  fucking  sick,”  he  complimented  him,  nudging  his  arm  with  his  own  elbow.  even  if  it  was  brief,  he  hoped  he  could  give  aspen  that  space  to  relax  –  to  let  whatever  was  weighing  on  his  chest  go.  he  knew  aspen  would  do  the  same  if  the  situation  called  for  it.  “image  is  all  they  care  about.  i  know  they're  disorderly  behind  closed  doors.  all  that  matters  is  how  everyone  else  sees  them.  shallow.”   watching  the  way  he  was  with  his  daughter  was  admirable,  made  him  want  to  aspire  for  that  one  day,  when  the  time  was  right,  even  if  it  was  something  he  never  thought  he'd  achieve.  “she'll  succeed  wherever  she  goes,  you  know  that  too,  sometimes  i  swear  she's  too  smart  for  her  own  good,"  ares  let  a  small  laugh  in  an  attempt  to  lighten  the  mood.  “and,  i'm  sure  you  know  what's  best  for  her,  and  it  isn't  being  around  people  like  that.  not  worth  it  at  all.  if  you  need  any  help  with  it  all  you  know  i'm  there  for  you.” 

[tenderlove]

‧ ˚ ꒰ ♡ —— @tamagotchus: catherine + aries.

catherine  had  always  been  good  at  entering  a  room  as  if  she  were  bringing  a  little  warmth  in  with  her,  not  loudly,  not  in  the  sort  of  way  that  demanded  attention,  but  with  the  easy  brightness  of  someone  who  remembered  names,  touched  arms  in  greeting,  smiled  with  her  whole  face  before  she  could  think  better  of  it.  the  party  was  already  alive  when  she  arrived,  all  golden  lights  and  overlapping  voices,  the  kind  of  laughter  that  rose  and  folded  into  the  music  until  everything  seemed  softer  than  it  really  was,  and  for  a  while  she  let  herself  belong  to  it  without  effort.  she  moved  through  the  familiar  little  rituals  of  affection,  a  hug  here,  a  kiss  on  the  cheek  there,  a  hand  squeezed  between  both  of  hers  as  if  every  person  she  greeted  had  been  missed  in  some  private,  specific  way,  until  her  eyes  found  aries  across  the  room  and  something  inside  her  missed  a  step  so  quietly  that  no  one  else  would  have  known  the  ground  had  tilted.  she  had  not  known  he  would  be  there,  and  maybe  that  was  what  made  the  sight  of  him  feel  almost  unfair,  the  way  life  sometimes  opened  a  door  without  warning  and  placed  an  old  wound  beneath  warm  light,  dressed  like  a  person,  breathing  like  a  memory  that  had  refused  to  stay  obediently  in  the  past.

for  a  second,  catherine  only  stood  there  with  the  smile  still  on  her  mouth,  not  gone,  not  false,  simply  caught  between  what  the  evening  had  been  and  what  it  had  suddenly  become.  aries  looked  real  in  a  way  her  thoughts  of  him  never  did,  no  longer  softened  by  distance  or  sharpened  by  regret,  and  it  was  almost  ridiculous  how  quickly  her  body  remembered  what  her  pride  had  spent  so  long  trying  to  forget.  still,  catherine  was  not  cruel,  and  she  was  not  a  coward,  no  matter  how  badly  she  had  once  made  herself  look  like  both  by  leaving  without  giving  him  enough  words  to  hold  onto,  so  she  kept  moving,  greeting  everyone  as  she  had  meant  to  do,  letting  the  minutes  gather  around  her  until  she  could  trust  her  face  again.  by  the  time  she  reached  him,  the  surprise  had  settled  somewhere  deeper,  still  bright  and  painful,  but  quieter  now,  tucked  beneath  the  warmth  she  had  always  known  how  to  offer  even  when  her  hands  felt  empty.  “ well,  look  what  the  wind  brought  in.  what  a  surprise.  i  never  would’ve  imagined  finding  you  here. ”  her  gaze  lingered  for  one  careful  second  too  long,  helplessly  human  before  she  could  call  it  back,  and  when  she  spoke  again,  her  voice  held  its  sweetness  like  a  glass  held  too  delicately.  “ you’re  more  handsome  than  i  remember. ”

