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#Also it's like... wow... someone with face spots and elf ears and a half open mouth with a gap tooth and wavy hair and kind of downturned

indestinatus · 3 years

Text

Perfect Match

TIVATOBER 2020 // DAY 28

↳ prompt: Halloween Party - rated T (2,170 words)

summary: Ziva steps into the party and isn’t completely surprised by all the eyes that turn to her - but that is far from being the only surprise of the night.

A/N: for my darling @softdeckerstars, who mentioned something on chapter 1 and stayed with me until chapter 28 to see it written. Your love and support is unmatched, dear friend. Love you so.

read it on AO3 🎭

Ziva stepped out of the car, facing the chilly air of the street.

She was nervous. This wasn’t something she usually did, dressing up like that.

She should’ve brought the jacket she left hanging at the back of her door. Her bare shoulders were shivering, but now there was no going back. Maybe if she had calculated how much skin that outfit was going to show, she wouldn’t even have tried it. Even with the metal-like plaques now covering her forearms, there was still a lot to cover—and the tightness of the bodice didn’t really leave things to the imagination.

She wasn’t feeling bad as she had looked in the mirror earlier that night, though.

No, she felt… Different. It wasn’t common for them to have time to dress this fancy, and even more than that, go to a party. It was true it was still in the local bar they used to go to every Friday or so, but… With makeup and styled hair, Ziva hadn’t felt that different in a long time.

Swallowing down her self-consciousness, Ziva took a step towards the bar, opening the rusty door.

A dozen conversations started at the same time, the sound amplified as she stepped inside. Quickly surveying the bar entrance, Ziva realized it had been decorated with Halloween colors - dull orange and light purple lights hanging from the ceiling - as well as a few spiderwebs and scary skulls placed between the drinks and on various tables.

In a second, Ziva also noticed that many eyes had turned to her. Some belonged to people she knew, perhaps ones she could even call friends - after a couple of drinks, it was difficult not to laugh with the regulars - but most were from men seeking something. Company for the night.

Ziva tilted her chin up, challenging them. With a side smirk, she thanked the bartender, Gina, and the young woman gave her an appreciative nod. It didn’t take long for Ziva to spot her friends, though, and a relieved smile cracked on her lips as soon as she saw Abby across the room, also smiling broadly at her.

“Wow, Ziva, you look great!” Abby took both her hands inside hers, a face so excited Ziva wondered if she had had any drinks already or if this was her natural state. She decided on the latter.

“Thank you, Abby. And you look… Dark.” Ziva eyed her costume and quickly added, “In a good way.”

With dark eyeshadow and sporting a long red velvet cape over a black dress, Abby looked like her normal self—except for the little fangs that now protruded from inside her mouth.

“Thank you,” she replied, grinning. “It’s my version of Dracula. Last year, I didn’t win because no one knew who was Mina Harker, so I decided on something simpler this time. Well, simpler in my eyes. It’s just absurd no one knows her. But knows him! She’s part of the story too and—”

“Wonder Woman.”

Tony’s voice made Ziva’s heart do that little flip she was familiar with, and as their gazes met, his was so intense she felt unable to breathe properly.

It was as if the whole world was reduced to that moment, with Tony’s eyes doing an elevator motion and then back up to her face after a slow blink. Ziva looked down to her own outfit, taking in the knee-high boots and metallic dress. Meeting his gaze again, she felt that even the cold plaque circling her forehead had turned warmer somehow—when Tony parted his mouth to lick the curve of his bottom lip.

“Yes,” Ziva replied, feeling better than she did the whole evening.

Tony’s brow shot up, appearing above the glasses he was wearing. Ziva bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making any comment about it (or inflating his ego)—but good heavens, did he look good sporting that. Wondering if Tony would ever wear glasses in real life - and not just a part of a costume - Ziva let her gaze wander down his outfit as well, taking in his combed hair to the side and open shirt.

“You weren’t lying,” he said, breaking eye contact for a second with a sheepish smile.

“Why would I do that?”

Ziva tilted her head and visibly saw Tony inhaling. She knew what that gesture did to him, and offered him a secretive smile she knew he would understand. There was something so compelling in making him lose control like that, and how easy it was. All she needed to do was to linger her gaze for some seconds and he would start fidgeting, pressing his lips together or talking without any filter at all.

But there was something different about tonight. She noticed he couldn’t stop staring. Not even when McGee arrived with the first round of drinks - dressed in some sort of character Ziva didn’t recognize, with elf ears and a strange-looking vest - and not even when a couple of his local friends approached him.

Tony continued to look at her over the bottle brim and stealing glances when neither of them was talking. The night stretched into a few rounds of drinks, and Ziva soon started to feel the happy dose of alcohol inside her system. Smiling more than usual, she realized they had drifted closer to one another, and Tony’s shoulder was now pressed against hers.

“You do know this is just a party, right?” Tony looked at her from the corner of his vision. “Not a job interview for modelling or…” he trailed off, and for what felt like the tenth time that night, let his eyes trail to where the bodice hugged her waist, tight and fitting.

“I heard there is a competition, yes?” Ziva lifted one of her eyebrows.

“Right,” Tony chuckled, taking another sip of his beer. “Ziva David, parading in front of everyone, dressed as a sexy Amazon Warrior.”

“Isn’t that one of your fantasies, Tony?”

His eyes sparkled and Ziva couldn’t help but cast a confident smile when the beer he was drinking stopped midair, a half-hearted huff sent in her direction.

“Funny,” Tony said, pointing her a finger. ”You… You can’t say that. You have no right to—”

“You guys are matching!”

Abby gestured at them with a wide smile, clasping her hands together. Her excitement caught the attention of nearby tables, and now a few curious customers stretched their necks to see what she meant.

Abby was right. Tony had the decency to look down his own torso, where a half-open white shirt displayed the Superman logo which suited him well. A loose tie was draped around his neck, and with his hair combed to the side, Tony did look straight out from a comic book.

From the way he still stared at her, Ziva guessed she did too, his attraction now way less disguised from the effects of the alcohol. She met Tony’s gaze to find it curious rather than with the playfulness she expected, and Ziva was caught off guard for a moment before she could slip back into her façade.

“Really?” Ziva cast Abby a smirk. “I did not notice it.”

A click sounded a second later, and Ziva flashed a smile at how excited Abby looked when she pulled McGee to see it too. Halting for a second and furrowing his brows, McGee’s gaze darted between the two of them but finally decided not to comment on the matter. After some loud, excited babbling coming from an already tipsy Abby, she left them alone as well, but not before sending a not-so-discreet wink Ziva’s way.

“Hm.” Tony turned to her, putting his hands inside his trouser pockets. “Do you think they know?”

Ziva glanced to where Abby and McGee now stood, not looking at them but still close. They appeared to have started some sort of debate on another table about someone’s costume, but Ziva couldn’t catch much more than that.

“No,” she replied. “They do not.”

“I thought that was the plan.”

“Hm.” Ziva turned to Tony, smirking up at him. “Seeing you squirm is way better.”

Tony’s tongue pushed the inside of his cheek, as he tried to suppress a smile but failed.

“And you couldn’t settle on something looking less…” he trailed off, tipping his chin to her costume.

Ziva chuckled. “Powerful?”

His eyes were pure hunger when they returned back to her face. Ziva’s heart started beating faster.

“I was going to say ‘less Ziva’.”

Tony’s eyes sparkled and Ziva smiled, appreciating how good he was at flirting.

“Hm.” Ziva pursed her lips, leaning forward on the table. “I like it. I can even conceal my weapons.”

Tony’s eyes instantly flickered to her chest, the low cut of her dress drawing the desired effect. When his gaze met hers again, Ziva parted her lips. Everything was just too intense. And he looked way too handsome with his hair and glasses like that.

“How many are there with you?” Tony stepped into her space.

Ziva tilted her chin up towards him. “Do you really want to know?”

“A man needs to be prepared,” Tony chuckled. “But you do look... amazing.”

“Thank you,” Ziva opened an honest smile, then skimmed his face as she said, “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Tony lifted a hand to brush a curl off her shoulder, and the light touch of his fingers left a burning trace on her skin.

“We clean up nice, don’t we?”

He skimmed her face in wonder and Ziva smiled, looking at him from under her eyelashes. Not even a moment after, Tony chuckled, shaking his head as she trailed his gaze with her own.

“You know what?” He chuckled weakly, then hummed with the back of his throat before meeting her eyes again.

“Screw you,” Tony said, though his eyes were visibly sparkling.

Ziva huffed out a laugh, taken aback. “Why?”

“For making me want to tear it off.”

Tony’s lips pressed together as he nodded towards her metal dress and his hand hit the table a couple of times in a fist, then opened with the palm facing down. Licking his lips, he closed his eyes and glanced the other way, and Ziva couldn’t help but laugh at how helpless he looked.

“Hm.” She clicked her tongue and cracked a smile. “And I have not even ‘paraded’ yet.”

Tony continued to shake his head, the look he cast a clear mix of helplessness and pure lust.

“Dangerous woman.”

“Wasn’t it Wonder?”

A smile cracked on his lips, and Ziva followed it as Tony turned to face McGee and Abby still in a heated conversation at the table across the room.

“They’ll know,” he said after a moment, with a duck of his chin.

Ziva chuckled amused, then lifted an eyebrow.

“How?” she asked, then motioned to their costumes, adding, “I do not think we can be more obvious than this.”

Going with matching costumes had originally been Ziva’s idea, but Tony had also helped pick the ones that felt appropriate. They had previously discussed how to break the news to the team, but it wasn’t something that easy to tell everyone that they were actually together now, however natural it may seem. With a Halloween party approaching, Ziva had joked they should leave them a clue, even if as minimal as matching costumes.

“When I kiss you,” Tony replied, then chuckled as Ziva sent him a questioning look. “Just saying. They’ll know.”

“I thought we had agreed—”

Tony’s hands cupped her face and pulled Ziva close in an instant, words cutting short. As soon as his lips met hers, his tongue demanded access into her mouth, and Ziva let him with little to no restraint.

Tony’s mouth was almost aggressive, the kiss an explosion of all that had been building up all night. Ziva tuned her senses to return its energy, and as she let her fingers trail to the back of his head, Tony let out an appreciative groan from low on his throat.

She felt his hands fisting her hair, and Ziva circled his neck to pull him closer. With all the weight of Tony’s body now flushed against hers, she suddenly felt lightheaded, and as his hands left her hair to trail the sides of her hips, Ziva did feel like she was getting out of breath.

Breaking the kiss, she heard him whine before sharing her breath—as if he was also in need of some oxygen. Tony let his forehead pressed to hers, and squeezed Ziva’s waist to make a point.

“Know that this is your fault,” he said, sounding indeed a bit breathless.

She tightened her grip around his neck, chuckling against his lips.

“We both know it is not,” Ziva replied.

“It is, though.”

And if he heard another click coming from Abby’s camera, Tony made no comment on it before claiming Ziva’s lips again with his own.

As he smiled through the kiss, though, she had a feeling he was alright with them figuring it all out just like that.

#tiva #tiva fanfiction #tivatober2020 #once upon a halloween #my fics #this is so silly!!!#I do love their costumes though <33 I think they match

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here4theheartbreak · 3 years

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Skating Into Love (VMin)

✩ AO3 Link Here!

✩ Relationships: vmin (Jimin x Taehyung)

✩ Genre/Universe: fluff, domestic, getting together

✩ Rating: General

✩ Tags: fluff, meet cute, Halloween costumes, minor NamKook, minor Sope, past Taemin x Jimin, pre-relationship

✩ Summary: Jimin isn't exactly excited to go to the costume contest as the back end of a centaur. But it might be his lucky night.

✩ Word Count: ~2.2k

✩ A/N: Written for @btsholidaybingo for the square Costume Contest.

In reality Jimin didn’t want to go. Costume contests weren’t his thing. Nor were roller skating rinks and boisterous, drunken crowds. But Jungkook had a face Jimin simply couldn’t say no to. And it would do him good to get out, he knew, especially after the breakup.

Get a rebound! Jungkook had cried when Jimin reluctantly agreed to the party. But they both knew that wasn’t in Jimin’s nature. He loved easily and got hurt often for it. But that easy love was also wholehearted. Rebounding, using someone for short term fun or sex or anything that could break someone’s heart – it wasn’t in his nature. So, there’d be no rebound tonight, but he did promise Jungkook he would try his best to have fun.

Realistically, Jimin knew what Jungkook was dragging him along for. The party was going to be at the local roller rink. Which meant there was a ninety-nine percent chance the local ice skating (and roller skating) champ, Kim Namjoon, would be there. And Jungkook, bless his young heart, had the biggest crush on Namjoon. But anxiety got the best of him at the worst of times, and he tended to clam up when face to face with said crush. Jimin often helped alleviate that stress. Jungkook had been planning to ask Namjoon out during this Halloween party for weeks.

“I cannot believe I let you talk me into this,” Jimin lamented, his voice muffled.

“Oh come on, it’s fun,” Jungkook argued. He reached back and patted the side of the ‘horse’ from his point at the front of the costume. A handsome centaur, of course.

“You made me the horse half.”

“Well you’re not the one looking for a date, so no one needs to see your pretty face. You’ll steal any boyfriends I might want,” Jungkook said.

Jimin kicked forward, his sneaker making contact with Jungkook’s calf. He laughed when Jungkook yelped, leaning down to rub where his shoe hit.

“The only boyfriend you want is Namjoon and I have zero interest in that walking disaster.”

“You’re one to talk. You ran into the door yesterday.”

“So you put me in the costume piece with minimal vision?”

“Yep. You get to hold onto me though, I’ll keep you safe.” Jungkook leaned forward and grabbed the door so they could both enter the building. It was a gorgeous little community center, really; with a nice sized roller rink in the center, and surrounded by a little eating space, a video game room, and a door on the far side connected to a bowling alley.

“So how do you plan on doing this, genius?” Jimin asked.

“Let’s meander a bit, see if we can find any of our friends. We can separate and eat and then go skating if we want to.”

Jimin nodded, holding a little tighter to Jungkook’s waist. He could see his feet moving through the open part in the horse’s stomach, and it was making him a little dizzy. Jungkook chatted with people as they passed, and Jimin was both annoyed and relieved to be hidden by the costume. Though he would have liked some acknowledgement as they walked through the crowds, it was nice not to see that pitying look people had been giving him so often since his breakup with Taemin.

They reached the counter finally, and Jungkook ordered, nudging Jimin. Jimin stood, separating the horse body, shaking his hair from his face. He grinned at the counter girl who did a double take. He ordered and winked at her before heading with Jungkook toward where he spotted Namjoon and Yoongi sitting.

Namjoon was dressed head to toe as a large tree trunk, his face made up to match the pattern of the bark. He had large gloves that made his fingers look like thin branches, which made his attempts to eat his hamburger quite comical.

Next to him sat Yoongi in an entirely grey outfit, his eyes half closed as he scribbled on a notebook next to his half-eaten nachos.

“What are you?” Jungkook asked as he sat next to Namjoon.

“I didn’t dress up,” Yoongi mumbled.

“He’s the boulder to my tree,” Namjoon said, beaming at Jungkook. “What are you?”

“Centaur!” Jungkook said excitedly. He nudged Jimin, who groaned and stood just as soon as he’d sat down. He leaned over, grabbing Jungkook’s waist and shrugging the costume over his head. Jungkook stood straighter, grinning broadly. He was wearing a tank top that was damn near see through, allowing a great view of his abs.

“Wow, that’s awesome!” Namjoon said.

Jimin stood again, taking a seat next to Yoongi and stealing one of his nachos. “Except I’m the ass.”

“Well, someone had to be.”

“And we all know you need to impress N—” Jungkook slapped his hand over Jimin’s mouth, giggling shyly in Namjoon’s direction. Jimin rolled his eyes, pushing Jungkook’s hand off his mouth.

“Well, you need to impress the world’s most oblivious tree trunk.”

Jungkook’s eyes widened and Yoongi chuckled. “He’s not wrong.”

“About what?” Namjoon asked.

“Nothing!” Jungkook cried, clearing his throat.

Jimin rolled his eyes again. He rose, bowing to the woman bringing their food as he went to get the tray from her. She smiled broadly, swaying her hips a little as she walked away.

“She’s flirting with you,” Yoongi commented as Jimin sat back down.

“I know.”

“So… Ask her out.”

“Why?”

Yoongi shrugged. “I just figured. After Taemin…” He drifted off when Jimin’s smile dropped from his face. “I just mean—”

Namjoon cleared his throat, giving Yoongi a pointed look.

“It’s fine,” Jimin said, grabbing his burger and taking a bite. He offered a half smile. “I’m over it,” he muttered with a mouthful of food.

The conversation shifted easily, much to Jimin’s relief. He looked out over the rink as the others chatted, watching the skaters. Lots of zombies, sexy witches, nurses, ghosts… And one mummy that seemed absolutely terrified of his roller skates.

Jimin watched the mummy shift, his feet sliding out from under him the second he moved away from the wall. It was sort of cute.

When the group of friends finished their meals, Namjoon rose, heading to get them all skates. Jungkook, as usual, followed. Yoongi chuckled. “He’s so in love with that guy.”

“Right? How does Namjoon not know?”

“I don’t know. Namjoon likes him too. That’s the worst part. If these two would just pay attention to each other they’d see that and stop annoying us.”

“Were you dragged along as backup too?” Jimin wondered. Yoongi nodded.

“Of course. I have far too much to do to waste time here. After you guys start skating honestly I’m probably gonna take off.”

Jimin nodded. “I would except I’m an actual part of his costume. I feel bad ditching. Oh! Is that Hoseok?”

Yoongi perked up at that, looking back in the direction Jimin was looking. Hoseok was on the rink already, dressed in a garishly bright sunflower headpiece and a green shirt and pants.

Yoongi grinned ear to ear. “On second thought…” He rose, heading over to grab the skates from Namjoon as he and Jungkook approached. He hurried toward Hoseok, waving.

Jimin smiled and rolled his eyes. He took the skates from Jungkook, sliding them on and rising. He turned, waiting for Jungkook and Namjoon, until he realized the two were already deep in conversation, skates forgotten for the moment beside them.

Jimin’s face drooped a little. He looked toward Yoongi and Hoseok, who were skating close together as they chatted. As always. He sighed softly and headed out to the rink, skating between the couples and happy groups of friends alone. It was stupid, being so broken up like this. But he’d been truly happy with Taemin, and there was no good reason the other could give as to why he’d dumped him. At least, not beyond wanting to focus on his career. Which, Jimin supposed, was as good a reason as any. He needed to get over it. He needed to get over him.

Deep in thought, Jimin didn’t notice the mummy as he approached. He did, however, notice when the mummy’s very long legs went in opposite directions, and his arms flailed, nearly knocking Jimin over. He grabbed onto the boy without thinking, stabilizing him.

The mummy cried out in shock, looking over at Jimin. Despite the makeup and bandages on his face, Jimin could see that he was around the same age… And strikingly beautiful.

“Thank you,” the mummy said, his voice a low rumble that went straight to Jimin’s belly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jimin bit his lower lip. “You don’t look too sure of yourself on these skates.”

“I’m horrible at rollerblading,” the mummy confessed. “I only came because of my big brother, and he ditched me earlier to go make out with his partner. I can move well enough as long as I have someone to hold onto.”

Jimin rolled his eyes deeply. “God, same. Do you want me to help you get out of the center of the rink?”

