The Reflection is the Enemy

The reflection is the enemy.

[theonlyflawis]

[ryder-samuels]

The Sweetest Thing || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

Ryder bit his lip, hoping that what he was thinking at that moment wasn’t evident on his face. “Oh, I’ll give you a special something tonight,” he told her with a smirk. Teasingly, he brought his lips close to hers, then quickly turned away and ducked under the countertop. Swiftly, he pulled out a muffin tray and lifted it onto the bench. With a small upturn of his lips, the boy pushed the bowl, tray and a spoon towards his girlfriend and looked at her expectantly. “Show me how to do it,” he said.

[theonlyflawis]

A massive blush immediately formed on the blonde's fair cheeks and she looked down, biting her lip. "Oh?" she said, yet it came out more as a question. She could only imagine what was going through her boyfriend's head, and that thought made her face heat up more. Looking up just in time to see Ryder's lips no more than a centimeter away, Darcey leaned in slightly, expecting him to meet her halfway. In a second, however, he was gone and there was a muffin tin on the metal counter. "What's the magic word?" she taunted, pushing Ryder out of the way with her hip as began pouring the batter into the tins. 

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

At his girlfriend’s heartfelt words, a rope knotted in Ryder’s throat. A big part of him hated how Darcey could him feel so painfully vulnerable, but he tried to embrace the unfamiliar feeling. The boy glanced around before nodding. “Yeah, your friends are staring. It’s starting to creep me out,” he added, his slightly swollen lips stretching into a grin. Taking the blonde’s hand that was tiny in comparison to his own, Ryder led them a few minutes walk away and stopped behind a large tree that was in the process of shedding its golden-brown leaves.

[theonlyflawis]

"Are they?" she questioned, quickly turning her head around to look at her lab partners, before turning back to Ryder as he laced his fingers with hers. "That's so awkward, I'm so sorry," Darcey said, chuckling slightly as they walked. She let her boyfriend lead her away from the crowded area, not even caring that she had just left all her things there. Once the pair came to a stop behind the large, secluded tree, Darcey released his hand and leaned back against the trunk, smiling fondly up at the Australian. 

[ryder-samuels]

The Sweetest Thing || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

"I’ll take that as a ‘yes Ryder, I’ll definitely get it out later and you’re gonna love it’," the dark-haired boy said with a cheeky grin. He gasped as the contents of the spoon landed on his face, surprised by the cool, wet sensation. With a little smirk, he licked the chocolate from around his lips. "I can’t exactly reach the rest, could I get some help here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he gestured to the splotches of chocolate that littered his face.

[theonlyflawis]

The blonde shrugged, an innocent smirk on her face. "Like I said, babe..If you're lucky." Drumming her fingers on the cool metal counter cop, Darcey raised both eyebrows, blatantly giving her boyfriend a once over before taking slow steps toward him. "And what's in it for me?" she questioned cheekily, coming to a stop just in front of Ryder, leaving only a couple inches of space in between them. 

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

Staring back into the blonde’s gaze, Ryder splayed his fingers across her lower back, wanting to feel her close to him again. “Thank God,” he said quietly, letting out a sigh of relief. “I missed you too,” he mumbled, his fingers subconsciously tightening on her waist. The boy was only faintly aware of Darcey’s friend still watching the couple awkwardly. At his girlfriend’s next comment, Ryder felt himself tense. “No, no, you were right. I shouldn’t do it so much. I um…I’ve been trying to pull back since we…talked,” he admitted, feeling the tips of his ears burn slightly.

[theonlyflawis]

At the feeling of her boyfriend's fingers tightening on her waist, Darcey pressed herself closer to him, wanting to be as close with him as possible. "Ryder," she mumbled, bringing a hand up to run her fingers over the stubble on his jawline, love and affection clearly visible on her face. "I'm so proud of you. So, so proud." Gaze flicking around her peers momentarily, the blonde's hands dropped to Ryder's shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. "Wanna go some place else?" 

[ryder-samuels]

The Sweetest Thing || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

The boy threw this head back, letting out a big, husky laugh at his girlfriend’s reaction. “That’s a great look on you,” he said with a wink. Not at all suspecting what the girl would do next, Ryder smirked as she pressed herself up against him. But what he thought she was going to do was very different to what she actually did, and the boy’s jaw dropped in shock as he felt the flour go down his pants. “Darcey Lancaster, you better be getting that out later,” he muttered, adding the melted chocolate to the mixture as he spoke. Flashing a grin, he flicked the spoon towards the blonde, successfully splattering chocolate in her carefully styled hair.