[tamagotchus]

a  crowd  was  something  ares  found  easy  to  conquer,  easy  to  secure.  maybe  its  what  has  helped  surge  his  career  forward,  the  ease  he  found  in  social  settings  giving  him  an  advantage.  he  had  gotten  there  just  as  things  started  to  pick  up,  making  his  way  around  the  space  and  giving  out  the  obligatory  hellos.  it'd  been  a  good  amount  of  time  since  he'd  seen  some  of  these  friends,  a  bright  smile  quickly  accompanying  each  ‘it's  been  so  long!'  shared.  with  a  drink  in  his  hand.  all  familiar  faces  surrounded  the  room.  it  was  a  recipe  for  a  good  night,  something  to  bring  him  back  to  reality  of  what  this  was  all  really  for  –  that  was  until  the  universe  had  other  plans  for  him.  it  always  did.  the  faint  “catherine?!”  he'd  heard  in  the  distance  was  enough  to  pull  his  attention  away  from  the  current  conversation  to  where  the  sound  came  from.  his  neck  snapped.  there  was  no  way.  sure  enough,  he  saw  her  –  radiant  as  ever.  a  light  only  she  seemed  to  have  around  her.  it  was  like  he  was  seeing  a  ghost,  and  to  him,  he  truly  was;  she  had  become  one  so  long  ago.  something  he  had  to  let  go  of  and  keep  alive  in  his  memories.  it  wasn't  like  it  was  her  fault.  he  would  never  blame  her  for  what  happened  to  her.  yet,  it  was  hard  to  deny  the  way  his  lungs  made  it  hard  to  breathe  when  she  had  left.  how  he  couldn't  sleep  the  same  without  her  next  to  him;  how  it  began  his  addiction  to  caffeine.  the  party  wasn't  small,  but  it  wasn't  big  enough  that  they  wouldn't  cross  paths.  she  looked  the  same,  like  she  hadn't  left  his  mind,  like  it  hadn't  been  years,  and  her  energy  lit  the  room  around  them.  he  kept  his  cool  exterior  when  she  approached,  a  beauty  and  a  vision  all  packaged  into  one.  “you  always  did  have  some  nerve,  one  of  the  things  i  really  liked  about  you.”  ares  smiled,  the  charm  peeking  through,  a  light  chuckle  escaping.  “never  thought  i'd  see  your  face  in  this  city  again.  beautiful  as  ever,”  he  took  a  sip  from  the  drink  in  his  hand,  leaning  against  the  wall  behind  him.  “what  do  we  owe  the  pleasure,  catherine?  it's  kind  of  hard  to  believe  i'm  really  looking  at  you  right  now.”

[silkchvffon]

closed starter for @tamagotchus, with logan & natalya ♡

IT'S ODD TO WAKE UP next to someone yet feel so alone, and still natalya will choose the illusion over reality every time. at least it is a warm body, an arm carelessly thrown over her waist in the early morning hours, a chest to rock her to sleep. she should've called this off weeks ago, when the inevitable feelings had roared so loudly they were no longer possible to ignore, but even then she'd insisted on this. insisted it did not hurt the nights he did not want her, when she wants him all the time. he wakes as she gets dressed, her neck craning to watch him yawn, sleepy gaze settling on her. damn that heart in her chest. « good morning, » she greets softly. « it's early, just go back to sleep. i'm gonna steal a bagel and then i'll be out of your hair. »