“That’d be great, yeah,” the mummy said, laughing a little. Jimin grinned. He hooked his arm in the mummy’s, moving toward the wall slowly.

“Just match my movements. Left, right, left, right,” he said, leaning close to be heard over the music. The mummy did so, managing not to fall on his ass.

When they reached the wall, the mummy sagged in relief.

“Thank you.”

Jimin paused. “I’m Jimin.” He stuck out his hand.

“Taehyung,” the mummy said, shaking it.

“Nice to meet you, Taehyung. Your costume is cool. It looks professional.”

Taehyung nodded. “My brother is a stage performer. His partner made our costumes.” He pointed off the rink. “That’s them.”

Jimin looked, his eyes widening. A tall, broad shouldered man dressed as a very realistic werewolf was snuggling a beautiful person dressed as an elf, broad chested and tall. Jimin gasped then. “Wait, is that Kwon Solbi and Kim Seokjin?”

Taehyung nodded. “You know them?”

“My brother has the biggest crush on Solbi. I absolutely adore their work. Seokjin is newer, isn’t he? He’s so good. He has so much talent. Seokjin is your brother? Or do you refer to Solbi as--”

“Seokjin, yeah. He met Solbi when he was a stage hand for their play last summer. They’ve been inseparable. Which is fine. I like Solbi. But I wish… You know…” Taehyung drifted off then shrugged. “What about you? What are you supposed to be?”

Jimin’s smile drooped again as he looked down at his ridiculous “costume” – which, without Jungkook – looked like brown pants and a white t-shirt.

“I’m a horse’s ass,” he mumbled.

Taehyung laughed hard, shaking his head. “You don’t look that bad. What is it? Really?”

“No, I’m being serious. I’m the ass end of a centaur. The front half is over there—” Jimin’s voice halted a little when he looked. “with his tongue shoved down that tree’s throat.”

Taehyung looked over and chuckled. “I see. And you got relegated to the ass end, what? Because he wanted to impress someone?”

Jimin nodded. “He’s been crushing on our friend – the tree- for ages. I’m glad he finally made a move.”

“What about you, Jimin?”

“Hm?” Jimin turned back to Taehyung and tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“You seem… Alone. Most folks have already split off into their groups. And you were willing to be the ass end of the costume, which probably means you’re not looking to impress anyone.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m single.”

Taehyung nodded. “Got it.” He bit his lip. “You know…” He hesitated. “Cute ass.”

Jimin’s eyes bulged. “I’m sorry?”

“You make a cute horse ass. Or… You have a cute ass, however you wanna take it.”

Jimin felt his cheeks heating up. He rubbed the back of his neck, laughing a little helplessly. “Taehyung, I—”

Taehyung shrugged. “Not gay?”

“Oh no, I’m gay. But I just went through a breakup. You seem nice but… I don’t wanna do a rebound. Especially not with a nice person.”

“Understandable.” Taehyung smiled, tilting his head. “Then how about we start as friends? I need someone to go roller skating with and everyone we know has ditched us. I need a new friend anyways, don’t you?”

Jimin relaxed a little. Taehyung looked so honest and kind, it was refreshing. “I always need a new friend.”

“Then we’ll be friends. We’ll see what happens after.”

Jimin grinned and nodded. “Deal.” He held out his arm for Taehyung to take. The two began to skate again, moving slowly as Jimin made sure Taehyung wouldn’t fall on his (very cute now that he looked at it) ass. The two began to talk easily about everything under the sun, finding both a lot in common and many differences that brought on fun debates. It was as if they’d known one another forever.

Taehyung ended up winning the costume contest, a gift certificate for two to a nice restaurant in the city. And, though it was a romantic restaurant, Jimin gladly accepted when Taehyung invited him to share the prize that following weekend. Friends could go to romantic restaurants together, couldn’t they? Though, Jimin had to admit, as they exchanged numbers and Taehyung planted a surprise kiss on his cheek before they separated for the evening… He hoped that by the end of that date, just maybe, they’d be more than friends.

#vmin #fluff #boymeetsmxm #btsguild #networkbangtan #mywriting #jimin x taehyung

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eloquated · 3 years

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modern Kili & Elladan, @murkhith

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:02:34 PM

"Alright.. something beautiful... Beautiful..." The university grounds weren't exactly Elladan's idea of ethereally lovely. Oh sure they were nice, manicured and well maintained-- but ethereal? Not so much. Not to mention, Professor Kerrigan wasn't going to take "Oh, I didn't know the definition of the word, sorry!" as an excuse for a poor photo.

Which was precisely how Elladan had found himself in the woods at the edge of town, his camera bag at his side, as the late afternoon sunlight glowed through the dappled leaves. Surely there had to be something ethereal out there!

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:06:52 PM

"Of all the fucking words to pick as a topic..." Kili grumbled as he stumbled over the slippery rocks, sheltering his eyes from the sun. He had agreed to take the class because he enjoyed photography, but it also gave him some extra points he needed.

But ethereal?

While stuck thinking about the topic, Fili had reminded him of the nearby forest and the small pond that laid in the middle of it so here he was, waving away mosquitos in hopes of finding something that stood out.

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:10:46 PM

Ethereal, talk about a loaded word! It brought to mind fantasy, and diaphanous veils, and gauzy, soft lighting. Nothing that he had readily on hand! "That's the point though... It's meant to be a challenge. Think outside the box." Which didn't make it any easier!

And ethereal definitely didn't come with a side of blood sucking flies! For the dozenth time, Elladan scratched the back of his neck, trying to swat away the mosquitoes that kept buzzing around his ears. "Right.. Ethereal can wait a minute." He said to himself and shucked down his bag. Snapping the elastic from his wrist, Elladan reached back to start braiding his long, black hair. Anything to give the mosquitoes less place to hide!

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:14:05 PM

He had reached for his camera without any conscious thought. Finding someone else in the forest wasn't that big of a surprise, but the way the man stood tall and elegant, his eyes half lidded and long fingers slipping through that dark hair while the sun filtered through the green leaves certainly was.

Kili found himself enchanted and he lifted the camera, focused on the right angle and took the picture. The sound of the shutter was loud in the silence and the other froze, his mind screeching halt in panic.

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:16:36 PM

The woods were always filled with sound-- after all, it wasn't that far from the main city, even though it felt more secluded. But the quick snap-whir of a camera was definitely not a part of the usual birdsong and distant traffic!

Starting with surprise, Elladan looked around, his hands falling to his sides warily. "Hello?" He asked after a pause, feeling a bit stupid. What if nobody was there?

Well, then there would be nobody to hear him! It was fine. Totally fine.

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:19:11 PM

Back pressed against the tree, Kili counted to five before sneaking away as quick and quiet as he could. His heart was hammering in his chest as he ran through the forest, yet he couldn't help but grin in victory. This was exactly the kind of picture he had been searching for. He didn't know who the man had been, but he thanked them in his mind.

Surely his professor and others could appreciate the picture when it came the time to showcase them.

Yet he couldn't shake off the feeling of familiarity, as if he had seen them somewhere before.

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:23:14 PM

Elladan listened closely, holding his breath and ignoring the rapid thump of his heart. For a few long moments there was... Birds. Distant traffic. The rustle of something in the underbrush. "And I'm an idiot." He told himself with a huff of relieved amusement, "Good job, you're three blocks from a mall, and you still managed to freak yourself out. Elrohir is never going to let you live this one down!"

Clearly there wasn't going to be any inspiration here today! And after a little more wandering, and a few shots that were possibly half decent (if not amazing) Elladan packed away his things and started back towards his apartment. Maybe if he put a good spin on one of his pictures it would be enough to pass muster!

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:27:03 PM

There were quite the few pictures of nature shown in the class the following week. Some of them were amazing, like a shot of two birds in middle of their mating dance and then there were couple of really horrible ones where the students clearly hadn't made any effort.

But no one had taken a picture of another human.

So when his chosen photo was blown out on the large screen, Kili felt nervous but he couldn't help but admire the picture once again. There truly was something special about it. It almost seemed like this person had walked right out of a fantasy movie.

It took him a while to realise the giggles and whispers of his classmates, and once he turned to see what the fuss was all about he spotted the very person from his image sitting in the class.

And at that moment Kili hoped the floor would open up and swallow him whole as his face heat up and turned a remarkable shade of red and his mouth fell open.

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:31:52 PM

Tree. Tree. Bird. Water. Tree. Flower. Elladan watched his own picture slide through somewhere in the middle of the collection-- neither amazing, nor terrible, and ultimately pretty forgettable.

He was only half paying attention to the images (you could only see so many half composed images of leaves before they all started to look the same!) when he suddenly found himself facing himself. Blown up twice lifesize and -- the forest! That day in the forest, there had been someone else!

Elladan's grey eyes widened comically, and he could feel his face burning-- oh, it was one thing to put himself on film looking silly, but this? This was... "Oh fuck." He said under his breath, looking around the class to see who could have, would have, taken that picture?!

It wasn't hard. Just follow the laughing, and the stares.

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:34:50 PM

Kili's face was buried in his hands, and he struggled between running away or having a full-blown panic attack. He wasn't an easy person to get flustered as he usually was always ready with comebacks but this was a situation from his worst nightmares and there was no way of waking up.

He could feel the piercing stare on the back of his head, and he reluctantly turned to meet the eyes of the person he had secretly photographed.

"... Not my fault you looked like some kind of elf back there."

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:39:25 PM

Elladan blinked at the comment, caught entirely wrongfooted! He wasn't sure if he was upset about the whole thing-- maybe the other man shouldn't have just snapped his photo and ran, but was it actually offensive? That was a question he was going to have to ask himself when the sheer, blindsided surprise had worn off!

The classroom was dark, only illuminated by the projected images still sliding by-- tree, tree, bird, tree-- and Elladan could only make out dark hair and the glint off the guy's glasses.

Elladan huffed a startled laugh, and tried to flash the guy a face-saving smile, "I guess I'd rather be an elf than an orc?"

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:42:52 PM

Oh thank god, the guy wasn't ready to tear his face off yet.

Kili's shoulders sagged with relief and he chuckled quietly, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "I thought you looked familiar but I didn't think we were sharing a class."

The teacher hushed them with a stern stare, so Kili ripped out a page of the notebook and wrote on it instead.

"seriously though, I'm sorry. Promise I'm not a creep."

He then folded it and once the teacher turned around to fiddle with the machine, he threw it by the guy's feet.

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:47:56 PM

Elladan caught the flash of paper as it sailed through the air, and stretched out his foot to catch it under his sneaker before it slid off the edge of the row. Usually photography was one of his favourite classes, but today the clock couldn't seem to hurry by fast enough!

Unfolding the note, he tried to check a smile at the scribbled apology-- and maybe he should be pissed, but.. He wasn't. And it didn't seem worth the effort to pretend he was.

For the rest of the class, Elladan pretended to watch the slides, when really he was watching the clock, the door, the back the guy's head, the clock, the door.. And back to the beginning again, restlessly tapping his fingers on the edge of the note.

When at last the bell chimed, Elladan bolted out of his seat. Instead of walking around, he slid sideways between the two seats ahead of him, and the two ahead of that, until he could lightly tap the mystery photographer's shoulder.

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:51:12 PM

Kili would forever deny the high-pitched squeak that left his lips as soon as he felt the tap on his shoulder, his eyes wide as he spun around to meet the guy he had photographed. His plan to run out of the class as soon as the bell rang had failed, and now he had to face the responsibility of his action.

And up close, the man was even more attractive than he had thought. Clearly, the settings of the forest only enhanced the man's natural beauty and wow, wasn't that a weird thought.

Nervously fixing the position of his glasses, Kili offered the guy a slight smile. "Is this the moment you punch me for acting like a creep?"

eloquated4/18/2020, 3:55:43 PM

It was almost blinding when the lights came back up, and Elladan had to blink for a second to clear the white flashes that floated in front of his eyes. When they did? Oh...

The dark hadn't done his mystery photographer any favours.

"I... Nope." He swallowed, feeling properly gobsmacked for the second time in less than an hour. Elladan didn't usually go around looking for cute men, but the glasses, and those dark curls, and that half smile did something to his stomach that could only be described (in the most humiliating terms) as fluttery.

"No, no!" He added in a rush, giving himself a shake, "No, I'm not going to punch you. Why would I do that?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he could see exactly why he might be afraid of that. How many homophobic meatheads went to their school? "I promise, I'm not."

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 3:59:14 PM

"That's a relief," Kili laughed relieved, starting to pack up his things in the blue bag. "I mean if I were in your position, I'd be confused as well but I promise that's the only photo I took of you."

He grinned, slinging the bag over his shoulder. Now that he was sure he wasn't getting punched or yelled at, he was slowly recovering to his usual humor.

"I guess in a way, I should be thanking you. You made my assignment really fucking easy."

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:04:03 PM

The problem with being pale as Hell was that you blushed. Like mad. And it was immediately and obviously visible to anything in a thousand foot radius. Like right now, and he could feel the heat creeping up his cheeks, making him even more aware of it.

"I thought I heard someone, but I figured it was some creepy stalker or serial killer." He admitted, drumming his fingers on the strap of his bag. With a bit of careful sidestepping, Elladan ducked into the aisle so he wasn't trapping the photographer on the row.

"You're welcome, I guess? I didn't really get a good look-" Well, shock would do that! "- But I couldnt' see where you edited it to make it too like that." Elladan pitched his voice quiet for that, since it was, technically speaking, against the assignment. But it had to be edited, because he knew his face. And Elladan knew he didn't look... well, ethereal. Not like that.

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 4:07:28 PM

"I didn't edit it!" Kili chuckled with a shake of his head, carefully stepping around the man as he made space and motioned for him to leave the class together. It was endearing to see their skin turn pink so fast, and he couldn't help but playfully jab at the other a bit.

"Don't tell me you've been unaware of how attractive and almost magical you look? I'm sure the girls of our school wishes they had your looks."

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:10:53 PM

"Now you're just taking the mick! I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be the one giving you a hard time!" Elladan fixed his bag on his shoulder and fell into step beside him as they headed up the stairs and out of the lecture hall. Most of their classmates seemed to be lingering behind, and he could feel their curious, appraising gazes as they left class together.

Well, that was going to be tomorrow's gossip!

"But sorry, nope! I think you need to see an optometrist, cause there's definitely something wrong with your prescription." And it wasn't that people hadn't commented, but that was just the nicknamed, faceless commenters on his videos. And always in relation to his twin, which didn't count!

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 4:13:49 PM

"I mean... You can try to give me a hard time," he teased with a grin, pushing his hands in his pockets. It was almost weird how natural teasing this guy was, but he wholeheartedly enjoyed it.

"My bad, you might be right though," Kili replied thoughtfully, making a show of stopping and pulling his glasses off, then cleaning them on his shirt before placing them back on his nose.

Then he gasped, placing a hand on his chest.

"My god, it's an angel!"

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:16:43 PM

"Is it too late to reconsider punching you?!" It was the least intimidating threat, considering Elladan burst into laughter halfway through. "I don't even know your name, and already you're creeping on me, and making fun of me after. Great first impression!"

Flashing him a million megawatt grin, Elladan couldn't help but try and sneak a proper look at the face behind the glasses-- something he regretted as soon as his stomach did that swooping thing again. "So, can I get your name, or should I just call you Not-A-Creep?"

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 4:20:09 PM

The sound of his laughter made Kili's chest tighten, and he realised with a shock he was crushing and crushing hard on someone he just met! Fucking christ, Fili could never find out.

"It's Killian, but I prefer to go by Kili," he laughed with a shrug of his shoulders. "Also if you're going to punch me, let me take my glasses off first. They were expensive."

Once again he removed the glassed and pulled out the container for them from the side pocket of his bag. "I only need them for reading anyway," he added, snapping the lid close before turning his attention back to the guy, brown eyes peering at him curiously. "What about your name?"

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:24:13 PM

Kili... Elladan was pretty sure that actually having a name for his mystery photographer was a bad thing. It was personal. It was the equivalent of admitting that he wanted to get to know the person behind that disarming smile.

God, he was a so screwed.

SO screwed.

"Promise, I'll give you at least a few seconds warning before I clock you." He made a show of tracing the tip of his finger over his heart, trying to keep something like a straight face. It wasn't working!

"Me? Elladan. It'd say it's nice to meet you, but... Ok, it actually is. Weird, but good."

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 4:28:24 PM

"Definitely not your typical first meeting," Kili snickered. "I'm really fucking embarrassed about it though. Like when I realised you were in the same class I hoped the floor would swallow me," he admitted laughing, fingers running through his hair and catching on the small tangles.

Around them the students were filing out, some lucky ones could head out while some still had a class to take. Sometimes he regretted taking the metalwork class, but he wanted to be useful for his brother so he had to be stuck welding metal every other afternoon.

"You already free for the day?"

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:34:24 PM

"You and me both! I was half asleep at the back of the class when suddenly- bam! My own face ten feet tall!" Elladan rubbed the back of his neck, unconsciously mirroring Kili's nervous gesture from earlier.

"Ah, nope, not yet. I have a bit of time to grab lunch, then I've got Intro to Horror Theory until four." He teasingly pulled a look of terror, one hand clasped over his mouth, wide eyes and all. "What about you? Are you heading off campus, or to class, or...?"

Or can I find an excuse to talk to you again? Because right now I can't think of one, and I really want to.

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 4:38:28 PM

"I wish, but I have to go to the metalwork in like fourty minutes," Kili groaned dramatically, throwing his head back. "Because naturally I love to spend my afternoon sweaty and dirty from the ash and metal instead of going out or playing a game."

He chuckled and straightened up again, shifting weight from one leg to another as he avoided Elladan's gaze. "So... Do you maybe wanna grab lunch together? I was hoping to eat anyway."

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:43:19 PM

"Metalwork? Really?" Not that he knew anything about Kili, apart from the fact that he had an eye for photography and a smile that was really really distracting. But he didn't seem like the metalworking kind!

At least, he didn't look like one of the muscle bound meatheads Elladan had met from the class.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'd like that. I mean--" Elladan's grey eyes flicked up to the ceiling and his smile had just begun to soften, all boyish and nervous, when he heard a piercing catcall from the end of the corridor.

With a start, he looked down the small cluster of their classmates loitering around the intersection. "Guess we know how Turner got that photo! Got your boyfriend to pose for it, didja?"

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 4:50:25 PM

The good mood vanished like a snap of a finger, and Kili grit his teeth together as he heard the calls and laughs. Now on the outside, he knew he didn't look like much. Firm muscles without the bulk, the glasses, the nervous stutter whenever he had to present in front of the class.

But personality wise, he was a hothead who ended up in quite some troubles now and then, for his mouth worked faster than his head.

And he was already spewing out words without a second thought.

"Brent, for once in your life shut your fucking mouth. You're just jealous your butterfly picture got a F. We all saw that disaster."

eloquated4/18/2020, 4:57:58 PM

Despite what Kili had said about him (and he was pretty sure that was all in defense of his decision to use him as the subject of his photograph) Elladan didn't see much when he looked in the mirror. He was too thin, almost femme with his long hair (which he liked, so people could fuck off it they had a problem with it), and it wasn't the first time a jerk had tried to take a shot at him.

Usually Elladan was quick with a reply. But apparently not as quick as Kili!

Elladan watched as Brent spluttered in a growing rage, his hands balling and relaxing at his sides. "Just ignore him. He's just jealous that you didn't use him for your subject." He said just loudly enough to be heard over the purple-faced snorting at the end of the hall.