[theonlyflawis]

Stifling a laugh at Ryder’s reaction, the blonde turned back to the counter, waiting for the boy’s next move. “Maybe if you’re lucky,” she taunted, looking at her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye with a smirk on her face as he poured the melted chocolate in with the other ingredients. A pout formed on her face briefly as she mourned over her once perfectly curled hair. Snatching the bowl away from him, Darcey scooped up some chocolate on the spoon and flicked the glob right back at him, effectively getting chocolate all over his face as she giggled. 

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

God, how Ryder had missed this. The taste of Darcey’s chapstick, the smell of vanilla and scent of Moroccan oil, all intoxicating him at once as he gripped the girl’s face with need. The boy was only vaguely aware of the other students calling out to the pair, glued to each other at the far end of the courtyard. Ryder unwillingly pulled back from the kiss, not to look around at his peers, but to stare intently into his girlfriend’s eyes. They were blazing into his, and when he spoke, he was hoarse with shock. “I…I take that as an apology accepted?” he said, the corners of his mouth lifting up into a smile.

[theonlyflawis]

Ryder’s eyes bore into hers as he pulled away, and Darcey wrapped her arms around his neck, continuing to block out everything going on around them. Chest rising and falling rhythmically as she tried to catch her breath, she nodded. “Yeah,” she breathed out, returning his smile. “I missed you so much,” she murmured, letting her blue eyes roam over his face, before making eye contact once again. “I won’t bring it up again, alright?” she said, referring to the other day when she brought up his smoking habits.

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

Before he could worry how she would react to his apology, before he could even finish his apology, actually, Ryder was given a huge surprise. Darcey’s lips were suddenly on his and her hands were on his face, and the boy instantly forgot about everything else that was going on in the courtyard and kissed her back. Fervently, he circled her waist with one strong arm and fisted her hair with the other, oblivious to the reactions of those around them as he tried to get even closer to his girlfriend.

[theonlyflawis]

As soon as Ryder responded to her unexpected kiss, it was as if the world had stopped, and they were the only two people left. The hustle and bustle of the courtyard, the cheering of the students, the fact that they were in such an open area; nothing else mattered except the way their lips moved together in haste. Darcey felt a sense of urgency as she pressed herself flush against her boyfriend, using him to support herself, her hands finding their way into his hair. 

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

Wondering why the other girl beside Darcey couldn’t just leave them alone, Ryder looked at her with an annoyed expression. When his girlfriend stood up, though, his attention returned to the blonde and he stood apprehensively. He was unsure how this was going to play out, and that fact scared him. “Darcey. I’m sorry for last week,” the boy began, his voice low and fervent. “I’m really really fucking sorry, yeah? I never meant to get angry at you, and I know that’s not an excuse for being a dick, but I at least want you to know that, y’know? I know that I over-reacted and-“

[theonlyflawis]

Listening to what Ryder had to say, and automatic sense of relief washed over the blonde when she heard him apologize. Even though she didn't believe any of it was his fault - she was the one who brought up the smoking, after all - it still was good to know that they wouldn't be breaking up anytime soon. In a spur of the moment action, Darcey quickly stepped forward, taking Ryder's face in her hands and pressing her lips to his desperation. 

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

As he came closer to the girl, Ryder realised that now was probably a bad time - Darcey was sitting with another girl, and looked very preoccupied with her homework. But the boy didn’t really care; all he could think about was making up with his girlfriend and forgetting that he ever got mad at her. He strode up to the table and stood in front of the petite girl, his stare intense and his bottom lip caught between his teeth. “Darcey,” he said evenly, his fingers twitching slightly at his pocket, dying for a cigarette. “Could we, um…talk for a moment?”

[theonlyflawis]

Her eyes flashed quickly between Ryder and the girl she was studying with, silently asking Karen what to do. Upon her friend's nod of approval, Darcey looked back at the dark haired boy and nodded to him, wondering if he could see how nervous she was. "Yeah, yeah, sure, just... Give me a second," she murmured as she took all the school supplies off her lap and sloppily discarded them on the table. Standing up, she took her bottom lip between her teeth, waiting for Ryder to speak. This was it; he either broke up with her right here, or they patched things up, and hopefully it would be the latter. 

[ryder-samuels]

Take Me Back || Darcer

With his hands in his pockets and his leg tucked behind him against the wall, Ryder stood on the outskirts of the eating court. Across from him, a about fifty metres away, was Darcey, his girlfriend…if he could still call her that. The pair hadn’t talked in what felt like weeks, although it had only been a matter of four or five days. Ryder hated the fact that the last time he had spoken to the girl, he had let himself get angry at her. He blamed the fight entirely on himself, because he knew, even if he didn’t want to accept it at first, that it was his fault. He had resolved to fix the situation the night before, but now that he was here, it was proving a lot more difficult. Just get over it and go speak to her, he told himself angrily. With a stressed huff, he lowered his leg and began to walk across the court, towards where Darcey was sitting.