[tamagotchus]

it  was  a  strange  feeling  --  teetering  between  true  adoration  for  the  woman  beside  him  and  an  unwavering  wall  over  his  true  feelings.  it  wasn't  easy  to  be  vulnerable  and  honest.  he  thought  it  was  too  damaging  half  the  time  rather  than  being  worth  the  end  result.  so,  he  did  this.  flings  that  he  knew  his  promises  would  falter  in.  logan  convinced  himself  it  was  better  this  way.  no  one  really  got  hurt,  and  most  of  all,  he  didn't.  opening  his  eyes,  he  knew  how  lucky  he  was  to  see  someone  as  beautiful  as  natalya  standing  in  his  room.  with  a  stretch  of  his  arms  he  calls  her  over,  grunt  leaving  his  throat  when  he  realized  she  was  dressing  for  work.  “good  morning,”  he  greeted,  bringing  her  into  his  embrace  to  place  a  kiss  to  her  temple.  “you  should  call  off,”  logan  suggested,  arm  shifting  to  move  around  her  waist.  “it's  better  when  you're  here  all  day.”  he  admitted,  the  tiredness  keeping  some  of  the  bricks  of  his  feelings  for  her  exposed  and  open.  blinking  at  her  through  his  tired  gaze,  hand  absentmindedly  rubbing  at  her  side,  logan  knew  this  would  be  on  to  throw  her  for  a  loop. 

[tamagotchus]

hellooo! i’ll be back soon — I had a lot of things go on with my family and it took my attention span. everything I was writing was coming out crappy. i just need to get back on my regular schedule but i’m not going quiet <3

[theambitiion]

due to their naturally authentic, blunt personality, halle was completely incapable of playing it cool. any attempt at playing doing so felt was corny and so beyond out of character for them. they were simply over the moon to see the woman after what felt like eons, and had no desire to hide that or seem indifferent. what was the point of pretending they didn't care when their heart nearly leaped out of their chest every single time they linked up? “yeah, yeah,” they respond, dimples popping as they grin ear to ear. halle raises an eyebrow as billie explains herself, truly caught off guard they were trusted with something that felt so intimate. “prince charming approved this?” they're partly testing the boundaries, partly seeing if those two are even still together. last halle heard (from a friend of a friend of a cousin), everything was peachy keen in the land of barbie and ken. then again, their friend was stoned out of their mind half the time, so halle could only take her so seriously. “well, i'm about to head out in ten minutes or so. my last client was an hour ago and i'm honestly so exhausted. kenna can run the shop by herself. should have called to make an appointment, miss billie.” a pause as an idea comes to mind. “i was gonna head to main street for lunch. wanna come with?

[tamagotchus]

all  it  took  was  that  famous  grin  from  the  other  for  billie  to  shamelessly  sport  one  herself.  the  smile  halle  had  was  contagious,  their  energy  enough  to  light  the  room  up  around  them.  she  was  saddened  that  they  hadn't  spent  as  much  time  together  recently  as  they  should  have.  maybe  this  would  be  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  for  them  and  their  friendship.  her  grin  turned  more  smug  at  the  raise  of  halle's  brow,  shrugging  her  shoulders,  “i  don't  need  his  approval  for  everything,”  she  said  casually,  letting  the  implications  be  as  they  were.  they  were  together  still  –  for  now.  billie  had  a  timeframe  of  when  her  boyfriend  would  need  to  fix  things  by,  but  in  reality,  she  had  mentally  checked  out  of  it  a  long  time  ago.  she  was  over  the  antics,  something  she  didn't  let  many  hear  about  half  the  time.  “damn,  i'll  make  one  for  next  time  then.  yeah?”  she  said,  that  grin  still  on  her  lips,  “i  forgot  you're  too  busy  for  me  now.”  a  playful  tease,  her  tone  light.  billie  nodded  at  the  question,  “yeah  i'd  love  that.  lead  the  way?”  she  waited  patiently  for  halle,  waved  a  quick  goodbye  to  kenna,  and  tried  to  dim  the  excitement  she  had  to  go  with  halle,  yet  she  knew  she  failed.  once  they  were  out  of  the  shop  and  making  their  way  towards  main  street,  billie  nudged  halle's  arm  with  her  elbow.  “what  else  have  you  been  up  to?  the  shop  looks  great.  i  can't  go  that  long  without  seeing  it  again…  i  feel  like  i've  missed  so  much.”