With a brightening half smile, he tilted his head in the other direction, "Lunch? I'm starving."

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 5:02:40 PM

"Don't worry, I know exactly who to go to if the next topic is 'brainless'," Kili chuckled as well, and resisted the urge to take Elladan's hand in his own. Where the hell had that urge even come from? For all he knew, Elladan was straight as a razor and he was once again crushing on someone he had no chances with.

Yet he couldn't help but smile in return as he nodded and followed Elladan and left the snickering people behind them. He didn't care what others thought of him but his urge to protect others was strong.

"Man, what a bunch of dicks," he groaned once they were out of the hearing distance. "Fucking hate people like him and unfortunately, there's quite a few at our school."

eloquated4/18/2020, 5:08:38 PM

"Don't let them get to you, it's not worth it. I can count to their combined IQ on one hand." He could still hear the sounds of spluttering bully as they turned the corner, and Elladan wished he could ignore the bright, happy little thought that Kili had defended... Alright, himself.

Probably just himself. Elladan was just collateral benefit.

Crushing on straight guys was begging for trouble. And he had enough on his plate without alienating someone who could be a friend.

"They'll give us a hard time until they find something else. The next time someone waves something shiny at them, they'll forget. Talk about orcs..."

Mikilieth4/18/2020, 5:11:55 PM

"You sound like my brother," Kili laughed. "He used to tell me the same thing every time I came home bruised because people like them thought they could bully people they thought were weaker."

He opened the large glass doors to the campus yard, and scouted for a place where they could eat in relative peace but would also make it to their classes once the time came.

"He used to say I had a hero complex but honestly, I'm just a hothead who doesn't like assholes like that."

eloquated4/18/2020, 5:18:20 PM

"Clearly he and I are the smart brothers, then-- because I've had to tell mine that over and over again! I don't like bullies, either. But I liked us coming home in shades of purple and green even less." Because there had never been a question of where Elladan would be if Elrohir mouthed off to the idiots. He'd be right there beside him, often down in the dirt!

Shifting his bag higher on his shoulder, Elladan pointed to the far side of the yard, where a few pretty girls, probably in the same sorority from the look of it, were just leaving, "Over there? It's kind of busy, but I don't mind sitting on the grass if you don't."

Elladan paused a beat, his gaze just happening to avoid Kili's, "You don't make a bad hero, but I'd rather not see you purple and green, either."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 2:51:44 AM

The words brought a new layer of blush over Kili's skin, and he scratched his stubble with a sheepish smile. "I suppose I could try to avoid any unnecessary confrontation," he mumbled as he plopped himself down on the grass, opening the zipper of his bag.

He rummaged for a moment before pulling out a small box and a bottle of soda. Cracking it open, Kili tipped his head back and took couple of large swallows, releasing a breath of relief. "Didn't realise how parched I was."

eloquated4/19/2020, 8:17:09 AM

"Or at least pick your battles? Someone like Brent isn't worth it, he's too dum to understand why you're fighting him. In fact, I'm not sure he'd understand the word 'principle', even if you beat him with the dictionary!"

That smile of Kili's was going to be the death of him, Brent and his other meatheaded goons weren't going to have to lift a finger.

The grass was dry and a little prickly as Elladan dropped down beside Kili, his face turned up to the bright sunlight for a long, rejuvenating moment. Eyes closed, he exhaled long and slow, just trying to shake off the cobwebs from sitting in the lecture hall for more than an hour, watch the endless slides of half composed, dubiously executed, photos.

"I think it's something about the photography hall," He agreed after a minute, fishing a water bottle from his bag, "It's always super dry in there. Maybe Professor Kerrigan is trying to turn us into one of those mummies he likes so much?"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 8:22:13 AM

"Might be," Kili said thoughtfully, starting to unwrap his meal which consisted of couple of breads and a single cookie. "He claims it's the best kind of air to keep old photographs in but I'm sure he's just trying to dry us all up."

He rested his weight against one of his hand and started to eat with the other. It was a beautiful day, and in a way he hoped they weren't at the school grounds for the sound of other students broke through the illusion that he was spending time alone with Elladan.

He really should be slowing down. He was falling too fast.

"So you have a brother too?"

eloquated4/19/2020, 8:31:20 AM

"Well, as long as we get through the unit on tintyping and developing before he mummifies us. I don't even care how intensely geeky that sounds! Apparently he's one of the best in the world, and I don't know anything about it, other than it looks cool."

Opening the container from his bag, Elladan gave the slightly worse the wear collection of sheet pasta and vegetables a cursory poke with the end the fork that had been tucked into the lid. "Yeah, just the one, and a sister." He sat up crosslegged and grinned down at Kili, blowing a few strands of back hair out of his face from where they'd escaped the plait down his back. "He's the one that made this... moussaka thing. We're both trying to cook more, but it's definitely not our strong suit! Do you just have the one brother, or..?"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 8:35:23 AM

Kili couldn't stop himself from making a face at the sight of the food, instantly back pedalling with an apology. "Yeah sorry, that doesn't look very appetising," he agreed taking a bite of the bread. "But I'm sure you'll learn, especially if you keep practicing," he added quickly, waving his hand around in before settling with a smile.

"I have an older brother yeah. Most of the time we're both too busy to properly cook, so most of the time my lunch consists of bread or something equally simple."

eloquated4/19/2020, 8:46:49 AM

"It tastes better than it looks, I promise!" But he still pulled a teasingly mock-disgusted face as he lifted a bit of formerly roasted vegetable... eggplant? And popped it into his mouth. Elladan scrunched his nose, trying not to laugh with his mouth full.

"Ok, needs some work. But it's food, so I'm not going to be too picky! At least until the caf is up and running again."

It was the sort of beautiful spring day that made him feel more alive, like he could breathe after a winter stuck inside. And the company? Even better. Much better... God, he was cute...

"That sounds like mine and me, you guys live together? Elrohir and I got an apartment off campus this year."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 8:49:46 AM

"Same!" Kili laughed, flashing Elladan a bright smile. "Well, we did that almost two years ago since Fili is older than me and have already graduated," he continued humming, finishing the bread with a quick lick of his finger.

"It's nothing big, but it beats living in the dorms."

eloquated4/19/2020, 8:55:48 AMEdited 4/19/2020, 8:56:18 AM

"I'm pretty sure anything was better than living in the dorms! Our first year we shared with two other guys-- which is basically like living in a petri dish!" Elladan grinned and feigned a shudder, "We moved out halfway through our second year; it was either that, or become devotees of the God of Mold and Seriously Disgusting Socks."

They didn't have a long time, but Elladan found himself loathe to leave, mentally filing away the little bits and pieces he was learning about his new... friend? Friend.

"So he's not just the protective brother, but the older one as well? 'Ro likes to play big brother sometimes, but it doesn't work very well!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 8:59:33 AM

"Hah, you're the older one then?" Kili asked curiously, closing the lid of his now empty lunchbox and placing it back in his bag. Technically he should be leaving already, but if he ran to the class he could afford a couple of more minutes with Elladan.

Their next class together was in two days which sucked, but he couldn't just ask for a number right now. That would definitely give off more creepy vibes and he didn't want to scare Elladan away.

eloquated4/19/2020, 9:02:26 AM

Tucking his own lunch remains away (and making a note that that recipe could just stay far away from their usual rotation, favourite of their father or not!) Elladan stretched out on the grass, one arm thrown across his face in lieu of sunglasses.

"No, he's older, technically. But we're twins, so he's only older by a few minutes. You're lucky he decided not to take Photography this year, otherwise he'd have been there today, too!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 9:06:42 AM

"You've got a twin?" Kili asked surprised, his eyes widening a bit. There were two of these gorgeous people? Oh no, no no God had to have something against him if that was the case. How could he handle /two/ of them together?

Well, now he was just getting ahead of himself. Most likely, he wouldn't even meet the other twin.

"Thank god for the small mercies then," he chuckled and swallowed, regretfully getting up from the grass. "I quite literally have to run but uh... I'll see you in class then?"

eloquated4/19/2020, 9:15:56 AM

It was nice to talk to someone who didn't immediately make the connection between he and Elrohir; as much as he and his twin were deeply attached, they certainly weren't interchangeable! "Yeah, I'm sure you'll-- Oh shit, you're right, we do."

With a blink, Elladan glanced over at the large clock at the end of the yard, and began tossing his own things haphazardly into his bag, "In class, definitely. I'll--" There was no time to ask for his number, and even if there was, Elladan had no idea how to ask. So instead, he shouldered his bag, and reluctantly rose to his feet. "See you on Friday."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 9:22:51 AM

"I'm looking forward to it," Kili grinned, giving a small wave of his hand before dashing towards the lecture building.

Naturally, he didn't get Elladan out of his head over the next day. He had hoped they'd bump in the hallways but it seemed like their other lessons always crossed the other which soured Kili's mood very quickly. His brother was quick to pick up the change in him and he teased Kili about a crush, which Kili vehemently denied even if his red cheeks gave it away.

At the night, he laid on his bed staring at the photo he had taken. How could he fall for someone so quickly? He barely knew the guy, this could only end in hurt.

eloquated4/19/2020, 9:36:33 AM

There was never a shortage of things to do. Elladan had school work, and video editing, and the loose 'schedule' of filming he kept up with his brother. But his mind just wasn't in it! On campus he found himself looking around, watching the crowds a bit too closely for a mop of dark curls.

By Thursday night, Elladan was starting to suspect that Kili had been some figment of his imagination! A wonderful, but imaginary encounter. Because how else could someone drop into his life, shake it up so thoroughly, and then vanish back into the ether?!

Unaware that Kili was also getting the teasing of a lifetime from his brother, Elladan wondered how he was doing. He turned their brief meeting over and over in his head, until it started to feel more than a little ridiculous! Crushes at first sight didn't exist... right?

Friday morning came with a thundering deluge and an 8am class. Not to mention one broken umbrella, turned inside out by the wind, and the damp seeping through his jacket. Elladan shrugged it off as he arrived in the lecture hall, and set his coffee (extra large, it was already aiming to be a day) on the edge of his desk.

Anatomy, Portraits, and Human Composition said the board in their professor's bold, block hand.

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 9:41:00 AM

The morning had not started how he had imagined. First he had woken up late, then burnt his breakfast and to top it all off it started pouring rain while he was riding the bicycle to school which ended up in him being completely drenched.

He ended up stumbling into the class half a hour late, his curls wilder than before and drops of water sticking on his skin and glasses. He briefly apologised before shrugging off the wet hoodie with a shudder, thanking God that at least his shirt underneath had remained relatively dry.

His jeans felt extremely uncomfortable though, the fabric sticking to his skin as he flopped on his desk and immediately tipped his head back so he could flash Elladan a tired grin.

eloquated4/19/2020, 9:44:37 AM

The class had already started when Kili had washed in, looking about as happy as the situation as Elladan felt! Most of the class seemed to be in variations of the same mood, damp and tired, and thoroughly unimpressed by being out of bed at that hour, and in that weather.

Elladan was sitting in his usual spot, about three quarters of the way back and on the left side-- and today there were no available spots near him. More frustrating! So he flashed Kili a mirrored grin, and a shared look of long suffering. And just when he'd been thinking that it wasn't worth it to get out of bed... That smile changed his mind.

So he did exist, after all!

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 9:47:24 AM

Their professor didn't seem to care that the entire class was suffering as he explained the assignment with a drony voice that almost made Kili drift right back to sleep. He only became alert when they were told to pair up and practice portraits and whatnot, and his stomach swooped as he glanced back at Elladan and lifted an eyebrow in question.

eloquated4/19/2020, 9:51:44 AM

"Alright, class, split into pairs... For Monday, I want six photos from each of you, demonstrating use of people in your composition. You can utilize the whole person, a focus on particular parts-" He waited impassively for the tired wash of giggles to fade before adding, "Or any combination of the two."

Elladan leaned back in his seat, instinctively seeking out Kili in the hall (and he shouldn't. He really shouldn't. Crushing on straight boys was a bad bad idea, and he should really nip this before it became a problem!).

He still nodded quickly at the silent question, unable to stop the nervous-happy-oh-my-god butterflies, or his own smile. Wordlessly he flashed Kili a thumb's up, and motioned towards the door. Talk after class?

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 9:57:25 AM

Kili flashed him a smile and a nod in return and after that, the class could not end soon enough. He didn't want to risk getting caught throwing notes do he restrained himself from doing so and instead completely blocked out the professor's voice as his mind was already thinking of what kind of pictures he could take of Elladan.

The other was gorgeous, it would be an easy job as long as he could keep his head straight.

Hah.

He was one of the first ones out of class as soon as the bell rung and he waited outside the hall, leaning against the wall as he watched people pour out. Someone asked if he was waiting for his boyfriend and he merely flipped them off.

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:05:08 AM

Five minutes before the end of class, Elladan was more than ready to go. Unfortunately, the person blocking him into the row had other ideas. Impatiently he drummed his fingers on the strap of his bag as Felicity and Amber giggled and chatted, obliviously unaware that they were holding up everyone else.

When he was finally free (free!) he jogged up the stairs, his bag tucked behind him, and escaped into the corridor. "Hey!" He beamed, forgetting to check his enthusiasm, "I was starting to think you weren't coming in today." His words were interrupted by a peal of deafening thunder, "... Or that you couldn't find a place on the ark."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:11:46 AM

Kili instantly brightened at the sight of Elladan, and it was the excited tone on the other's voice that made his stomach do that stupid flip again. It wasn't like Elladan had spent the last two days thinking of him like some lovesick teenager, right?

"I must admit that the urge to remain in bed today was strong," Kili groaned motioning to his still wet clothes. "But I didn't want to miss-" he cut himself off just in time and cleared his throat, avoiding Elladan's eyes as he felt his skin heat up despite the cold.

"... The class. Didn't want to miss the class. ¥

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:13:04 AMEdited 4/19/2020, 10:15:05 AM

"Me either.." Well, he hadn't wanted to miss the chance to see Kili again. Elladan knew he should be more worried about his academics, but really? The other man just made his mind blank. "You're still soaked though."

In commiseration, Elladan held up his damp hoodie and pulled a face, feeling the wet weight of it. "But..."

Bad idea. BAD IDEA.

"I don't live far from here? I mean, unless you have class later, right? I thought we could work on this project--" Well, it was as convenient an excuse as anything! And he definitely wasn't blushing.. nope... "-- And dry off? I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend the rest of the day in wet jeans. Gross."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:19:53 AM

He definitely had a class later, but surely he could live with missing one class of math? He could always catch up later when he was back at home because right now he felt like there was no force enough to stop him from joining Elladan.

"I mean if it's alright?" He asked just to make sure, fidgeting on his feet. "Any longer and I'm afraid people are gonna see whether I've lied about the inches or not," he joked making a vague gesture towards his crotch before snickering. "Sorry, that was inappropriate."

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:23:13 AM

It was definitely not what Elladan had expected him to say, and the laugh felt surprised right out of him! "Yeah, it's alright. Lets go... before you give the student body anything else to gossip about!"

It had taken all of fifteen minutes for people to start speculating about them after the very public photo incident, after all! "I guess us working on this project isn't actually going to help the stories, though. I've heard some pretty creative ones already! I'm pretty sure some of our classmates should be writing for Playboy, they've got the imagination for it."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:25:17 AM

"Oh I've heard some too!" Kili laughed relieved that his joke hadn't upset Elladan. Seriously, sometimes his quick mouth got him into so much trouble.

"How about we share our favourite while we go?"

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:28:07 AM

"Why not? Come on, it's just this way." It was going to be a wet walk, but they were already damp, and at least they could get dry on the other end! Zipping his sweater up under his chin, Elladan tucked his long braid down the back, and tugged up his hood, just trying to keep the worst of the rain off.

"Obviously, of course, we've been seeing each other in secret." He teased, ticking off the first rumour on his slender fingers, "I heard one that it's been going on since middle school-- I'm not sure how they got that, since Ro and I didn't even move here until we started university!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:33:39 AM

"Oh yeah, I would definitely remember you if we were in the same middle school," Kili countered with a chuckle, only to realise what his words might mean and he skipped over a puddle so he didn't have to meet Elladan's eyes.

"I think one of my favourites is that I was tutoring you and you fell madly in love with me," he said dramatically, placing a hand on his heart.

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:37:10 AM

Truth be told, Elladan didn't mind the rumours. Oh, they made him a little fluttery sometimes, and there was an increasingly loud voice that wished they were true-- but they weren't upsetting at all. Just.. wishful.

"I hadn't heard that one!" He exclaimed, innocently missing the comment about their younger years. He held open the door as they stepped outside, and the rain immediately flooded over them, cold and soaking in seconds. "Fuck! I think we need a rowboat!"

"So you won me over with your scintillating intellect, huh? And how long did it take you to realize I was totally hot for teacher?"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:44:12 AM

"wait, what?" Kili burst out laughing, a shiver running down his spine as soon as the cold water washed over him. Well, at least he was stuck in the rain with Elladan.

It took him a moment to realise Elladan wasn't speaking of an actual teacher, but the him in the fantasy.

"Oh apparently it took me a long while because I was very dense," he snickered.

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:49:17 AM

Kili's laugh was the most infectious thing, and Elladan couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so easily, or so much. The adrenaline was bright in his veins, making his heart beat quicker, and chasing off a little of the windy, wet cold.

"Maybe I was just very good at hiding it! Did you hear the one about us sneaking off to do unspeakable things in the dark room?" He teased back, "Neither of us is very big, but that still seems ambitious! There's no room in there, and I can think of half a dozen developing chemicals I wouldn't want anywhere near that part of my body."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:51:22 AM

"Oh god, the smells alone would be enough to make us either faint or fail to get it up, very romantic," he laughed stepping straight into a puddle, which made him jump ahead with one leg as he cursed loudly over his completely soaked sneaker and socks.

"Fucking hell! Is this the God's wrath on us poor gay people?!"

eloquated4/19/2020, 10:56:07 AM

"Screwing in a fog of acetic acid and amidol, very sexy!"

Elladan jumped back to avoid the worst of the splash as Kili misjudged one of the deep potholes that pitted the parking lot, the sluice of muddy grey water soaking through his already wet shoes and up his pant leg. For half a second he just laughed, long suffering and, "Gross, now we definitely need to get back to my place!"

Wait. Gay? Elladan ran the blurted comment back through his mind, heart skittering over because oh. OH. Not straight. That... That changed things.

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 10:58:38 AM

"Oh that's disgusting, I really liked these jeans," Kili mourned as he shook his leg in a futile effort of shaking the water and mud off. Naturally, it did not work. Unaware of his accidental confession and the thoughts running through Elladan's head, he let out a long suffering sigh.

"you're quite literally the Knight in shining armor right now. Otherwise I might just end up sitting on the puddle crying."

eloquated4/19/2020, 11:01:22 AM

"It's alright, we'll throw them into the wash when we get to my place, you can borrow something until then. I'm not going to make you sit around in whatever was in that puddle!" Elladan's cheeky grin softened a little, and he bumped Kili's shoulder with his own, closing the space between them for the first time.

It was such a small thing. Silly, really. But it sent a quick, warm jolt right up his arm.

"You just have to put up with it until we get there. And hey, it's not like we can get any wetter!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 11:04:36 AM

"No no no haven't you seen the movies! Never, ever say that cursed sentence," Kili protested laughing,and for a brief moment he hoped he could have felt Elladan's skin against his own instead of the fabric which alright, a thought he had to diminish quick before he ended up in a very embarrassing situation.