[theonlyflawis]

Sitting at a two person table in the courtyard, Darcey was hard at work with her lab partner, Karen. Anatomy was proving to be a lot harder than she had originally thought; the blonde was swamped with work and a test on Tuesday, one she was no where near prepared for. After the fight she and her boyfriend, Ryder, had gotten into the other about four or five days ago, the stress of this class was the last thing she needed. They hadn't spoken since that day, and it was tearing her up inside to simply think about him. She nothing about it, however, for fear that he was still angry with her. Darcey was pulled out of her thoughts thanks to her lab partner's elbow jabbing into her side. "Darcey," she whispered, tugging on the the blonde's sleeve. "Darce, c'mon it's important." Sighing, the Floridian stopped her writing and turned her head, staring in confusion was she noticed the shoes by her table. Continuing to slowly look up, Darcey let her gazed travel until her blue orbs met the hazel one's belonging to her boyfriend/ 

[ryder-samuels]

The Sweetest Thing || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

"You should be proud," he joked as the girl pinched his cheek. "You probably shouldn’t be trusting me," he agreed, chuckling to himself as he began to mix the ingredients together. "You’re very quick at all this," Ryder noted with a smile, trying to distract her with the compliment so his little trick could play out. As his girlfriend poured the flour into the bowl, Ryder turned the beaters towards the powdery fountain, generously spattering Darcey’s upper body with it. "Oops,” he said innocently, dipping his pinky into the bowl and tasting the mixture with a cheeky grin.

[theonlyflawis]

"Yeah well, the more and more you do something, the easier it gets," she replied while pouring the flour in, completely oblivious to her boyfriends plan. "Ryder," she groaned in annoyance, attempting to brush the flour off her black scoop neck shirt. This only seemed to make things worse, however, and her top was left looking like a reverse dalmatian. Looking from the bag of flour and back at Ryder inconspicuously, Darcey smirked, working up a plan in her head. "C’mere," she muttered, pulling Ryder closer to her by his shirt. Standing up on her tiptoes, she pressed herself against him, whispering in his ear to distract him. "That wasn’t very nice," she murmured while reaching behind and grabbing a handful of flour. Trailing her hand down to the waistband of her boyfriend’s pants, she slowly pulled it back, dropping all the flour down there. Darcey stepped back, a cheeky smirk on her face. "Oopsies.”

[ryder-samuels]

The Sweetest Thing || Darcer

[ryder-samuels]

"Don’t laugh at me," the inept chef grumbled. He watched his girlfriend demonstrate with the next egg, then mimicked her, cracking the last egg cleanly and making it actually land in the bowl. Ryder smiled smugly at Darcey, proud of his tiny achievement. With a quick look at the recipe, he added the girl’s butter and sugar mixture to the eggs and picked up the mixer that was lying on the countertop. Plugging it in and switching it on, he looked at Darcey. "It says you have to put in the flour and salt while I mix this. And then the chocolate after that," Ryder told her, a mischievous idea forming in his mind as he spoke.

[theonlyflawis]

"Aw look, you successfully cracked an egg! I'm so proud of you," the blonde mocked, laughing at the smug look on his face as she pinched his cheek. Darcey raised her eyebrows and looked up at the boy, a slightly weary look on her face. "I don't know if I trust you with that mixer..." she said as she grabbed the bag of flour and container of salt. She quickly and accurately measured out the necessary amounts, smiling up Ryder. "Ready when you are." 

[theonlyflawis]

Friendly Neighborhood Medium || Darcey & Lyra

[littleloonylyra]

[reaches the end of the hallway, hand brushing the walls and humming slightly before noticing the girl in front of her] Are you quite alright? [tilts her head, lowering herself to the ground next to the girl] That doesn’t look very comfortable.

[theonlyflawis]

[lifts head and looks over at the girl, sighing slightly] I'm okay, I guess. And you're right, it really isn't that comfortable. [shrugs and forces a smile]

[theonlyflawis]

Friendly Neighborhood Medium || Darcey & Lyra

[sits on the floor with knees pulled up to her chest and her head tucked into her lap]

[ryder-samuels]

That was close.

[ryder-samuels]

[takes a step back, analysing her expression] Good. [turns and stalks off]

[theonlyflawis]

Fine. [glares at his retreating figure before stepping back against the wall and sliding down to sit on the floor, bringing her knees up to her chest] 

[ryder-samuels]

That was close.

[ryder-samuels]

[rolls his eyes and huffs in irritation] For fuck’s sake, don’t be like that, Darcey. No, I’m not done yet. [steps closer to her and mutters slowly] I need you to get it through your head who I am…and who I’m not.

[theonlyflawis]

[eyes go wide momentarily, before stepping to the side and backing away from him, trying to remain calm] Fine, I get it, okay?