[tamagotchus]

replies will be up today! paralives kinda took over my time this weekend 😭

[tamagotchus]

🌺Send this to ten blogs you think are wonderful.🌺

this is so sweet <3 this genuinely brightened my day. i adore u!

[tamagotchus]

closed starter for @silkchvffon ft. jeremiah & arlo !

practice.  it  was  such  a  common  theme  in  his  life,  such  a  common  word,  that  he  wouldn't  have  been  surprised  if  it  had  been  his  first  word,  or  maybe  it  was  the  first  word  he  remembered  his  father  telling  him.  it  was  more  present  than  any  words  of  love  and  support.  he'd  always  worked  harder.  practiced  harder.  most  days,  he  didn't  know  how  he  kept  the  wide  smile  on  his.  it  didn't  falter,  though,  not  when  he  entered  the  room  to  see  arlo  still  there.  arlo  was  someone  jeremiah  couldn't  figure  out.  he  was  just  as  good  –  if  not  better  than  him.  always  so  poised.  too  poised.  a  model  athlete.  "you  looked  a  little  tense  out  there  today…  and  more  than  usual,"  he  said,  making  his  presence  known,  “everything  good?”  jeremiah  made  his  way  to  him,  the  natural  curiosity  he  had  for  the  brunette  ever-growing.  “you  know,  i'm  sure  it  would  be  good  for  the  team  too  if  you  loosened  up  a  bit,  had  some  fun  now  and  again.”

[tamagotchus]

closed starter for @tenderlove ft. mason & nabi!

with  the  morning  brief  being  wrapped  up,  mason  had  the  chance  to  go  grab  a  cup  of  coffee.  finally.  usually  this  was  done  before  he  came  in,  but  the  morning  had  been  completely  lost  to  him,  a  complete  rush.  he  barely  came  in  on  time  as  it  is.  the  shop  he  preferred  was  luckily  right  around  the  street,  so  mason  took  the  opportunity  to  make  his  way  there.  the  line  was  its  usual  length  —  the  place  was  pretty  popular  in  the  neighborhood  so  there  was  a  consistent  flow  of  customers  coming  in  and  out.  when  he  got  to  the  register,  he  couldn’t  help  but  be  taken  back  for  a  moment.  he’d  definitely  seen  her  around  this  area  before,  which  made  more  sense  considering  she  obviously  worked  here,  but  it  had  always  been  in  passing.  looking  at  her,  her  features  were  soft,  though  the  expression  was  harsh.  he  gave  her  his  order,  a  flirtatiousness  in  his  tone,  throwing  on  as  much  charm  as  the  situation  permitted.  he  squinted  as  he  read  her  name  tag  —  nabi.  “so,  nabi,”  he  began,  elbow  leaning  against  the  pastry  counter.  “let’s  say  I  wanted  to  sit  and  have  a  coffee  with  you..  when  is  your  shift  over?”

[tamagotchus]

closed starter for @tenderlove ft. zeke & naeun!

escapism  —  something  zeke  had  been  familiar  with  from  a  very  young  age.  control  had  always  been  at  the  forefront  of  his  life.  his  family  had  expectations,  exhausting  ones,  and  he  had  always  found  an  outlet  to  escape.  that  was  brought  into  his  adult  life.  whenever  there  was  too  much  going  on,  too  much  control,  too  many  restrictions,  his  body  craved  at  least  one  night  to  escape.  that  was  tonight.  zeke  found  himself  at  one  of  the  his  usual  spots  in  the  city.  lively  but  not  packed  enough  to  be  uncomfortable.  his  usual  drink  in  his  hand,  he  scoped  the  place  to  see  if  there  was  anything  (or  anyone)  that  caught  his  eye.  nothing  stood  out  for  most  of  the  night,  until  he  spotted  her.  something  about  her  almost  felt  familiar.  maybe  it  was  the  look  on  her  face…  the  way  she  moved,  as  if  she  was  finally  at  a  place  she  wasn’t  running  anymore.  what  was  she  escaping? zeke  waited  until  she  had  went  back  to  the  bar  with  an  empty  drink  in  her  hand.  he  couldn’t  deny  that  he’d  tried  more  than  once  to  catch  her  eyes  across  the  space,  and  they’d  done  so  briefly,  only  solidifying  that  he  had  to  say  something.  know  her  name  at  the  bare  minimum.  he  made  his  way  to  the  bar  and  leaned  against  the  counter  beside  her.  he  nodded  towards  the  bartender  before  turning  to  the  woman  occupying  his  mind  tonight.  “what  are  you  drinking?”  he  asked  casually,  turning  so  his  torso  faced  her  and  flashed  a  smile.  she  was  even  more  beautiful  this  close.  he  waited  for  her  to  answer,  “then,  can  I  buy  you  another?”