"How can I ever repay you? You're too kind to me."

eloquated4/19/2020, 11:07:48 AM

"You're the self proclaimed hero here, not me! I'm just trying to keep a friend from drowning." Elladan ducked his head and tugged the hood of his sweater a little more securely over his head, trying to hide a flush that he hoped would be blamed on the wind.

Gay. But that didn't mean he liked him. Or that he was even out. Which ultimately gave Elladan just enough hopeful rope to potentially hang himself!

"And of course I've heard that curse sentence! I'm studying film making, my knowledge of bad tropes of unparalleled. But I laugh in the face of doom, ha-ha-ha!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 11:10:16 AM

"Don't you go quoting Lion King to me," Kili shot back immediately, feeling the butterflies flutter in his stomach once again. Could Elladan get any more attractive? It just wasn't fair, how were the mere mortals supposed to compare to him?

"Film making huh, how'd you end up there?"

eloquated4/19/2020, 11:20:21 AM

Like most geek artistic types, Elladan perked up enthusiastically at the mention of his major. "I started as an English major, actually! I want to write, and I want to tell stories. But in my first year I ended up taking some media studies classes, and I realized that I want to direct my own stories, not just wait for someone else to."

And it helped with his channel, but Elladan wasn't about to offer that up! Not when he was enjoying keeping it separate. Something private, untouched by the algorithm!

"What about you? I know you take photography and shop, but what're you going to do with it?"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 11:23:23 AM

"I take shop to help my brother," Kili smiled, wiping the water from his face. "He fixes motorbikes on his free time, so I thought I'd figure out a way to help him since he lets me live with him," he explained, removing his glasses with a small sigh.

No use to wear them since he couldn't see anyway.

"As for photography, I'm just a huge geek of everything related to games and movies, and I'm hoping to maybe develop my own website one day. “

eloquated4/19/2020, 11:29:06 AM

"I think that means you win the Good Brother olympics." He pointed out, leading the way across the busy intersection when the light changed. "I don't think you'd ever catch me or Ro in a mechanics workshop, we'd be totally lost!"

But it said a lot about Kili. And all of it good.

"That's really cool. I know everyone is always saying we should have this big, mapped out plan, but I'm not sure what I want to do yet. So right now we're just sharing a place, and studying stuff we like, and hoping we can find some use for it when we're done!" He summarized his life with a boyish grin, and fished the keys from his pocket when they approached a decently well-off apartment building.

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 11:37:58 AM

"Yeah I know what you mean," Kili replied, trying to squeeze most of the water out of his clothes so he wouldn't soak the entire house. "I don't know if I want to do websites my entire life, I mean it'd be really cool to develop own games too," he continued. "I have a very active imagination, or so I've been told."

eloquated4/19/2020, 11:42:46 AM

"We should probably put our active imaginations to work on this anatomy photography project!" The inside of the building was dry and clean; not fancy, but scrubbed and in good repair. "We're just up on the eight floor." He added, already shrugging off his drenched sweater as they ducked into the elevator.

"Ugh, everything is sticking. Gross." He added, plucking at his jeans, and the tshirt he'd had underneath, already plastered wetly to his body. Under the thick hoodie he was very thin, jeans hitched on sharp hip bones and a flash of pale stomach visible when he tried to pull his shirt off his skin.

"I've got to figure out six compositions to really do justice to you."

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 11:46:06 AM

The words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat as soon as he saw just how slim and beautiful Elladan's body looked like, as the shirt showed absolutely /everything/. His gaze trailed the path of a stray drop of water and he was forced to tear his gaze away, his next words stuttering a bit.

"Ah I'm sure you can just throw me on a chair and take six photos there, I'm not very photogenic," he laughed ashamed. "I'm more comfortable behind the camera."

eloquated4/19/2020, 11:49:41 AM

Out of respect for the other people in the building, Elladan stayed mostly to the centre of the elevator as it rose upwards, the floor humming faintly through the puddles they left underfoot.

"Ha!" He snorted a laugh and rolled his eyes. If you saw yourself the way I do, you wouldn't be saying that. You'd be awkwardly trying to find a way to complete this project without -- ahem-- God, I'm fucked.

"I like the way you look... You've just set the bar really high, and I can't let you walk away with-" Me? "Ah, the better grade!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 11:53:01 AM

"Oh so it's a competition then?" Kili asked playfully, ruffling the water from his hair. At least they weren't in the rain anymore but now he was painfully aware of his cold he felt, and how his body was beginning to shiver as it tried to create the necessary warmth.

"Is it alright for your brother that I just appear?

eloquated4/19/2020, 12:00:37 PM

"Why not? The professor grades on a curve anyway! And it's not like we're going to get much challenge from most of the rest of the class." Since the grand majority of them were there thinking it was an easy grade.

Both of them were chilled through as the elevator finally reached their floor, and Elladan hitched his bag higher on his shoulder, scurrying out. Every inch of bare arm was covered in goosebumps, and he walked a bit faster as he lead the way to the right unit.

"Ro isn't going to care. He's in class, and this place has separate rooms, unlike the last one. He can just close his door and ignore us."

The inside of the apartment was a sort of productive chaos. Two easels with half finished projects stood by a massive window that dominated the front of the apartment, and looked down over the green space next door. It was all one room, with the tiny kitchen and living room smushed in together, and a small table that had clearly been repurposed as both storage and study. A comfortable couch was across from the tv, and the far corner was set up as filming space, the wall decorated to give the impression of a set. A narrow staircase lead up to a loft, overlooking the living room through a sliding latticed door. It wasn't messy, exactly; but it was clear that the people who lived here were busy.

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 12:04:17 PM

Kili looked around curiously, his lip curling up as he took in the surprisingly controlled mess. It was clear Elladan and his brother were very similar, and he wondered just what they were doing with this many equipment. Some of them seemed very expensive too!

"I like it," he chuckled as he forecully pulled his shoes off and made a face at the wet fabric. "It feels very lived in and homely."

eloquated4/19/2020, 12:09:22 PM

"Thanks! It's a bit of a thing at the moment, but Ro's an art major, for now-" Elladan grinned cheekily as he knelt down to do battle with his swollen, wet laces, "And he has a ton of things that had invaded the living room. The bedrooms aren't exactly-- jesus, what did they make these laces out of? Sponge? Anyway, the bedrooms are pretty tiny, so he moved them out here."

With a triumphant laugh, he managed to untie his shoes and kick them off, wiggling his toes in wet socks before stripping those off, too, "I don't know about you, but I feel gross. You can come up to my room, or I'll just toss you down something, and we can get changed before we start on the project?"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 12:12:13 PM

"I'm not shy about changing with others, but if you're more comfortable in changing alone I completely understand," Kili said smiling, wrapping his arms around himself as another shiver ran through his body.

"I don't care if I have to change in the elevator as long as I just get to change. I'm prone to get sick easily so I'm preparing for the worst."

eloquated4/19/2020, 12:16:57 PM

Elladan's eyes widened a little at the admission and he nodded hastily, "Right, I'll hurry my ass up, then. You can come up if you want, I'll hide the bodies!"

Barefoot and dripping, Elladan jogged up the stairs towards his room. 'Room' was a bit of an exaggeration, though. The loft was large, and the two spaces were divided with a wall down the middle, but not at the front, leaving them half open. Elrohir's was dominated by canvasses, some of them leaning against the bed, and Elladan's was at the end-- a little tidier, though the bed was unmade, and there were clothes strewn over it, and the far corner was filled with books.

"Thankfully you're not a huge guy!" He said over his shoulder, rummaging through his dresser, "Otherwise this might be harder!"

Mikilieth4/19/2020, 12:31:26 PM

"Nah, the only problem I think will be the height difference," Kili laughed as he followed Elladan, still wrapped tightly with his arms. His gaze flit around the room and he silently appraised it, trying to learn every detail from the other as he could.

"I mean you're taller, so I'll be swimming in your clothes. I think only your shirt is almost enough to be a small dress for me."

eloquated4/19/2020, 12:34:41 PM

"Gimme a break, you're not that short! And I'm definitely not that tall!" He laughed, shaking his head and rummaging through his things. He was thinner, but Kili was shorter, which wasn't ideal-- but sweat pants were warm, and he knew he had a couple in the back of the drawer. "But if you want a small dress, I'm sure I have one around here somewhere..."

With a teasing eyebrow wiggle, Elladan tossed him a sweater, a tshirt, and a pair of sweat pants. Nothing fancy, but they were soft, and warm, and smelled of his soap.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 8:11:25 AM

"Now the real question is, why would you have a dress in your drawer in the first place?" Kili shot back with a grin, catching the tossed clothes with ease. He didn't waste any time and moved a bit further away before peeling the wet shirt from his skin.

The silver piercing glinted on his chest for a brief moment as he changed the shirt, and he huffed out an amused chuckle as he realised the shirt almost covered his midnight.

At least it covered most of his boxers once he changed the pants.

eloquated4/20/2020, 8:28:28 AM

"Or maybe the real question is why wouldn't I?" Elladan returned without missing a beat, his cheeky smile half hidden in profile, "Anyway, lots of reasons! But mostly? Because if Ro or I need models, we usually use each other. It's easier cause we're already both here!"

It was so tempting.. so very, very tempting... To try and catch a look at Kili while he was getting changed. The sort of tempting that made his stomach tense, and the back of his neck feel warm.. And which would probably be really pervy, even though Kili had said he didn't care.

But it was dark enough outside, the rain lashing against the window, that he could see their blurred reflections. And that wasn't the same as deliberately watching like a creeper! Right? Elladan he swallowed hard, suddenly dry mouthed, at the shadowy broad shoulders, and the toned, hard muscles that were definitely more defined than they looked through his clothes.

You are fucked. Truly. Properly. Fucked.

"Just... ah.. give me a second to get changed too, and we'll toss the wet stuff in the laundry."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 8:38:49 AM

"Sounds good," Kili hummed as he struggled out of his jeans, colorful curses flying past his lips. God he hated when the fabric clung to his legs like that, and on top of the icky feeling it also scratched his skin which sucked. He was quick as he changed into the sweatpants, and to his own amusement he had to roll the legs up once so they wouldn't cover his toes.

Warm and dry and comfortable, Kili let out a satisfied sigh and inhaled deeply, the scent of Elladan's soap making him feel all fuzzy inside.

eloquated4/20/2020, 8:48:01 AM

Elladan snickered at the sound of Kili doing battle with layers of wet cotton and denim, "I'm not sure I've ever heard that word used in that context before!" He teased back over his shoulder.

The upside to being cold, wet and uncomfortable was that it was almost enough to distract him from the deeply and inconveniently attractive man in his bedroom.

Fishing out some of his own clothes-- and lingering a moment over fresh jeans, before deciding that he didn't want to fight them over wet skin-- Elladan grabbed a pair of black lounging around pants and a tshirt with the word "Paste!" blocked across the front. His wet things stuck as he stripped out of them, his back to Kili with a measure of self consciousness as he changed.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 8:51:19 AM

As much as he wanted to sneak a peek at Elladan as he heard the other change, he didn't want to risk their friendship over being a pervert. If he got caught well... Things could turn awkward very fast.

"Do you have a preference whether you want to model or photograph first?"

eloquated4/20/2020, 9:07:20 AM

"Not really, no. You can go first if you have some kind of idea. I'm sort of--" Elladan rolled his shoulders in a noncommittal shrug, "Toying with the idea of something still life? Like I've caught you in the middle of doing something."

Elladan tugged his shirt over his head, the material catching an embarrassed laugh, "Like writing, I mean! Or watching tv. Fuck, that sounded suspicious when I said it!"

Impatiently, Elladan twisted his long,long braid up against the nape of his neck, stabbing a pencil through the knot to keep it in place. "Ugh, I don't mind wet hair, but I don't want it dripping all down the back of my dry shirt."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 9:10:00 AMEdited 4/20/2020, 9:12:16 AM

He had never in his life seen anyone use a pen to keep their hair up, so he was both caught off guard and amused. But he was quick to focus on the embarrassed laugh and the words Elladan had spoken and come on, how could he really resist teasing the other a bit?

"Well... The professor did say we could focus on a certain part of the body if we wished," he drawled out with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

eloquated4/20/2020, 9:24:06 AM

"I'm not sure I have the skills to make that look good!" He grinned, catching Kili's eye in the reflection in the dark window. "But don't let me stop you from living your best centrefold life!"

Cinching the pants around his waist, Elladan gathered up his discarded clothes and made sure to clean out his pockets, before nodding towards the door, "Laundry. Coffee. Then you can figure out what parts of you you want 10 feet tall in front of the class."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 9:34:19 AM

Kili gasped in mock shock, placing a hand above his heart. "Are you saying it's ugly? That's rude, you haven't even seen it!"

He gathered his wet clothes and mirrored Elladan's actions of checking the pockets before telling the other to lead the way to the laundry room. "What about you? Do you have a preference you wish to see of yourself?"

eloquated4/20/2020, 9:37:37 AM

Elladan made a show of rolling his grey eyes, smirking as he blew a few loose strands of wet black hair from his eyes, "I'm not exactly the cock connoisseur, I'll take your word for it!"

Though not for a lack of interest! (Not that he was thinking about that, because sweat pants hid no manner of sins.)

"I don't know. I'm happy letting you choose- you've got more experience photographing me!"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 9:41:54 AM

"That was one time," Kili muttered embarrassed, resisting the urge to hide his face against the wet clothes as he followed Elladan across the apartment. Of course he had several ideas how he could photograph the other, but he had wanted to check first if Elladan had had any preferences.

"You do know that this project will just boost the rumors further, right?" He asked concerned. "Are you sure you're alright with that? I mean.... People thinking you're gay and all?"

eloquated4/20/2020, 9:47:40 AM

"I was thinking about that, yeah. I was going to ask you the same." Elladan mused as he lead the way back down to the main living area. They didn't have a surplus of space, but there was a small storage area off the kitchen that they'd (very narrowly!) managed to wriggle an upright washer and dryer into.

Anything was better than trekking up and down nine flights of stairs to the basement!

"But personally? I don't care. They're not the first people to assume I'm gay, and I doubt they'll be the last. And I'm not going to throw an assignment just because some neanderthal assholes think being gay is a problem."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 9:52:14 AM

Relief washed over Kili at the words, and he nodded in agreement. At least it was a relief to know that Elladan wasn't against gay people, so even if the other found out he hopefully would not be completely disgusted.

"I agree. If some people's largest problem in life is that someone else is gay, they really need to set their priorities right," Kili said as he pushed his clothes in the dryer and wiped his hands absently on the sweatpants to get rid of the excess moisture.

"they're just jealous I got the best model in the class for myself."

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:04:28 AM

Elladan caught the look of relief on Kili's face-- did he not realize he'd outed himself earlier? The thought made him smile, lopsided and boyish, and he shook his head, "If I had a problem with gay people, I wouldn't still be hanging around you, right? And I definitely wouldn't be giving you carte blanche to photograph me!"

He tossed the clothes into the wash and added a couple of rubbery packets of detergent with a dramatic little flourish, before starting the machine. "I'm pretty sure nobody in the class would agree with that statement, me included! But... er... Well, when the professor told us about the assignment, I was hoping you wouldn't mind working with me."

Elladan shrugged sheepishly and scuttled around Kili to start a cup of coffee, mostly for something to occupy his hands (and to stave off a bit more of the lingering cold!) "Want something? All the pod..things.. are up in that cupboard."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 10:08:56 AM

Confusion was written all over Kili's face for a moment at Elladan's words, as the other made it sound like he knew that-

A sudden flicker of a memory surfaced, of him jumping into the puddle and cursing the god for punishing him for being gay and all color escaped Kili's face. Had he really said that? Had he really just blurted it out and not even fucking realise it?

Oh God was really, really against him today.

"You don't happen to have just straight up poison, do you?" He wailed covering his face with his hands. He wasn't ashamed of who he was, but he hadn't counted on his brains being so fucking stupid he just outed himself like that.

"I can't believe I just- oh my fucking god..."

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:10:57 AM

Maybe it wasn't polite, but Elladan burst out laughing at the look on Kili's face, tears springing to the corners of his eyes. "You did, yeah! I figured you were just really comfortably out!" He gasped between giggles, leaning back against the counter with the head rush of amusement.

"And definitely no poison, no! It's fine, really it is. At least now you don't have to worry about tell me, right? It's just out there!"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 10:14:21 AM

"Oh my god," Kili whined quietly, his face positively burning as he finally looked up at Elladan. Well, at least his new friend was completely alright with it and seemed amused by the entire situation.

At least one of them was having fun.

"Glad you're enjoying my embarrassment so much you dick," he groaned closing his eyes and resting his weight against the same counter Elladan rested on. "Any chance you'll just forget it ever happened?"

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:18:15 AM

Even flustered, embarrassed and red as a beet, Kili was unfairly gorgeous. Elladan's stomach swooped when he slumped against the counter beside him, and fuck that just kept happening around him! It was like being in middle school all over again, hopelessly crushing on the cute person across the class. Same butterflies.

"You'd laugh if I was the one carrying on!" Staving off another attack of the giggles, he elbowed Kili's arm playfully, "Between this, and the photo in class, I don't think I'm ever going to forget you. So nope, no chance. You're just going to have to accept that this is the way things are!"

"It's really not that bad, though." He added, dabbing his eyes with the end of his sleeve, "I guess you're not officially out?"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 10:20:30 AM

Kili's whine was high-pitched and pitiful, but a smile was already curling back on his lips as he glanced at Elladan. The wide smile looked really good on him and to be honest, he didn't mind making an idiot out of himself if it meant it would make Elladan laugh that way.

"Not officially, no. My brother knows but that's it," he admitted. "And the only reason he knows is because he caught me staring at other men more than females."

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:25:15 AM

"I'm not going to tell anyone." He promised, voice still light and breathy with laughter. "Really, I won't. But I'm pretty sure people are going to figure it out, unless you make me look really bad for this assignment."

Which was an option, if Kili was actually worried about people suspecting there was more than just a brief rumour between them.

"And Ro isn't going to care, either! He spends most of his free time making googly eyes that this guy in one of his classes, Haldir."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 10:26:46 AM

Kili's eyes widened at the words, and he straightened up surprised. "Is your brother alright with you just outing him like that?" he asked worriedly, drawing his lower lip between his teeth.

He knew that if Fili was telling his secret like that to someone he didn't know, he'd be more than pissed.

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:31:34 AM

Elladan grinned, a little part of him (small, tiny really! Minuscule!) melting at Kili trying to defend his own twin from him. "He won't care, no. We were at this event thing last year, and someone with a camera-"

Well, it had been an industry event, cameras had been everywhere.

"Caught him and some guy flirting. It was pretty obvious. But they posted the video online, hoping they could use it to get attention." Elladan shrugged faintly, papering over just how stressful that had been at the time. "He decided after that to just own it, rather than deny it."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 10:33:52 AM

"Oh that sucks," Kili winced at the thought. "Like someone choosing to out you for you is not cool, especially not like that. I'm glad he turned it into something positive though," he continued as he reached on top of the cupboard and pulled out a random capsule.

The taste didn't matter to be honest, as long as the drink was warm.

"I suppose it also explains how you're so chill with this entire thing, so in a way I lucked out," Kili chuckled.

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:39:18 AM

"Yeah, he was pissed at the time, but it all worked out for the best." Taking the pod, Elladan shuffled around the kitchen to make stuff for them both, since his fingers and toes were still cold, and the crawling goosebumps chill hadn't left.

Outside, the rain seemed to be attempting to wash the whole city off the map, and Elladan shivered at the next peal of thunder. "I'm so glad you agreed to come back here to work, it'd suck to be out there right now." His hand hovered over the coffee machine for a moment, slender fingers poised over the buttons before selecting the one he wanted with a tap.

"It just doesn't feel like something to get upset over! It's not like your dating effects me." You only wish it did. "How'd your brother take it?"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 10:42:08 AM

"He was super chill about it," Kili smiled at the memory, crossing his arms across his chest. "I was at the worst teenage phase by then, so of course I thought that him finding out was the worst thing in the world. I feared he'd be disgusted, or hate me. Damn near had a panic attack."

He chuckled with a shake of his head, damp hair falling in front of his eyes."He reassured me that it was alright, and that he had had his own suspicions for a while now and that no matter what, I'd still be his little brother."

A soft laugh escaped his lips.

"Of course the teasing began after I had calmed down."

eloquated4/20/2020, 10:52:30 AM

"Teasing your brother is a time honored tradition! You'd probably be more weirded out if he hadn't." Elladan pointed out over his shoulder, "But you know I'm trying to picture you as a teenager now, right?"

With a hiss and a trickle of steam, the machine punched out a piping hot drink, and he slid it over to Kili, "Milk and whatever is in the fridge, if you want."

They did need to start on their project, but Elladan was enjoying himself too much to worry about it. At first sight Kili had been disarmingly handsome, but the more he got to know him, the more he wanted to know. What he was like, and what made him tick, and why his laughter was such a contagious thing!

"Your brother sounds pretty awesome."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 11:00:58 AM

"He is," Kili smiled accepting the warm cup and just held it between his cold fingers, enjoying the warmth with a soft sigh and a content smile. "He took me in after our parents passed away. Without him, I would have ended up in childcare or something equally horrifying so I basically owe him my life," he said fondly.

eloquated4/20/2020, 11:05:28 AM

Elladan couldn't imagine a world without his father in it. He was too much a fixture, this unmoving rock at the centre of their family. "I'm sorry." He said after a pause, flashing Kili a half smile, "But yeah, definitely awesome, then. Did you tell him about the whole thing with the photo in class?"

Yes, it was a change of subject. And not even a particularly subtle one! But it was already dark, wet and gross outside... Better not to focus on the dark things they could drum up inside as well.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 11:07:04 AM

"Hell no!" Kili exclaimed immediately with a bright laugh, taking a careful sip of the hot coffee. The taste was definitely richer than any other coffee he had drank and he hummed contently.

"You're already keeping that over my head, if he knew, he'd never let me live it down either!"

eloquated4/20/2020, 11:11:11 AM

"I claim the right to hold it over your head, since it was me in the picture! And my head blown up in front of the class!" Padding over to the L shaped sofa, Elladan hopped over the edge and draped himself into the corner, sinking into the familiar spot.

"Ro found out before I got to tell him. One of our neanderthal classmates decided to hassle him about it. So I got the whole brotherly lecture about posing for risque photos for strange men!" He grinned against the edge of his cup, "So I had to set him straight."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 12:41:00 PM

"Well I suppose your brother already has a creepy impression of me," Kili laughed as he joined Elladan on the couch, sinking into the soft cushions. It felt like sitting on a cloud after the cold and rain and he couldn't help the satisfied sound that slipped from his lips.

"I know we're supposed to be working but we have all weekend, right? We could do all the thinking today and leave rest to tomorrow. I'm too comfortable to move anytime soon."

eloquated4/20/2020, 12:48:42 PM

"Don't worry about, we both have to tell our brothers "yeah, we met through a lens". No way that's not going to seem weird." Elladan countered, his eyes dropping closed for a lazily contented moment.

Yeah, this was much better than class. He'd been working his ass off for ages, he deserved a mental health day.

Setting his coffee on the table to cool a little, Elladan tugged the pencil out of his hair and started unwinding the long braid that flopped into his lap. "You could say we are working! We're in the same space, with each other. Looking for inspiration. I mean, we are supposed to be photographing each other."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 12:53:17 PM

"I mean you're right in a way," Kili chuckled, relaxing further on the couch now that he knew Elladan was agreeing with him about taking it easy. He eyed Elladan's hair curiously, resting his elbow against his knee.

"How can you stand such long hair? Doesn't it drive you insane? I'd imagine it gets tangled everywhere."

eloquated4/20/2020, 12:57:26 PM

Elladan looked up, his smile sliding into something almost bashful, "I guess it's just what I'm used to? My brother's is the same." He admitted, combing his fingers through the strands. It was ink black, and waved faintly from being wet and braided for the last several hours.

"And it does get in the way sometimes! It's why I don't wear it down much-- you ever tried sitting on your own hair? Not fun!" He laughed, the sound catching under his breath as he accidentally snagged a knot, "My mother liked it this way, so we never really cut it as kids. My sister chopped all hers' off a few years ago into this super cute pixie thing, and my grandmother just about had a heart attack."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 1:03:44 PM

Kili watched him for a moment mesmerised, the glide of the hair between Elladan's fingers almost hypnotising. He couldn't imagine a life with that kind of hair, when he was already losing his mind with his curls.

"Here, you missed a spot," Kili pointed out and reached out without thinking, his fingers taking care of the knot on the back of Elladan's hair. The texture of the hair was soft and he blinked surprised, slowly threading them between his fingers. "I don't think I've ever felt soft hair like this before."

eloquated4/20/2020, 1:07:47 PM

It wasn't that people didn't touch his hair-- Elrohir did, and occasionally they ran across people in the street that seemed to think it was alright to just come up and pull his braid to see if it was real.

But those people weren't Kili. Someone he was already distractedly attracted to, and intensely aware of, like he could feel every inch of the space between them on the couch.

Elladan was already on edge when Kili unexpectedly combed his fingers through his hair, and the resulting gasp was humiliatingly loud in the quiet living room. His eyes dropped half closed for a moment as bright, tingling sensation zipped across his scalp and down the back of his neck, catching him entirely off guard.

"Oh?" He gulped the word, and gave himself a stern shake back to reality, cheeks blazing.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 1:14:35 PM

"Yeah, it's like silk," Kili smiled, combing through Elladan's hair slowly, catching the tiny knots that hit his fingers. "It must be hard to take care of it daily. I mean, I thought my curls were tough but christ," he continued, and it was if his brains suddenly caught up with what he was doing and he froze in place.

His eyes were wide and he gaped at Elladan, the blush slowly rising up his cheeks. He didn't dare to move his hand away, didn't dare to move an inch. Even if Elladan had said that he was alright with him being who he was, this had to cross some borders.

"I'm.. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

eloquated4/20/2020, 1:19:49 PM

"Mmhmm..." Elladan's voice drifted as he unconsciously leaned into the slow path of Kili's fingers. There was no part of him that wanted to pull away, not when he was close, and every combing pass made Elladan's skin feel alive.

Half lidded grey eyes slowly began to close, and Elladan was fairly sure one of them needed to pull away-- but it wasn't going to be him and--

Both of them were blushing hotly when reality snapped back into place, and even the peal of thunder outside made the apartment vibrate-- like the world had returned with a bump.

"No- no- it's--" He started to protest, one corner of his mouth jumping self consciously, "Don't apologize."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 1:25:12 PM

"I just..." he trailed off into silence, his fingers twitching slightly in Elladan's hair before he carefully began to comb through them again.

"I suppose I could repay your kindness by helping you care for your hair?" he offered, and even in his own mind the excuse sounded clumsy as fuck.

eloquated4/20/2020, 1:29:06 PM

It was the most transparent of excuses, and he was sure they both knew it. But he wanted this closeness, and it was all the excuse he needed to keep it. Elladan felt like his heart was going to burst with nerves when he shifted a little, half turning his back to Kili.

"Yeah..." He breathed, grateful their new position hid the worst of his burning cheeks, "Sounds like a fair trade.. And you're supposed to be figuring out what to photograph anyway.. It's as good a place as any to start."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 1:34:16 PM

"Yeah, it's only logical," he grasped at the excuse immediately, his heart hammering in his chest as he began to rake through Elladan's hair with more sure fingers.

The other had to see through his weak excuse, and yet still had agreed into this. He tried not to read too much into it.

The silence around them shifted from embarrassment to comfort slowly and Kili began to relax as he pulled Elladan's hair back and if his fingers happened to grace Elladan's ear on the progress well... That wasn't his fault.

eloquated4/20/2020, 1:43:36 PMEdited 4/20/2020, 1:43:46 PM

Unlike his twin who was infinitely more brave in love, Elladan hadn't been this close to many people before. His stomach tugged hotly as Kili's fingers combed through his hair, working out the tiny knots and snarls with little sparks of pleasant pain.

When he grazed over his ear, Kili could almost see the shiver that slid down Elladan's spine, and the tension that tightened across his shoulders for an instant. "Mmhmm..." He murmured, finally letting his eyes drop properly closed.

"Logical... I think.." Elladan paused, drawing a slow breath, and exhaling with a murmur of bliss, "I want one of your curls. A picture, I mean... All mussed up like the first time I saw you..."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 1:47:10 PM

Kili swallowed at the words, thankful that Elladan could not see how his entire face lit up with the strength of a blush. He hadn't been aware just how much attention Elladan had paid him when they had met but the answer seemed to be 'more than he thought'.

"It's usually very messy in the mornings after I wake up," he replied softly, starting a small braid with a part of Elladan's hair. "So we'd have to meet up early if you want that."

eloquated4/20/2020, 1:51:34 PM

Out of habit, Elladan tilted his head back a little when he felt Kili start plaiting a small section of his hair. It was intensely surreal, and he could feel the way the couch shifted whenever Kili moved-- and it would be so easy, so impossibly easy, to just lean into his space, back to chest, and --

And what? Is he waiting for a signed invitation? Are you?

"Or I could just find a way to mess you up now." He murmured, tongue flicking out to moisten his suddenly dry lips, "Or both..."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 1:55:37 PM

His heart leaped at the words and the braid slipped from his fingers, and the way his stomach swooped almost made him feel sick but in a good way. Surely Elladan didn't mean what he thought he meant. There was no way.

Christ, Elladan was going to be the death of him.

"Mess me up?" he repeated, his voice a tad deeper, a tad shakier with nerves as he reached back to Elladan's hair and picked up the half done braid with a deep breath.

"And how were you going to do that?"

eloquated4/20/2020, 2:00:16 PM

Did he mean that the way it sounded? Sure, there was a chance that Kili might like him, it was possible, even if it didn't feel plausible-- but what if he did? Elladan's quick exhale stuttered across his lips as he shifted, drawing one knee up onto the couch and wrapping his arms around it loosely.

"Yeah.." He confirmed, not sure if Kili had even the faintest idea what that low, unsteady voice was doing to his insides. "I guess that depends.. on what sort of messed up I'm .. er... How you'd let me. I don't want to..."

Yes, apparently he was waiting for an invitation. Signed in fucking triplicate by eight noble witnesses.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 2:04:16 PM

Fuck.

Kili exhaled shakily, but couldn't help the smile that spread on his lips at the stuttered explanation. It helped to know he wasn't the only one nervous and now there was the possibility that Elladan felt something for him. Whatever it was, he would take it. Even if there was the risk it would only be a taste.

He pulled the hair back slowly, exposing Elladan's ear before he leaned close until his chest was pressed up against the other's back and his warm breath ghosted over Elladan's ear.

"Give me your best shot."

eloquated4/20/2020, 2:12:10 PM

Elladan was fairly sure his stomach had flipped around entirely, the tension pushing all the air from his lungs in a lightheaded rush. His eyes widened in surprise when Kili finally closed the space between them-- finally finally.

"Fuck..." He murmured, sinking back against Kili's chest. He could feel the warmth radiating between them, hot with nervously quickened blood. "Pretty sure that's my cue to turn around and kiss you."

Slowly Elladan twisted, his shoulder shifting across Kili's chest as he half turned to look at him. Colour flushed high on his cheeks, and his lower lip caught against his teeth, "Unless you'd like to tell me not to?"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 2:16:57 PM

Christ, Elladan was truly gorgeous wasn't he? The grey in his eyes only seemed more intense combined with the red of his cheeks and Kili found himself captivated as he tug lightly on the other's hair.

"I think I'll be very disappointed if you don't," he murmured roughly, the words thick on his tongue, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest.

"If you think you can mess me up, you have to prove it," he challenged with a crooked grin.

eloquated4/20/2020, 2:22:34 PM

How could he ignore a challenge like that?

This close, Elladan felt like he was drowning in Kili, his whole world eclipsed by dark eyes and thick curls that just begged for him to comb his fingers through them. "Me too."

There was nothing he could do to stop the subtle tremor of nerves when he reached up to do just that, slender fingers carding through his hair and curling through the lush strands.

Closing the last few inches, Elladan curiously brushed his mouth across Kili's, soft and experimental, and making his lips tingle. It was just supposed to be one, but two was better.. three was better... five wasn't enough...

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 2:27:47 PM

The first brush of lips against his own stole all the air from his lungs, and he couldn't stop his body from beginning to tremble as Elladan's fingers curled through his hair and held him close. No kiss before had felt like this; experimental, pure, electrifying.

He couldn't get enough of it.

His hand slid down to rest on the side of Elladan's neck and he leaned closer with a soft sound, his eyelids fluttering close as he returned the kisses, each one growing in length.

eloquated4/20/2020, 2:35:02 PM

It felt like Elladan had been waiting forever for this, suffocating and breath held with nerves-- and finally there was air again, shared in the space between them. If he had any doubts that Kili had felt the same shock of chemistry between them, he didn't anymore.

Between kisses he twisted around properly, one hand finding home on Kili's chest, fingers splayed to feel the racing beat of his heart under his palm, and the other tangling in his dark curls.

This is what a kiss is supposed to be.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 2:40:39 PM

It was easy to let Elladan's weight push him down on the couch and he immediately placed his other hand on Elladan's lower back to hold him close. The weight of the other felt heavenly and grounding at the same time and Kili couldn't get enough of it as he chased Elladan's lips with his own. His other hand still rested in Elladan's hair and he exhaled shakily through his nose, craning his neck to nudge his nose against Elladan's own.

He was getting drunk on the taste, and knew he could never let a Elladan go again. He could not go long without having another taste, hesitantly brushing his tongue over Elladan's lower lip; a silent ask for permission.

eloquated4/20/2020, 2:48:30 PM

The tiny, still nervous part of Elladan was waiting for it to turn awkward; for them not to fit together, for Kili too pull away, for the couch to be too narrow for two grown men.

What happened instead was their bodies slotting together, sinking into the soft cushions. It was the anchor of Kili's warm hand slotted onto the dip at the small of his back with a steady pressure that made Elladan's head spin and his stomach tense.

Deepening the kiss felt like the most natural thing in the world, Elladan's lips parting and welcoming, curved up at the edges where even kisses couldn't stop him from smiling.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 2:51:22 PM

This was really happening.

It wasn't a joke or a test, neither one of them were pulling away with an awkward laugh.

Instead the kiss deepened further as he allowed his tongue to slip past Elladan's lips, a small groan mixing into their kiss as he mapped the others mouth with small flicks.

All he could taste, feel and smell was Elladan and the heaven outside could come crashing down and he'd be none the wiser.

eloquated4/20/2020, 2:55:44 PM

The world hadn't ended. The kiss hadn't broken the tension into awkward shuffling, unable to meet the other's eyes. Instead, it felt like it had ignited the thing between them, and Elladan was breathless and drowning in it.

Shifting his weight, he slotted his free arm over Kili's shoulder and dipped his head, brushing kisses down the side of his neck. "M' not crushing you, am I?" He murmured against his pulse, and paused just long enough to let him answer.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 2:58:47 PM

"Fuck no," Kili gasped tilting his head to the side, his skin breaking into goosebumps as his grip of Elladan's hair tightened. It felt as if Elladan's lips were leaving a trail of fire over his skin and he yearned for more, looking up at the other with darkened eyes.

"Keep doing that?" he requested voice breaking a bit, his cheeks flushed heavily as he ran his other hand up and down Elladan's back.

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:07:36 PM

Elladan had never thought of himself as an aural person before, but the sound of Kili's voice sparked in his brain. He smothered a shallow gasp against his neck, hidden by kisses-- he wanted to make him sound like that, more and forever, and just like that.

"Kili..." He breathed his name like a precious thing, back arching under his hands. The hem of his sweater was loose, bunching up in Kili's hands as they moved, and Elladan could feel the cool draft on his skin. "Fuck.."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:12:16 PM

The smart thing to do would be to stop before they got too carried away, perhaps discuss a bit about what they wanted but god knew he could not pull himself away from Elladan. Not when the other whispered his name like that, pressing more kisses over his skin, moving his body like that.

His fingers graced over Elladan's skin on his back and he took a moment to trace mindless symbols over it, feeling the skin heat up under his touch. He nuzzled his nose against the side of Elladan's face, releasing breathless sounds and pressing small kisses on the smooth skin.

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:16:39 PM

He'd never guessed that one kiss could be so intoxicating, that it could make the whole world outside of the two of them vanish. It was the kind of thing that only happened in movies and books, and Elladan was completely caught up in Kili.

The long curtain of his black hair fell around them when he mapped his way back to his mouth, wordlessly melting under the warm, nuzzling affection. They should move... should talk... just another minute, one more minute, one more kiss, they could wait that long.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:19:49 PM

"Fuck," Kili breathed out roughly against Elladan's lips, brushing his own against them once, twice, three times. He rested his hand palm down over Elladan's back, holding him closer, refusing to let go.

"You're going to be the end of me," he murmured, trailing the soft kisses down Elladan's throat, tasting the salt of his skin.

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:24:09 PM

"Yeah? Makes two of us.. I've been thinking that all day.." Elladan laughed faintly, just a huff of breath between kissed. The weight of his hand on his back, the pressure and warmth, was absolutely electric, and Elladan couldnt imagine wanting to be anywhere else.

His eyes dropped closed with a soft, hitching moan, and he tilted his head to bare his throat. "I was so sure you didn't... you wouldn't..."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:26:41 PM

"I'd have to be both blind and stupid not to," Kili replied against Elladan's skin, trailing the kisses down his throat and allowing his teeth to lightly graze against him.

"I thought you didn't... Thought I had no chance with you," he added, pressing the flat of his tongue over Elladan's racing pulse.

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:29:22 PM

The damp heat jerked a whimper from his lips that would have been embarrassing under any other circumstances. But with Kili's voice reverberating in his ears, he barely noticed.

"And here.. you thought I was going to hit you.." He managed a breathy laugh, his fingers tangling in Kili's hair to pull him closer, "And I was so... so distracted by you being... just gorgeous.."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:31:23 PM

"Looks like I'm going to be making a mess out of you instead," Kili teased with a breathy chuckle, the grip Elladan had of his hair pulling a pleased sound from the back of his throat.

Careful nips and licks turned into more daring bites and light sucks over Elladan's neck, the scent of the other making his head spin.

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:34:41 PM

He was so pale that his skin reddened easily, leaving a map of where Kili's mouth had been. He was going to have marks to hide later, and the idea of it made his stomach swoop, heat spilling through his veins.

"Think it's... it's pretty mutual." He countered, not entirely sure how he could keep talking when it felt like all his blood was rushing away from his brain. "But.. God... you can try."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:37:09 PM

The way Elladan sounded like when breaking apart was addicting and gorgeous and God he wanted to keep hearing it until the day he died. He wanted to feel him writhe, to hear him gasp and whimper out in pleasure.