[tamagotchus]

closed starter for @tenderlove ft. frankie & donghan !

it  was  a  night  she  had  looked  forward  to  all  week.  work  had  been  stressful,  studying  was  starting  to  become  torture,  and  not  to  mention  her  roots  needed  to  be  done  again.  there  was  never  any  time  for  rest.  finally,  the  weekend  came,  and  it  was  time  for  her  to  relax.  she  called  her  friends  to  tell  them  to  get  ready,  and  a  couple  of  hours  later,  they  were  all  at  one  of  their  usual  spots  in  the  city.  the  night  went  on  as  they  all  do.  one  too  many  drinks,  laughs  way  too  loud,  and  pictures  they  wouldn't  remember  taking  in  the  morning.  sure,  maybe  frankie  was  drinking  a  bit…  a  lot.  they  couldn't  help  it.  it  was  nowhere  near  a  level  that  they  couldn't  function,  so  the  few  blocks  it  took  to  walk  home  sounded  easy  once  everyone  parted  ways.  the  route  was  familiar,  but  the  streets  seemed  busy  tonight. she  was  nearly  home  when  something  shifted.  the  shadows  behind  her  were  walking  closer,  quicker,  and  her  heart  raced.  it  was  no  doubt  she  was  being  followed.  time  slowed,  and  before  frankie  could  comprehend  what  was  happening,  the  figure  had  closed  in  on  her,  gripping  the  strap  of  her  purse.  she  whipped  around,  a  shriek  of  terror  as  she  struggled  to  keep  hold  of  it.  the  amount  of  liquor  in  her  system  didn't  help,  even  if  this  was  quickly  sobering  frankie  up.  they  weren't  weak,  but  this  person  was  hellbent  on  taking  her  things.  she  wouldn't  let  that  happen  without  a  fight,  no  matter  if  she  was  drunk.   when  a  second  figure  appeared,  fear  initially  set  in  her  until  he  pulled  the  stranger  away.  she  clutched  her  chest,  backing  away  a  few  steps,  her  mind  trying  to  process  the  last  few  minutes.  had  it  been  longer?  it  could  have.  it  felt  like  it  had.  she  didn't  even  know  if  she  had  screamed  for  help,  but  the  stranger's  timing  was  impeccable.he  must  be  an  angel,  or  something  of  that  nature,  from  the  immediate  graciousness  he  had  to  get  involved.  “thank  you,”  she  finally  breathed  out  in  relief,  stepping  closer  to  the  stranger.  “seriously,  that  could  have  gone  really  bad.  what's  your  name?”  her  head  tilted  slightly,  “you  hungry?  i  know  somewhere  with  the  best  milkshake  and  fries,  and  i  owe  you  for  that..”

[dirtyauthority]

xander noticed her long before she ever approached him. that much was unavoidable. no matter how many conversations tried pulling at his attention throughout the night, his eyes kept finding their way back to her through the haze of flashing lights and moving bodies like something instinctive. irritating, honestly. he had spent the entire evening trying to look composed, serious, like someone fully settling into ownership instead of getting distracted by a woman who seemed entirely too aware of the effect she was having on him-- and nicola was aware. he could tell by the way she looked at him. calm. curious. almost patient. like she was watching him the same way he watched her, waiting to see which one of them cracked first. “you know,” xander finally murmured, leaning back slightly into the booth, “this probably looks terrible from a management perspective.” his tone stayed dry, smooth around the edges. “new owner letting some pretty girl monopolize his attention all night.” except he didn’t sound particularly bothered by it. if anything, there was something faintly entertained underneath the observation. his gaze dragged across her face for a moment too long before settling again. “i was actually trying to behave tonight...believe it or not.” the corner of his mouth twitched subtly, almost disappointed in himself for admitting it. “serious. professional. very manhattan business elite of me.” not that he was actually being serious. his eyes flickered toward where she’d settled closer without much hesitation. bold thing. "then you kept looking at me-- like that.” quiet. matter-of-fact. like the explanation spoke for itself. xander swirled the drink in his hand absentmindedly before glancing back toward her again and the way she fit almost perfectly in his lap. “and now i can’t really tell if you came over here because you were curious…” his voice lowered slightly, gaze sharpening just enough, “or because you enjoy watching people lose their composure slowly.”

[tamagotchus]

it  would  be  silly  to  act  like  she  hadn't  noticed  him  early  in  the  night.  eyes  around  the  club  drifted  to  him  when  he  walked  in,  and  she  knew  she  would  end  up  saying  something  at  some  point.  she  didn't  expect  to  keep  looking  back,  and  to  keep  seeing  him  watching  her.  it  sent  a  thrill  up  her  spine.  it  was  her  job  to  be  aware,  but  it  wasn't  often  that  the  person  before  her  was  someone  she  wanted  to  be  aware  of,  too.  nicola  liked  the  dance  they  were  doing  in  this  booth.  she  could  be  patient;  it  was  no  bother  to  her.  he  wouldn't  be  that  easy  to  crack,  but  she  was  noting  the  way  he  was  already,  subtly  so.  composure  in  a  place  like  this  was  hard  to  find,  and  it  drew  her  toward  him,  even  if  she  believed  she  held  the  upper  hand.  “this  pretty  girl  could  put  her  attention  elsewhere,  if  you  so  wished…  since  you're  so  keen  on  behaving  tonight,”  she  bantered,  but  she  could  tell  that  wasn't  what  either  one  of  them  wanted.  she  stayed  in  her  spot,  didn't  attempt  to  move.  she  let  him  speak,  watching  him  carefully,  noting  the  way  amusement  was  hidden  under  that  calm  exterior.  one  of  her  hands  made  its  way  to  the  collar  of  his  shirt,  fixing  it  back  into  place.  it  was  mostly  an  excuse  to  get  closer  and  gauge  his  reaction,  but  it  could  have  been  played  off  casually.  “why  can't  it  be  a  little  of  both?”  she  asked,  meeting  his  sharp  gaze.  “i  don't  see  the  harm  in  it.”  nicola  shrugged  her  shoulder,  smug  expression  on  her  face.  “besides,  you  don't  mind  how  i'm  looking  at  you.”  she  started,  then  leaned  closer,  her  voice  lowering  as  she  spoke  in  his  ear  “you've  been  looking  at  me  that  way  all  night.”  she  brushed  her  hair  over  her  shoulder  as  she  pulled  back  from  him.  “maybe  i  should  have  asked  you  if  you  were  looking  for  a  little  special  attention.”

[dirtyauthority]