Never one to back away from a challenge, Kili trailed his lips down on the spot between Elladan's neck and shoulder and actually bit down, sucking a proper hickey on the pale skin.

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:45:04 PM

"Ki-ii!" Elladan's voice properly broke with surprise, crackling up with a gasp on the second syllable of Kili's name. Nobody had ever had the guts to bite him before, and Elladan's brain shorted out for an instant at the sharp burn of pleasure-pain. Heat pooled under his skin like a brand, reddening to mark the spot.

Elladan's fingers twisted instinctively in his curls, the thick, soft mass of them completely disordered and mussed. "And how--" He swallowed, trying to school his breathing into something normal with a laugh, "Am I going to hide that?"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:48:09 PM

Kili groaned as Elladan tugged at his curls again, his scalp burning and tingling in a pleasant way that shot heat straight down his spine. He could not stop himself from giggling and grinning from the other, clearly pleased at the reaction he had pulled out.

"Why do you think I made it here?" Kili asked cheekily, nuzzling the already purple mark with his nose. "You'll be fine with a hoodie or something else you can zip up."

eloquated4/20/2020, 3:53:15 PM

Laughter helped smooth the raw, rushing edges of new passion, and Elladan dissolved into giggles right along with Kili. It was a bubbling, effervescent feeling, like he'd never be able to stop smiling.

"It's a 'property of Kili' mark!" He gasped between laughs, rubbing his cheek against Kili's adoringly. In truth, he didn't care about covering it, not really; it was like a warm, faintly aching reminder of today. Proof that this had really happened.

"Are you sure I'm not squishing you?" He added, already wriggling a little to the side, just in case Kili didn't actually want his gangly self draped over his chest.

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 3:56:57 PM

"Ah don't-!"

Kili grabbed a tight hold of Elladan to stop him from wriggling, his face absolutely burning with humiliation as he avoided the other's eyes. It felt as if every nerve in his body was on fire, and he was painfully aware of just where most of his blood had rushed into and how close Elladan was to being directly over it.

"Look, you can't just make out with me and think it didn't effect me so please don't wriggle," he rushed to say, hiding his face against Elladan's shoulder.

eloquated4/20/2020, 4:01:27 PM

Elladan stopped short, his eyebrows jumping with obvious concern. Had he-- oh. OH. He wasn't sure if it was the way Kili had just grabbed him, tight and secure and oh fuck, he was in such trouble because he was never going to be able to let go of him.

-- Or if it was the revelation of why he' grabbed him-- That made his cheeks redden hotly.

"Sorry... Oops?" Elladan grinned, his thumb gently rubbing small circles just behind Kili's ear. "It's... If it's any consolation, it's really not just you. I just have the benefit of being able to... um, hide it easier." He admitted, trying to equalize the embarrassment a little!

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 4:04:30 PM

He really couldn't stop himself from giggling at the predicament they were in. The giggle turned into a chuckle which then turned itno laughter, his voice muffled against Elladan's shoulder for a brief moment before he allowed himself to relax and flop his head back down on the cushions.

His eyes were dark yet bright and twinkling, lips swollen and hair mussed up and in a single word he just looked completely debauched.

"What a situation we're in, huh?"

eloquated4/20/2020, 4:13:20 PM

They were both warm and flushed, and when Elladan looked down at Kili, he couldn't entirely believe that he'd been the cause of that incredible smile. It was more than just the physical pleasure of being close to him, it was just... Kili. That smile, and the way he laughed, and the was Elladan felt lightheaded and completely besotted.

He was sure it was painted all over his face when he leaned down to steal a kiss, tasting the laughter between them.

"Situation: messed. You, Kili, are completely mussed up. Just like I promised." He beamed down at him, and carefully relocated himself into the narrow gap between Kili and the back of the couch. Gently he brushed his fingers across the disheveled curls and down his warm cheek, tracing his fingertips across the swollen redness of his mouth.

"I haven't woke up yet, so I'm starting to think I'm not imagining this."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 4:17:06 PM

"I'd say we're both rather mussed up and you look amazing like that," he smiled leaning into the gentle caress of the finger.

Kili hummed in response to the other's words, lips twitching into a warm smile. "This is all real, I promise," he mumbled against Elladan's finger and he couldn't resist the temptation to curl his tongue around the tip of the finger, winking cheekily at the other.

eloquated4/20/2020, 4:19:34 PM

Elladan ducked his head against Kili's shoulder to muffle a laugh, his hand dropping it settle against the other side of his neck. "This isn't what I was thinking when I invited you over today." He admitted, the smile audible in his voice.

"But I definitely hoped. Especially after you accidentally told me you weren't straight! Up until then, I kept telling myself it was a bad, bad idea to crush on straight guys... I'm so glad I was wrong."

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 4:21:16 PM

"God I still can't believe I did that!" Kili laughed curling his arm around Elladan and pulling him close until they rested properly side by side.

"I was thinking the same thing though. How crushing on a straight guy was a fucking bad idea and would only hurt. Then I had a mild freak out over falling for you so fast."

eloquated4/20/2020, 4:24:39 PM

And that was it, the admission that Elladan hadn't realized he was waiting for. Kili could feel the roll of tension that ran down his body, followed by a breath of shaky laughter. "Is that what it is, then?" He asked, curling tight against Kili's side.

His hand settled over his heart, feeling the beat of it as it raced under his ribs. Elladan was sure he was doing the same. "Falling for me?"

Mikilieth4/20/2020, 4:28:33 PM

"I'm like... 98% sure I am," Kili admitted nervously, his fingers massaging between Elladan's shoulder blades. The fear that this entire situation could still turn upside down made his stomach flip in a very unpleasant way, as if he was going to be sick.

"I mean... I don't go around kissing just everyone you know."

eloquated4/20/2020, 4:31:30 PM

"Neither do I!" The words escaped in a a rush, and Elladan tilted his head and arched forward to nuzzle a kiss under Kili's jaw. "I keep telling myself how could I be falling for you? We only just met!"

He kissed him again, and Kili could feel the way the muscles between his shoulders had begun to relax, loosened by the admission and his touch. "But I am. I just didn't want to assume that you felt the same."

Mikilieth4/22/2020, 3:26:15 PM

"I think I started to fall for you the moment I snapped the first picture," Kili admitted absently, rubbing his thumb between Elladan's shoulder blades.

"I didn't even realise I was taking the picture until I heard the sound of the shutter. It was so loud!"

eloquated4/22/2020, 3:31:51 PM

Slowly Elladan melted into Kili's side, the tension that always lingered between his shoulders (hours spent in a lecture hall, and more still editing videos at a computer would do that!) unraveling under his fingers.

"I was so sure I'd heard someone, but you didn't say anything!" He turned his head to half smother a laugh against Kili's shoulder, "I thought you were either a serial killer hiding a body, or a figment of my imagination. Right up until I saw my own face on the overhead!"

Mikilieth4/22/2020, 3:33:48 PM

"I did kind of run away as soon as I realised what I had done," Kili laughed holding Elladan closer, the warmth of the other's breath on his shoulder sending pleasant shivers through his body.

"But I'm glad you ended up being in my class. Otherwise this wouldn't have happened."

eloquated4/22/2020, 3:36:37 PM

Elladan wouldn't have thought the couch was big enough for both of them to lie side by side, but apparently it was perfectly snug if they were slotted in tightly together. Shifting a little, Elladan curled one long leg over Kili's, his head pillowed more comfortably on his chest.

"I can't believe you ran away." He grinned, playfully poking his side, "I bet you thought you'd gotten away with it, too! But.. I'm glad, too. I was glad about 30 seconds after I said hello to you."

Mikilieth4/22/2020, 3:44:26 PM

"I did!" Kili laughed shaking his head a bit before tipping it back. "I thought I had gotten really lucky to catch someone so beautiful in the forest, and that I got to capture them on the camera."

He grinned, pressing a soft kiss on Elladan's forehead. "Obviously, I'm more content with this outcome. If you're willing.... I'd like to see where this goes."

eloquated4/22/2020, 3:48:00 PMEdited 4/22/2020, 3:49:11 PM

They'd both been frozen through them they got to the apartment, but now? Elladan felt utterly snug, his wrong body warmed through. "Guess it makes for a good story. Not sure how you're going to spin it to your brother, though!"

Every little kiss, every pass of his hands, made Elladan feel light and effervescent, like he was filled with happy fizz. "If I'm willing?" He exclaimed, half smothering a giggle, "Kili, I'm trying to figure out how I'm supposed to let you leave tonight! Of course I'm willing, 110,000 percent sure!"

Mikilieth4/22/2020, 3:54:44 PM

"Unfortunately I can't stay the night, I'm already in too much trouble for skipping the last class," he laughed only to sober up almost instantly with a sheepish grin.

"I might have had a class today but skipping it to be with you was more tempting."

eloquated4/22/2020, 3:57:58 PM

Elladan flushed hotly-- because that hadn't been the way he'd meant it, not entirely, but it certainly was tempting. Rushed, but tempting! "We both missed class this afternoon, but it's not the end of the world. I mean,..." He tilted his face up to flash Kili an innocent smile, "It's sort of like an anatomy study.'

"And it's a lot more interesting than my media studies class. I've about had enough of debating psychological horror and gore."

Mikilieth4/23/2020, 11:26:26 AM

"Anatomy study?" Kili repeated amused, staring at the ceiling with a wide smile. "That sounds like the lamest pickup line of all time," he said with a chuckle, nearly falling off the couch as his phone started to ring in his pocket.

He fumbled to pull it out, grimacing at the screen and mouthed a silent 'busted' before holding it up against his ear.

"Hi bro, what's up?"

He just hoped he didn't sound as breathless as he felt, trying not to giggle like he had been caught well.... Technically he was.

eloquated4/23/2020, 11:30:16 AMEdited 4/23/2020, 11:32:26 AM

Elladan pulled a face when Kili's phone rang, and he had to bite his tongue to stifle a giggle of his own. "Oops..." He whispered under his breath, before lapsing silent, his head still tucked against Kili's shoulder.

"So you're not dead. That's a good start. And your phone does work. So I have to wonder..." Fili's voice on the other end of the line was flat and dry, a sardonic pseudo amusement threaded through every syllable, "Why you're two hours late getting here."

Not that he was worried. Definitely not. Because it wasn't as though his brother had a habit of falling ill. It wasn't as though it was raining like God's own wrath outside. "I was starting to think you'd drowned."

Mikilieth4/23/2020, 11:43:20 AM

"I could have drowned, I mean it was pretty close," Kili replied grinning, resting his elbow against his knee as he tapped his thigh absently. "I got completely soaked but luckily my photography partner lived close by, so he offered we'd get dry and discuss our project for the school. I lost the track of time and forgot to call, sorry."

He didn't like to make Fili worry, but it wasn't his fault he had gotten distracted.

"I'll be home as soon as my clothes come out of the dryer."

eloquated4/23/2020, 11:48:45 AM

Right, laundry! With a cheeky smile, Elladan brushed a kiss under Kili's ear and extracted himself reluctantly from their warm tangle on the couch. Outside the rain seemed to have picked up, lashing against the window with a renewed determination to scrub the city right off the map.

Fili's sigh was audible, and more relieved than he wanted to admit. He'd never expected this to be his life-- but he'd already lost his mother, and he'd be damned if he lost his brother, too. Taking Kili in had been, in his eyes, the only option. But God, he made him worry sometimes!

"You've got a head full of rocks." He muttered, leaning against the wall of his shop. Another thing he hadn't expected... but it was a skill, and it paid the bills, even if it wasn't what he would have preferred to be doing! "You want me to come pick you up?"

Mikilieth4/23/2020, 11:52:12 AM

"That'd be awesome," Kili replied, tone full of graditute. "My bike is still at the school and I'd rather not walk or cycle back home."

He had been soaked to the bone for a long time and the chances his body would succumb to a flu was more than likely. There was a reason Kili usually didn't go out on rainy days, his immune system was wrecked.

"I'll send you the address via message, okay?"

eloquated4/23/2020, 11:56:30 AM

"Alright... text me when you're ready." Well, at least Fili knew his brother was going to get back home in one piece! Technically he knew Kili was a grown adult, that he could make his own choices, and it wasn't as though he had a curfew! But it wasn't like him to just vanish, and on a day like this, Fili's imagination had jumped to the worst conclusion.

Padding back from the laundry closet, the sound of the dryer thumping and rumbling in the background, Elladan dropped down onto the couch beside Kili and arched an eyebrow, "Everything alright?" He asked after a beat, reaching out for his hand.

Mikilieth4/23/2020, 11:59:00 AM

"Yeah, just my brother worrying," Kili smiled as he put his phone away and took Elladan's hand instead, running his thumb over his knuckles. "There's a reason storms like these makes him uncomfortable and with my immune system being a bit weaker than most it's just a recipe for him to fret."

He smiled a bit, pressing a light kiss on the back of Elladan's hand. "He'll pick me up after the clothes have dried."

eloquated4/23/2020, 12:02:19 PM

"I get it. The worrying, I mean-- I'm sort of surprised Ro hasn't called, too." He cracked a smile and sank back into the cushions. After a moment, Elladan swung his feet up onto the couch and stretched out beside Kili again, even though his heart jittered over a nervous is this too much? beat.

"Better than public transit, anyway. Your clothes should be done in.. like forty-five minutes?"

Mikilieth4/30/2020, 12:02:43 PM

"Pity that I need to leave so soon, but I really don't wish to worry Fili further," he said sinking his fingers through Elladan's hair, playing with the smooth strands. It felt amazing and unreal that he was allowed to touch now; to have the permission to map Elladan's skin with his fingers.

eloquated4/30/2020, 12:06:27 PM

Elladan had never really thought of his hair as a sensitive spot-- most of the time he didn't pay much attention to it at all, unless it was getting in the way!-- but Kili's fingers combing through the long strands, gently catching on the tiny knots, sent a wash of tingling energy flooding down his spine.

"You make it sound like I'm not going to see you later this weekend!" He laughed against Kili's shoulder, tilting his head to nuzzle a kiss under his ear, "We've still got this project due on Monday."

Mikilieth4/30/2020, 12:08:37 PM

"I know, but..." he trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassment over what he had almost admitted. This wasn't the time to go all mushy on someone he had just sort of started dating.

"You're right," Kili chuckled, allowing his head to tip back a bit at the sensation of a kiss being pressed under his ear. "Just have to remember not to brush me hair on the day you want my pictures so you can capture the floof."

eloquated4/30/2020, 12:13:44 PM

"But?" Embarrassing it might be, but Elladan was far too curious to ignore such a tempting opening!

Twisting onto his side, Elladan tucked his head more comfortably into the crook of Kili's shoulder, his breath warm on the side of his neck. "Tomorrow? You can come over here, or I can head over to yours, if you don't think your brother will mind. Ro won't care either way, he'll be working on his paintings."

Mikilieth4/30/2020, 12:16:04 PM

"Mh, Fili is most likely working at the garage, so either works for me," Kili said closing his eyes, the warm breath over his skin sending shivers down his spine. He could hear his own pulse in his ears, the fast racing of his heart making him feel overly sensitive.

"We could see which one of us is ready first, and then decide where to go?"

eloquated4/30/2020, 12:37:36 PM

Slowly, Elladan fanned his fingers out over Kili's chest, the pad of his thumb smoothing back and forth around his heart. With the rain lashing against the window he could fall asleep like this, he thought with a dopey smile. Just like this.

"Mmhmm... That sounds like a plan. I'm not usually a morning person, but if I get to see you?" Thankfully, his face was hidden along the side of Kili's neck! "I think I can make the effort."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 11:25:10 AM

"Awww, are you telling me I'm special?" Kili teased playfully, allowing his body to relax further into the cushions. He knew he had to get up soon and get his clothes but surely he could enjoy this moment for couple of more minutes before his brother would bite his head off.

That was one conversation he wasn't sure how to handle.

eloquated6/17/2020, 11:43:55 AM

"If you're not special, that says something about my taste in men!" Elladan grinned and gently flicked Kili's side, "So I guess that means you have to be special... By default, of course!"

"Is it stupid that you haven't even left yet, and I already know I'm going to miss you tonight?"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 11:45:15 AM

"It's not stupid," Kili sighed wrapping his arm tighter around Elladan. "I know I'll miss you too, but at least this time we have each other's numbers so we can keep texting late in the night and then regret it in the morning," he continued with a laugh.

eloquated6/17/2020, 11:56:45 AM

That sounded good... Really, really good. Nuzzling into the side of his neck, Elladan kissed the hollow under his ear, his lips distractedly trailing down to his collar. "And it's only a few hours. It's not like we have to see each other every waking moment!"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 12:01:59 PM

"Mmmh," Kili hummed in agreement, distracted by the soft lips pressing against his skin. It felt easy to let his head tip back, fingers sliding from Elladan's shoulder to rest against the back of his head, instead playing with the strands of hair.

"Some distance makes the heart fond or however that saying goes."

eloquated6/17/2020, 12:13:30 PM

"I'm not sure if you like this, or if you're going to fall asleep on me." He teased, finally propping himself on an elbow so he could gaze down at Kili. Long skeins of black hair fell around his face and pooled on Kili's chest, the trailing edges tickling around his collar.

"Maybe it does, but can't I have my fondness without the distance?"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 12:16:04 PM

"I like it," Kili laughed in response, opening his eyes to gaze at the taller man fondly. He brushed the hair with his fingers, twining one of the locks around his fingers before using that as a leverage to pull Elladan closer so he could press a light kiss on his lips.

"It's one night, we can make it. Besides, just think about how much fun we could have with messaging each other," he snickered.

eloquated6/17/2020, 12:19:39 PM

"One kiss and your mind slides right into the gutter!" And by the boyish grin, Elladan had been thinking something similar! He smiled against Kili's mouth, the whole world feeling so warm and good that he practically oozed contentment. "My spidey sense says that I'm going to have a lot of distracted nights in the near future... Strangely, I couldn't be happier about it!"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 12:23:05 PM

"Can you blame me?" Kili grinned sheepishly, his skin turning a shade redder. "I have the hottest guy of the school in my arms and I'm only a human. How could I not react to that?"

Plus he was a hormonal young adult, give him a break. His mind rested in the gutter so often he might as well make a home there. And now he had someone he wanted, someone who made him feel amazing and wanted in such a short time. It was hard to keep himself in control.

"Good, because I plan to be as distracting as possible."

eloquated6/17/2020, 12:50:14 PM

"Blame you? No. Enjoy making you blush? Definitely." Elladan was just leaning down to steal a kiss when their warm, happy little bubble was interrupted rudely by the jarring buzz of the dryer.

"Ugh, mood killer!" He groused, and kissed Kili anyway, quick and adoring, his mouth curved up in a smile, "Now that's distracting."

If it wasn't for the fact that Kili's brother was already worried, Elladan would have tried to find an excuse for him to stay... but he was worried. And probably waiting for Kili to call. "Worst. Timing. Ever."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 12:52:17 PM

"Blocked by a dryer," Kili laughed covering his face with one arm, blindly searching for his phone with the other. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, for surely he would have gotten distracted by Elladan and end up worrying his brother again.

While Elladan was picking the clothes, he texted his brother.

Got the clothes, ready for pickup in five.

eloquated6/17/2020, 1:04:04 PMEdited 6/17/2020, 1:04:15 PM

Elladan gathered the things out of the dryer, the fabric still piping hot as he carried it back to the living room in a haphazard armful, "Catch!" He grinned and tossed the toasty clothes at his... boyfriend?