adonis couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh at that, the sound low in his chest as he leaned back against the counter a little more comfortably. there was something addictive about the way nicola carried herself. confident enough to flirt right back with him, but smooth about it. never trying too hard. his eyes stayed on her longer than they probably should have, catching the little glint in her expression the second she mentioned getting greedy. "greedy can be a dangerous thing," he replied casually, though the look on his face made it obvious he wasn’t all that intimidated by the idea. if anything, it seemed to pull him in more. "especially when somebody starts realizing they can get whatever they want outta me." his grin tugged wider for a second before he shook his head lightly. "that’s how bad habits start." he understood exactly what she meant about stress sitting in the body. he saw it every day. people walked into the gym carrying the weight of their lives in their shoulders, jaws clenched, minds somewhere else entirely. but with nicola, he found himself paying less attention to the conversation itself and more attention to the way she looked saying it. the way her eyes drifted over him before snapping back up like she hadn’t gotten caught for half a second. adonis noticed things like that. always had. "i get it though," his voice softened just slightly. "sometimes you need somewhere to put all that tension before it eats at you." his gaze flickered over her for a beat too long. "some people are better distractions than others too." when she handed his phone back, her fingertips lingering against his, adonis looked down briefly before his eyes met hers again. there was that same ease between them, the kind that snuck up on you before you realized how far into the conversation you’d gotten. her comment about keeping him company late at night earned another laugh out of him, quieter this time. warmer. "yeah?" he murmured, taking his phone from her slowly. "careful making offers like that to a man who spends half his life stuck in this building." his thumb brushed against the side of the phone absentmindedly before slipping it into his pocket. "you keep looking at me like that during those late nights and i’m probably not getting a damn thing done." his head tilted slightly, studying her again with that same easy confidence. "honestly, though…" his smile turned slower, more dangerous around the edges. "i had a feeling you liked it in here just the two of us."

[tamagotchus]

she  invited  his  stare  and  all  that  came  with  it.  part  of  her  was  used  to  this  type  of  attention,  so  it  didn't  really  faze  her.  she  knew  she  was  attractive  and  knew  how  to  use  it  to  her  advantage  when  it  was  needed.  the  other  part  of  her?  wanted  to  see  how  far  it  would  go.  “you  think  i'm  dangerous?”  she  asked  in  that  same  calm,  collected  tone,  though  the  intent  behind  it  was  there.  she  didn't  feel  the  need  to  try  too  hard.  they  both  understood  the  way  they  were  studying  each  other.  the  way  he  did  it  so  confidently  kept  her  there  in  the  empty  gym.  she  had  a  feeling  it  wouldn't  be  the  last  time.  “personally,”  she  began,  letting  herself  lean  against  the  counter  a  few  inches  from  him.  “i  think  bad  habits  can  be  fun.  but  what  do  i  know?” nicola  could  say  the  same  about  her  profession,  if  you  squinted.  people  walked  into  the  club  looking  for  a  way  to  relieve  their  stress,  take  their  mind  elsewhere.  she  didn't  even  mind  when  he  caught  her  staring.  she  could  be  shameless  when  wanted  to  be,  and  she  saw  no  need  to  hide  the  intent  in  her  eyes  if  he  wasn't.  her  head  nodded  up  and  down  at  his  comment,  suppressing  a  grin  when  it  was  her  turn  to  catch  his  eyes  lingering  on  the  way  she  was  pressed  to  the  counter.  “what  do  you  prefer?”  she  waited  for  him  to  look  back  up.  “the  gym,  or  people  as  your  distractions?” the  time  had  been  lost  on  her,  even  more  than  it  had  when  he  first  caught  her  here.  it  seemed  like  neither  really  wanted  the  conversation  to  end,  both  dancing  around  each  other.  the  ease  of  it  keeps  her  feet  planted  there  for  now,  no  intent  to  rush  through  the  encounter.  "i  know  what  i'm  offering,  adonis,"  she  said  casually,  letting  his  name  linger  on  her  tongue  before  it  swiped  across  her  bottom  lip.  the  act  could  be  innocently  played  off  if  she  wanted  it  to  be.  a  quiet  giggle  escaped  her  when  he  mentioned  how  she  was  looking  at  him.  “no?  i  didn't  take  you  for  someone  who  was  easily  distracted,”  she  teased,  keeping  the  look  he  was  talking  about  in  her  eyes.  ne  need  in  hiding  it  now,  as  if  she  ever  was.  “maybe  we'll  test  just  how  much  you  can  get  done  those  nights.”  nicola  let  her  hand  rest  at  her  side,  fidgetig  with  the  waistband  of  her  leggings.  “yeah?”  her  smile  matched  his,  one  of  her  brows  raising.  there  was  that  look  in  his  eyes,  how  close  he  was  watching  her.  “what  gave  that  away?”