It sounded strange.. but good-strange.

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 1:05:33 PM

Too slow to react, Kili got hit by the hot clothes and he laughed surprised. "Mmmh, all warm and toasty~" He hummed pleased, hugging the clothes close to his chest.

"Do you mind if I go change in your room?"

eloquated6/17/2020, 1:11:34 PM

"Go ahead, I'll just wait down here." Elladan waved him off and dropped onto the couch to wait.

Without Elladan there as a distraction, Kili could notice more about the room. There was the usual mess of odds and ends, as well as a handful of photos in scattered frames-- mostly what looked like family and friends--. A shiny gold Play button plaque was half hidden behind a precarious stack of books, and a little more camera equipment.

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 1:35:08 PM

Kili tried his best not to snoop around, but it was hard to miss the glint of gold in between the mess of books and what seemed to be parts of cameras. Absently tugging the shirt over his head, Kili crouched down to examine the weird shine more closely and could make out the words YouTube. Was it a project for YouTube? Or school?

He stood back up and struggled to get his jeans on, the warmth enveloping him like a hug and he smiled pleased before returning back to Elladan. "Thanks again for having me over. You really saved me."

eloquated6/17/2020, 1:38:54 PM

Elladan tossed his phone onto the coffee table when Kili returned, and padded over to drape his arms around his neck. "Don't thank me. Just don't change your mind about this, before tomorrow, ok?" He asked, his smile just a little rueful.

Maybe it was silly, because Kili obviously liked him.. but would it be the same when he got home and had time to think about it? Sure, having his picture up there in class had been embarrassing, but he could ultimately brush it off... but this? This would mean outing them both.

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 1:43:54 PM

"of course not," Kili replied immediately, eyes widening a tad at the unexpected words. Why would Elladan even think that? Sure, this was new and there were... Obstacles, to put it lightly. But he wasn't regretting any of what they did.

"You have nothing to worry about," Kili promised hugging Elladan closer, burying his face against his shoulder. Their height different really became apparent when they both stood like this, and he kind of liked it.

"I'll text you when I get home."

eloquated6/17/2020, 1:48:56 PM

Elladan's eyes dropped closed and he pressed his face into Kili's black hair, letting his promise sink in. "You better. Otherwise Im going to worry that you got stuck out in this biblical flood."

He felt so thin in Kili's arms, his whole body made of fine lines and light bones; but he was warm and real, and there was nothing hesitant in the way he squeezed him close. "And it's only until tomorrow... we've gotta figure out this assignment, anyway." Which was a good distraction!

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 1:50:53 PM

"I'll try to remember not to comb my hair," Kili teased with a laugh, lifting his head up to press a light kiss on Elladan's lips before regretfully pulling away from the other. He really had to go, least he'd make his brother wait any longer.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he added as he began to put on his shoes.

eloquated6/17/2020, 1:57:34 PM

He tucked his hands behind his back to keep from reaching out to him again (Kili was right, they didn't have time to linger, not with his brother waiting). "Yeah, tomorrow. And I'll text you tonight."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 1:59:01 PM

"Yeah," Kili smiled, having to tear himself to wave and actually leave the apartment. The moment he stepped outside he was bombarded with the rain and he cursed as he ran to the waiting car before he'd get completely soaked once again.

"Well, my clothes were dry," he complained ruffling his hair.

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:05:34 PM

Fili smirked over at his brother, and teased a low whistle when he looked up at the apartment building, "So, who are you visiting in the rich people part of town?" He countered, flicking the heat up a little higher so Kili wouldn't get a chill.

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:06:37 PM

"What do you mean the rich part of the town?" Kili asked confused, holding his fingers in front of the heater. The apartment hadn't seemed like a rich person's place; it was almost the same size as theirs, just a tad messier.

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:09:58 PM

Pulling away from the curb, Fili shrugged, "It's walking distance to the university- that means pricey. Building with a pool and a gym-" He jabbed a thumb to the sign outside, "Even more. Close to the bus route, and the stores? Add extra. Just because the building isn't fancy doesn't mean your friend isn't paying their tuition in rent."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:13:14 PM

"Honestly, didn't really see or think about all that," Kili shrugged, gazing out of the window at the disappearing building. "I was just thankful they had a dryer and hospitality to take me in for the day."

So, the twins most likely had money more than it seemed. The golden button started to make more sense then. Not that it mattered, he just hoped Elladan didn't think he wanted his attention for that money. Then again, Elladan didn't seem like the type to flaunt around with what he has.

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:14:32 PM

"So who are they?" Fili gently cuffed his brother's shoulder to keep him from mentally wandering off, "This new friend of yours, you still didn't answer the question."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:15:36 PM

Kili huffed at the cuff, pushing at his brother's hand. "The twins, I don't know their last name. Elladan and.... The other name was similar but a bit harder to say."

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:17:14 PM

That sounded familiar...Fili might work in a shop during the day, but he did tattoos at night, and people talked. Besides, the name wasn't exactly common! Still.. he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Guy from class, then?"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:19:01 PM

"Yeah, we share the photography class," Kili explained. "We paired up for the next project so we started to plan it while we waited for the clothes to dry."

Even if they did get rather... Distracted by it. At least he didn't have a mark to prove from it, unlike Elladan's neck that had the beautiful purplish bitemark.

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:20:47 PM

Fili had no reason to think his brother was hiding anything, so he simply nodded, "Makes sense...you want to swing by the drive-through on our way home? I've got someone coming in tonight to get some work done, so I wont have time to cook."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:22:34 PM

"Sure thing," Kili replied, curiosity waking up. "What kind of work are you doing tonight and on who?"

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:24:40 PMEdited 6/17/2020, 3:00:41 PM

"Dwalin, he wants me to finish the rest of that head piece." It was his creative outlet, but better, it helped pay more of the bills; and with Kili in university (where he damn well should be) Fili could use all the extra he could make.

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:26:10 PM

Kili nodded, pointing them towards their usual fast-food place. "So you'll be working close to the six hour limit again?"

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:27:12 PM

Fili shifted his weight a little, and rolled his shoulder slightly, "Maybe a little longer. Depends how long it takes. He'll pay extra if I can get it done tonight."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:28:29 PM

Kili glanced at his brother at the movement, his brows furrowing a bit. It seemed like Fili had worked himself to the limit of soreness once again. "At least let me massage your shoulders after dinner, it'll make working a bit more pleasant."

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:30:43 PM

"... Yeah, alright. Thanks." He huffed a laugh and turned into the fast food place; he did his best to take care of his brother, but he'd never been much of a cook! "It's been busy at the shop this week. If it keeps up, I might have to hire someone part-time."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:32:44 PM

"No wonder! Your the best mechanic in the damn town," Kili grinned, ordering his usual through the com before turning back to his brother. "I could ask around the school, see if there's anyone on the mechanic line who wish to have some extra cash and experience."

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:34:45 PM

"Let me worry about that, you just focus on getting your ass through school, ok?" Fili turned to his brother as they waited for the people in front of them to get their stuff, his expression turning more serious, "Do you hear me? Just focus on your grades.. I'll deal with everything else."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:36:30 PM

Kili frowned at that. "But I've been seriously considering getting a part-time job," he admitted. He hated the fact that Fili was giving so much so they could live comfortably and wanted to help the best he could.

"I'm passing my classes, even those I'm absolutely horrible at. I'm doing well, better than well."

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:39:29 PM

"And if you get a job, that's going to change. You do your work, and I'll sort out the money. We can talk about changing that when you get out of school; but right now you've got enough to deal with." And what good was being a big brother if he couldn't let Kili use his brilliant mind for something better than a daily druge? "Got it, Killian?"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:41:40 PM

"No need to use the full name," Kili groaned, pouting his lips in return. "It doesn't feel fair," he complained. "I'm not doing anything that helps with the rent or bills and you're taking care of it all alone."

It wasn't the first time they discussed and argued about the matter, but the guilt kept eating Kili often and sometimes he simply had to let it out.

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:45:20 PM

Fili paid for the food and handed the bags to his brother, stealing a fry from the top. "Older brother's prerogative."

He lapsed quiet for a moment as they drove, and finally added with a sigh, "I promised Mom I'd take care of you. You don't have to like it, but that's what I intend to do."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:47:09 PM

"You dropped from school so you could care for me," Kili said quietly, staring at the bag on his lap. "You didn't accept a place in college, you just began working right away. Don't think I'm not thankful because I really, really am, but... I wish you'd let me do more."

eloquated6/17/2020, 2:53:06 PM

He'd had plans, but they'd changed. When their mother was alive, he'd desperately wanted to study music; to make a living with his violin. Which now sat on the shelf mostly, collecting dust. But none that had mattered in the end. He had his brother to take care of, and damnit, he was going to do it properly. "You do plenty. You just need to let me worry about those things for now."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 2:57:29 PM

Kili was silent for the rest of their ride home and he quietly collected the bag from his lap before getting out of the car. He was not a child anymore. He had already turned 18, which meant he was almost legaly an adult. Sure, he could not buy his own alcohol or smoke or anything like that, but he could get a decent job if he just searched.

But he couldn't do that behind his brother's back.

He just had to come up with something else.

"Come on then, let's eat and get those shoulders of yours back in order."

eloquated6/17/2020, 3:01:02 PM

"Now that's something you can definitely do." Fili shrugged off his jacket and held it over his brother's head as they darted from the car to the apartment, shivering when the rain went down the back of his neck. "After burgers, I'm starved."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 3:02:57 PM

As if on cue, Kili's stomach growled loudly and he laughed. "Same here," he agreed toying his shoes and jacket off, releasing a soft sigh as he walked in the kitchen to unpack their bag. The scent of the food made his mouth water and he hummed under his breath as he sat by the table and pulled his phone out.

Would it be too early to text Elladan already? They had just seen each other.

eloquated6/17/2020, 3:04:25 PM

Fili hung his coat by the door-- contrary to popular belief, their apartment didn't look like a frat house!-- and reached into the fridge to grab the mustard for his fries. "So what were you and this Elladan doing all afternoon?"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 3:05:34 PM

"Discussing the project," Kili replied quickly-- perhaps too quickly. "We're supposed to practice photographing and modeling people, so we tried to come up with what we wanted to focus on."

eloquated6/17/2020, 3:06:38 PM

"Uh huh..." Well that was definitely too fast. Especially when the rushed reply came before his brother had taken a bite of his food. Hmm... "So he's going to model for you? Think you can make it look good?"

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 3:07:49 PM

"Duh," Kili rolled his eyes and wiped the mayo from the corner of his lips. "I have one of the highest marks in the class, I know what I'm doing. Of course it helps that Elladan is rather photogenetic, so I think he doesn't need much help to look good in the photos."

eloquated6/17/2020, 3:10:03 PM

"So your assignment is to ogle pretty boys through a lens? Sounds like just your kind of work!" He smirked and stole one of Kili's fries before sinking down at the table, grateful to be home and off his feet for a few minutes!

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 3:11:57 PM

"Oh shut up," Kili replied flustered, dipping his fries in the pack of ketchup that came with the meal. "I'm just saying, it'll be an easy assigment. We have to focus on the whole person or then certain body parts and apparently he wants pictures of my hair of all things."

eloquated6/17/2020, 3:13:33 PM

"Must be crazy, then!" Fili leaned over and tugged one of his brother's curls straight, before letting it spring back into place, "Either that, or he's got a crush on you. Even if you got mom's curly mop."

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 3:15:43 PM

Kili nearly choked on his fry, coughing violently before hastily grabbing the cup of soda, swallowing greedily. He felt more and more flustered by the second and he waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Or it's the easiest part to photograph."

eloquated6/17/2020, 3:23:01 PM

Bingo! “Breathe, Kili! Jesus...” He laughed, giving his brother a few thumps on the back, “Guess that answers my question about whether you like him, though! Come on, spill.”

Mikilieth6/17/2020, 3:41:03 PM

"Can we not do this," Kili whined embarrassed, feeling as if his face was completely in flames. Count on his brother to find out so quick.

eloquated6/18/2020, 6:54:43 AM

Fili chuckled at his brother's flailing, bemused by the startling colour of his embarrassment, "What kind of brother would I be if I didn't? So! Tell me about him, Kee; I already know you like him, but I'm a bit short on why."

Mikilieth6/18/2020, 9:58:32 AM

Kili groaned in defeat, burying his head in his hands. "He's just... Gorgeous," he admitted softly. "He's witty and funny and can keep up with my humor. Seems to even like it."

eloquated6/18/2020, 10:05:03 AM

It had always been a matter of time before Kili met someone, so it didn't really come as a surprise. Fili nodded as he listened, chewing on his fries, "So, are you actually going to tell him?"

Mikilieth6/18/2020, 10:14:40 AM

Kili fumbled with his fries, his face turning even redder if possible. "... Maybe? I don't know," he circled the question.

eloquated6/19/2020, 8:46:22 AM

That was hardly an answer! Fili's smile faded a little, and he reached over to jostle his brother's shoulder, "Hey, you know you can talk to me, right? Long as you're happy, I don't care."

Mikilieth6/19/2020, 8:49:01 AM

"I know," Kili mumbled embarrassed. "It's just... We're kind of aware we both like each other."

eloquated6/19/2020, 5:11:28 PM

Fili cocked an eyebrow in amusement, and leaned back in his chair, "No problem then. I'm not going to give you a hard time, Kee." Not today, anyway!

Mikilieth6/20/2020, 7:17:42 AM

"That's a lie and we both know it," Kili snorted before laughing, wiping his fingers in the napkins. "How about I buy your silence with one of my awesome massages?"

eloquated6/21/2020, 8:45:09 AM

Washing down his last bite with a swallow of soda, Fili nodded with a huff of laughter, "Thanks, Kee... I think even my knots have knots. And Dwalin'll have my hide if I fuck up his head piece."

Mikilieth6/21/2020, 8:47:07 AM

"That one would be hard to cover," Kili agreed as he got up and circled around the table cracking his fingers. "You really need to allow yourself more breaks between work."

eloquated6/21/2020, 8:48:52 AM

"Then I need days with more hours in them." Fili rubbed his hands over his face, trying to chase the tiredness away, "Don't worry, I'll get caught up, I always do."

Mikilieth6/21/2020, 8:49:43 AM

"Do you have time to nap before Dwalin arrives?" Kili asked concerned, laying his hands on his brother's shoulders and immediately wincing. "This feels horrible, you should take better care of yourself."

eloquated6/21/2020, 8:52:00 AM

Fili was stronger than he looked; he was hard and compact, and the muscles under Kili's hands were were locked and tense. "Didn't I just tell you not to worry?" He laughed, trying to loosen his shoulders with an ineffectual roll, "Nobody ever died of knots."

Mikilieth6/21/2020, 8:53:29 AM

"With your luck, you'll be the first case in history," Kili chuckled as he begun to work on the knots, kneading the muscles under his hands with practiced movements. It wasn't the first time he had helped Fili with his locks and it surely wouldn't be the last time either.

eloquated6/21/2020, 8:56:15 AM

"Don't jinx it... Im too busy to die." He muttered around a groan.

Kili hadn't been at it more than a few minutes when the door opened with a knock (Dwalin never had been the sort of wait for them to answer it!). Dwalin towered over the two, and dropped into the chair on the other side of the table.

Mikilieth6/21/2020, 8:57:41 AM

"You're gonna have to wait till I'm done with my brother before he gets to work on your head," Kili stated as a greeting, feeling one of the knots pop under his fingers. "Least you want shaky lines, heard those are in right now."

eloquated6/21/2020, 8:59:34 AM

Dwalin frowned and slouched back in his chair with a grumble, making a show of looking at the clock over the stove.

"You're almost an hour early." Fili pointed out without opening his eyes, feeling the hot release of the trigger points, "And Kee's right, you don't want fucked lines."

Mikilieth6/21/2020, 9:02:05 AM

Good, that meant he had more than enough time to work Fili's back into a better condition. He was silent as he worked, unknotting the muscles part by part until he could feel the heat of the blood warming the skin. "Drink some water, it's important so you won't feel faint from the blood rushing to your head."

eloquated6/21/2020, 9:03:54 AM

"Since when he did turn into your mother?" Dwalin asked with a gruff note, arms crossed over his chest.

"I will." Fili promised, and finally cracked open an eye to give their friend a flat look, "Watch it, or I'm going to ink Hello Kitty on your head."

Mikilieth6/21/2020, 9:05:09 AM

"Please ink a hidden message in his scalp that states he's just a big bully," Kili requested with a huff. Dwalin was and sometimes seemed like he didn't care about others, but he knew it was just a shell. In reality, Dwalin was a huge softie with a soft spot for the brothers.

eloquated6/28/2020, 8:07:13 PM

Dwalin rolled his eyes at Fili's laughter, but in short order the two of them were getting ready to start the tattoo. It was a dramatic piece, and Fili was rightfully proud of it.

Back at his apartment, Elladan tried to work on some video editing, but found his attention drawn back to Kili distractedly. It all seemed a little surreal, if he was being honest-- half of him expected to find out he'd imagined it all!

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 8:43:59 PM

Was it too soon to text Elladan? Probably, but a part of him didn't care as he laid down on his bed and pulled his phone to his chest, hesitating for a short moment before typing out his message.

"Is this the moment I'll ask what you're wearing?"

eloquated6/28/2020, 8:46:38 PM

Elladan jumped when his phone chimed beside him, Kili's name flashing up on the screen. "Jesus.." He muttered, heart beating fast as he fished his phone up from the blankets.

< I'm pretty sure the correct answer is something sexy.>

< But actually just the same stuff as earlier, plus an extra coffee stain because I tried to carry too many things at once.>

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 8:59:50 PM

The response made Kili laugh and he rolled over on his back.

< Mh, well you looked good in those clothes so I think I can forgive a stain or two. >

eloquated6/28/2020, 9:03:46 PM

Unaware that Kili was doing the same thing, Elladan pushed his laptop to the side, before stretching out on his back and smiling up at his phone. So, not his imagination, then. Good.

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 9:17:50 PM

Kili bit on his lip and grinned, feeling like a giddy teenager. Thank god no one could see him now.

< oh, sounds saucy! What kind of thoughts? >

eloquated6/28/2020, 9:20:37 PM

< Less saucy, more embarrassing! >

Elladan thumbed the edge of his phone nervously, before giving himself a mental kick and adding:

< Mostly hoping this afternoon wasn't my imagination. >

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 9:37:38 PM

< it wasn't. >

The response was almost immediate, and Kili smiled to himself. It felt relieving to know he wasn't the only one uncertain of they could talk of what they've done.

< I'd like to have more days like that. Minus the rain. >

eloquated6/28/2020, 9:42:57 PM

< If you say things like that, I'm going to turn totally mushy on you. >

Alright, more accurately he already was-- but at least he was resisting the urge to say it! Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, Elladan absently paced around; restless and all butterflies, slowly cleaning his room just for something to occupy his hands.

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 9:46:23 PM

< And how is that a bad thing? >

He could picture Elladan's flushed face in his mind and grinned, fingers tapping on the edge of his phone. The taller man was so adorable with his flushed cheeks and wide eyes, and that just reminded him of how he had looked earlier that day during their sudden making out and--

< BTW, what did you brother think about your necklace? I think purple really suit you. >

eloquated6/28/2020, 9:50:47 PMEdited 6/28/2020, 9:50:52 PM

< You're such a smug jerk, you know that? xoxo >

Elladan refused to look in the mirror as he passed, kicking a few things in the general direction of the closet. He knew he was blushing, and he was distracted enough!

< He asked if you were worried you wouldn't be able to tell us apart, so you decided to brand me. >

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 9:52:43 PM

< He has a point! Wouldn't want to accidentally smooch him! >

Of course he had to tease the other a bit, since Elladan basically kept giving him ammunition for it.

< I'm allowed to be smug because I'm the reason you made those pretty noises ~>

eloquated6/28/2020, 10:02:01 PM

< Hopefully one twin is enough for you! I love Ro, but I don't know if I want to share my boyfriend with him. >

He hit send and stopped, looking down at his screen for a long, perplexed moment.

< That's the first time I've written that. Feels weird. >

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 10:04:07 PM

Boyfriend?

In any other situation those words would have made him balk and feel uncomfortable, but now he realized his heart was practically leaping in his chest and he could feel his own skin burn.

He hesitated with his response, but the anxiety growing in the pit of his stomach made his fingers send the question.

< Bad kind of weird? >

eloquated6/28/2020, 10:07:27 PM

< Not bad at all! >

He texted back quickly, before Kili could get the wrong idea. Ignoring the fact that he was sure he was blushing (because if Ro noticed, he'd be amazed) Elladan padded down to the kitchen to make a new cup of coffee.

< Just sort of... wow. Ok. Exciting. But also, seriously don't want to screw it up.>

Mikilieth6/28/2020, 10:08:52 PM

Kili released a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding. "Way to scare me," he chuckled quietly.

eloquated6/28/2020, 10:26:47 PM

< That makes two of us. But it's probably a good place to start, right? >

Not that he had any experience in the matter! People tended to be drawn to Elrohir, who was the more outgoing twin.

< How am I supposed to take your picture tomorrow? I don't think I'll be able to keep my hands off you. And I'm pretty sure those aren't the kind of pictures we want to send the professor!>

Mikilieth6/29/2020, 12:55:48 PM

< We can take breaks so we can make out like the teenagers we still technically are.>

The thought made Kili's stomach flip.

< We could make a game out of it. >

eloquated6/29/2020, 5:58:13 PM

< A game? What sort of a game? >

Just the idea of taking a break from his work to make out sounded both silly, and incredibly tempting... more the latter,if he was being honest!

Mikilieth6/29/2020, 6:03:32 PM

< Simple, we see which one of us has more self control while we take those pictures. Of course, the one being photographed would do their best to make the others concentration snap. >

eloquated6/29/2020, 6:05:44 PM

< You know, that sounds like the kind of game I wouldn't mind losing. But it might be the only way we get anything done tomorrow! At least if it's a challenge, I won't be completely putty in your hands.>

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 10:52:58 AM

< Exactly. I'm very competitive and not willing to lose. >

At least, he'd try not to. But Elladan was proving to be quite the distraction.

eloquated7/1/2020, 10:57:15 AMEdited 7/1/2020, 10:57:22 AM

Elladan tried to picture what Kili might be doing at that moment, but without an idea of what his apartment looked like, the image was vague and blurry. Probably best not to fantasize anyway, not if he wanted to get anything done tonight!

< Now I just have to figure out which three parts of you I want to photograph. And how! I have to make you look good, since you've already exhibited a picture of me! 😛 >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:00:41 AM

Kili grinned in response, fingers flying over the keyboard.

< Just remember that the pictures have to be pg 13! If you want another kind of picture, I'll be the one sending it to you ;p >

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:02:51 AM

"Fuck..." Elladan exhaled when he looked down at the screen, feeling a little warmer.

< And there goes my ability to get anything done tonight! Or potentially ever again. >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:06:30 AM

The response pulled a laugh from Kili's lips and he felt oddly flattered, his cheeks warming up a bit.

< Oh? Then just maybe I'll have an upper hand tomorrow~ after all, it was so easy to make a mess out of you today! >

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:10:00 AM

This was definitely not a conversation to have in the middle of the kitchen! With a goodnight to his brother,Elladan retreated back to his room,distractedly thumbing back a text.

< If being a mess means you can't keep your hands off me? I volunteer as tribute! >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:12:02 AM

< And now I am thinking very improper thoughts, thanks for that. >

He groaned pressing the phone against his forehead, willing himself to count to twenty.

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:16:33 AM

Elladan knew he should behave; after all, this was new and he didn't want to screw it up. But making Kili distractedly hot was... really, really tempting.

< New rule : You can't say that without giving me the details! >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:21:12 AM

Kili's face flushed further and he nibbled at his lip anxiously. Perhaps it would be stupidly soon to discuss such things already, but for Christ's sake they had barely kept their hands to themselves earlier. It was clear there was mutual chemistry and want between them.

< Just thinking about all the ways I could distract you tomorrow. >

He sent the first message, wondering how to word the following one.

< If you'll blush as prettily if I am to bite your ear when correcting the position for the picture, or if you'll bite back a gasp if I am to accidentally brush my leg between yours. >

There, that was good, right? It wasn't super vulgar but clear to the point and hopefully not enough to scare Elladan.

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:25:41 AM

In truth, Elladan hadn't expected him to reply, not like that-- not with actual details that made him feel flushed and wanting. With thud he dropped onto his bed, reading the messages a few times before he realized he had to actually reply.

< Fuck >

Said the first, his thumb accidentally hitting the send button in his haste.

< I'm pretty sure I'll still be blushing tomorrow. >

< Do you have any idea how much I want to see you right now? I knew I'd miss you tonight, but this is crazy. >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:30:28 AM

The short response was enough to make Kili cackle, having to silence it against his pillow even if he was sure Fili would not hear him over the sound of the tattoo machine.

< Well I can help with that! >

Feeling coy and rather playful, Kili lifted his phone up and took a quick picture. His dark curls were framing his head wildly, his face still a light color of red and lips grinning at the camera. He sent it fast, before he could think twice.

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:35:11 AMEdited 7/1/2020, 11:35:18 AM

The picture felt a bit like being sucker punched, Elladan's heart quickening at the glittering, mischievous eyes and the curve of his mouth.

< Again I say.. fuck. >

< How did I not notice you in class before? You're gorgeous, and I want to kiss you so badly right now. >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:38:00 AM

< You sat behind me. >

The reply was cheery and teasing, and Kili smiled dopedly to himself. Just reading those words, the reaction he got from the other sent his heart stuttering.

< Just the night between our reunion. >

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:39:52 AM

< You send me pictures like that, and want me to be patient until tomorrow? >

< Cruel, wicked, teasing you! >

Elladan knew he was grinning like an idiot, but there was nobody else to see... Nobody to laugh at him!

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:43:47 AM

< And what are you going to do about it? >

It was a teasing taunt, and he has to rub his own cheek as it was starting to ache from the continuous grinning.

< It could have been a completely different kind of a picture, I think that would have been a proper tease. >

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:47:09 AM

Never let it be said that Elladan backed down from a tease! And over the last few years he'd spent a lot of time on camera; so before he could second guess himself, he flipped up the hem of his shirt and hooked his thumb in the waist of his jeans, dragging down the material playfully.

He texted back,sending the picture with it.

< I'll decide when I'm less distracted. >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:51:10 AM

The phone slipped from his fingers and hit him square on the face. He scrambled to get a hold of it, drinking in the picture greedily.

< Fucking hell. >

He licked his lips, feeling his mouth dry up.

< Fucking... Are you trying to kill me? >

eloquated7/1/2020, 11:54:55 AM

That was so much better than any reaction he'd dared to hope for. It felt a bit like playing with fire, but the chemistry ran quick and hot between them, undiminished by distance.

< Not kill you. Reminding you why tomorrow seems unfairly far away! >

< And if you keep making comments like that, I'm going to need a cold shower. >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 11:59:09 AM

< Two can play that game. >

He wasn't going to let Elladan get the upper hand, he was too competitive and stubborn to go down without a fight. A quick change of position had him on his knees, the hem of his shirt between his teeth, his other hand in middle of undoing to the button of his jeans.

He sent the picture, followed by

< You're not the only one who can tease. >

eloquated7/1/2020, 12:09:50 PM

Elladan's mouth went suddenly dry when he opened the message, blood rushing south. It was a small miracle that he didn't drop his phone right off the side of the bed, but it was a near thing!

< I'm not sure if this is a game we both win, or both lose. >

< But fuck... >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 12:12:31 PM

< I'm not even sorry. >

< And like you're actually complaining. >

Victory. At least for the moment.

eloquated7/1/2020, 12:34:57 PM

< I'm not complaining! Definitely not complaining. >

< You just make it hard to think when you send pictures like that. >

Elladan toyed with the edge of his phone case for a moment, before gathering up his nerve and adding:

< I'm not used to wanting someone this much, or so suddenly. It's amazing, but sort of overwhelming. >

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 12:37:04 PM

< Come on Ell, you're making this too easy for me. I mean thinking isn't the only thing I'm making hard for you, am I right? >

He snickered, a soft smile spreading on his lips.

< But I know what you mean. I'm kind of scared about how easy this is with you and I like it a lot. >

eloquated7/1/2020, 12:44:41 PM

< You'll have to find out for yourself tomorrow! I cant make it that easy! >

Curling onto his side, Elladan propped his phone against his pillow, occasionally glancing back at the photos Kili had sent him.

Mikilieth7/1/2020, 12:46:41 PM

< you're not freaking me out. I promise. >

He understood Elladan's concern, for he thought about the same things.

< At the same time I want to be careful and yet also find out absolutely everything about you in every way. >

eloquated7/1/2020, 1:04:41 PM

< Cause I think we're going to be distracted tomorrow! >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 6:44:59 AM

< Alright sounds like fun! What kind of questions are we talk about though? Wouldn't want to misunderstand anything. >

eloquated7/7/2020, 9:16:57 AM

Elladan stretched out on his bed, passing his phone from one hand to the other while he read.

< You can ask me anything, I don't really have any big secrets. >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 9:21:26 AM

Kili thought for a moment.

< What do you enjoy to do during your spare time? Aside from daydreaming in the forest. >

eloquated7/7/2020, 9:23:26 AM

Elladan added a silly little emoji to the end, and considered his response.

< Have you told your brother about us yet? >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 9:25:16 AM

Oh, that certainly explained the gold button he had seen! But wait, wasn't that like... An award, in YouTube community?

< He kind of guessed that something was going on but I didn't tell him everything yet. >

< Are you guys any good doing videos? Maybe I should search for you guys then. >

eloquated7/7/2020, 9:29:47 AM

< Same with Ro, I'll tell him later but right now he's pretty focused on other stuff. >

Well that was a more difficult question! Elladan thumbed the edge of his phone; he wasn't embarrassed that he'd mentioned it, but what if Kili thought it was all silly? Elladan knew it was, but it was still something he worked hard at!

< Well enough! It pays the bills, and it's more fun than mopping floors for a living! >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 9:33:11 AM

They were good enough to get actual monet from it? Christ, he had a feeling Elladan was selling himself short. He definitely had to look them up now!

< So is that why you picked up your current major? Wanting to learn more? >

eloquated7/7/2020, 9:34:56 AM

< Pretty much! It started as a high school film project, and we had so much fun we started making our own. Originally I was going to be an english major, do script writing or something, but I like this more. >

< What about you? Why'd you take this? >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 9:43:19 AM

< I've always enjoyed photography. I started when I was young with one of those old film cameras. I wanted to capture the world as I saw it, show beauty and joy when everything in the world seems to go to shit. >

eloquated7/7/2020, 9:45:16 AM

< Wow... Yeah, you win, that's a pretty awesome answer. >

<So, is it just you and your brother? I've got a little sister, too, but she's back with my dad. >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 9:52:49 AM

Kili smiled ruefully. He knew the question had to come at some point.

< Our parents passed when I was a child. It's been just us ever since, as Fili took me under his wing so I wouldn't be taken to a foster home. It's a long story but that's why Fili freaks out when there's a huge storm and I'm not home. >

eloquated7/7/2020, 10:46:33 AM

In retrospect, that made so much sense. Elladan sighed and tucked one arm behind his head, trying to wrap his head around what that would be like.

< Damn... I'll remember that. But at least you've still got each other. >

Mikilieth7/7/2020, 10:49:03 AM

< Anyway, what's your sister like? >

eloquated7/7/2020, 10:50:56 AM

< Arwen? I haven't seen her since last summer, but she's alright. She's thirteen, and my dad's favourite, mostly because she's the only one still at home! Plus, baby of the family. >

Mikilieth7/13/2020, 11:30:18 AM

< Well she's the youngest and also a girl with two big brothers, of course she's the baby. >

< It's starting to get late but I really don't want to stop talking with you. >

#murkhith

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puckngrind · 4 years

Text

Skating Lessons part 22

Summary: Josh is away on a roadie.

Warning: the usual...swearing and smut.

Word count: 1907

Series Masterlist

You aren’t sure how Josh got himself up and to the plane but he did. You two hardly slept and he even was up early enough to recorded Mason’s reaction to the return of Jingles.

“I love you.” He kisses you and turns to Mace.

“You too bud. Take care of Momma while I’m gone.” The man kept surprising you as you witnessed the half hug, half fist bump exchange.

The beginning of the week was jammed packed that there wasn’t down time to miss Josh until it was time to sleep.

The knock on the door was expected. The dealership’s delivery boy standing at the door. “Mrs. Anderson?” He asks.

“I’m not...nevermind...yes.” The puzzled look made you laugh as the boy looked back and forth from the paperwork to you. With a signature and a few instructions he handed over the keys and left. You stood in awe of your navy Audi SQ5 sitting in the driveway. Taking and picture and texting Josh.

You: Cars amazing but too much Babe!

Josh: It is not. You and Mace are worth it. Plus it was the only one with heated seats that was blue.

You: I’m surprised it’s not white

Josh: Well if it was my car...😏

You: See you soon for a joy ride?

Josh: Maybe we can break it in

You: OMG it’s been 2 days.

Josh: And you are the only thing on my mind 😉

You: HOCKEY should be on your mind.

Josh: Sure...but the rest of the time it’s you.

Next was your doctor’s appointment. Beth took you and you were thankful. The doctor was pleasantly surprised with your healing process.

“Someone is definitely taking care of you.” The doctor says as he looks at your X-ray and presses his hand into your recently booted ankle.

“You have no idea.” Beth says under her breath and you shoot death glare. She chuckles and the doctor continues with his exam.

“Let’s see you stand.” He says and you see Beth’s phone up. You should have figured Josh would recruit her to take a video. You stand unsure but your leg feels stronger than you assumed it would. “Great. Great. Well you can resume normal activities right away and schedule PT too. Any questions?” You shoot Beth another look knowing the normal activities statement would make her chuckle.

“Can I ice skate?” You don’t even realize you said it before it came out of your mouth. Josh had mentioned in passing the Family Christmas skate and it was the first thing that you thought of.

“Well, with help I think you should be fine as long as it’s not tomorrow. Plus you need to listen to your leg. It will tell you when you’ve had too much.” With that you were freely allowed to leave without a scooter or boot. Thankful to get back to normal.

“So, did you really ask about ice skating?” Beth asks when you were both back in the car.

“Yeah, it seems important to Josh this family skate thing.” You inhale then check your phone. He should be getting ready for his nap.

“Go ahead.” Beth laughs and pulls out. You clicked FaceTime and almost instantly Josh answers already in bed.

“Did I wake you?” You instantly are worried he already was sleeping.

“Nope. I’ve been waiting for your call.” He smiles sweetly. “How’d it go?”

Pulling your left your leg up to the seat and holding the phone out. “See!”

“Hey Beth!” Josh laughs. Beth looks over and shakes her head. “Oh wait, your boot is gone!” Josh’s laugh is loud like he’s sitting in the car. “Babe that’s great! I cannot wait to see for myself.” You move the phone so Josh can only see your face.

“Well I definitely need to shave first.” Your face starts to turn red. Josh’s eyebrows move up and down.

“I could help with that.” Josh’s voice got deeper.

“Could you two wait to have phone sex when I’m not in ear shot?” Beth groans. You hit Beth’s arm at the comment.

“I should let you sleep.” You know your face is bright red.

“I’ll text you after the game to see if you are awake. I love you (y/n).” Josh blows you a kiss.

“We will be watching. Good luck. Love you Anderson.” Kissing him back and dropping the phone to your lap.

Beth starts making heaving noises from the driver seat. “I’m happy for you friend but you too are so in love it’s sickening for everyone else around you to watch.”

“We are.” You rub newly released leg and think of Josh. “What do you mean everyone?”

“You should see the way the guys look at Josh. You can tell they are happy for him but also jealous. Same with everyone else that sees you two interact.” Beth pats your leg without taking her eyes off the road. “As I said, happy for you. You deserve it more than anyone I know. Just...” heaving sounds come from her again then she laughs.

Beth stayed to watch the game and made sure you were steady on your feet. Josh looked amazing on the ice. Skating with a sense of arrogance about him that was a major turn on.

The rest of the week was more getting back into the routine, driving again, and Christmas prep. Finally watching the last game knowing Josh would be home the next day made you excited but exhausted. Crashing into bed you were so out of it that you didn’t hear your phone. Next thing you know you feel an arm on you. You start swinging.

“Easy killer.” Josh’s voice breaks through your sleepy state. “Baby, I’m home.” You rub your eyes to see Josh already stripped down to his boxers.

“How?” Your face contorts. Josh laughs and kisses your gently. Climbing in behind you.

“There was a misunderstanding with the hotel so we hopped on the plane.” Josh runs his hand down your face. “I’m not complaining because I’ve missed my girl.” Josh peppers you with kisses making you laugh. “And we need to test out this leg of yours.” His fingers walk down your newly bootless leg.

“I’ve missed you too.” Josh is hovering over you and your body reacts to his every move. “Really missed you.” Moving your hands to his hair as he kisses down your exposed skin leaving a trail of goosebumps in his path. Little moans escaping your lips.

“I moved the elf by the way.” Josh whispers in your ear before sucking on the spot that makes you melt.

“What?” You said louder than you meant. Josh didn’t let up on getting reacquainted with your body.

“I moved Jingles. I picked up something for him to bring Mace.” Josh pulls up to look at you and smirks. “Just want to make sure you don’t get up early to do it.” His hand runs down to your leggings hand lands on your throbbing core.

“Josh.” You moan out then hear the door.

“Josh is home!” Mason’s little voice breaks through the opening door and Josh quickly moves to your side.

“Sure am Bud. Why are you awake?” Josh clears his throat and in the little bit of light from the hallway you see your man adjusting himself before sliding out of bed. “How about I tuck you back in?” Josh holds out his hand for Mason and you watch your boys walk back to Mason’s room.

It seemed like forever that Josh was gone. Now fully awake you get out of bed and made your way to Mason’s room. The door was half open. Peeking inside you see Josh’s giant body contorted around Mason’s and both boys are asleep. You sneak back to grab your phone and take a picture.

“Josh.” You touch his arm slightly and shake. Josh’s eyes open and instantly a smile creeps acrossed his face. “Can you get out of his bed without help?” You try not to laugh but it’s so cute. Josh nods and starts to shift his weight. Dipping down to kiss Mason’s forehead before almost rolling off the bed. Josh scoops you up without warning and rushs out the door.

“Where were we?” He inquired with a sinister smile when you got back to your room. Not even letting you answer before pressing his body on top of your. “Hopefully we won’t be interrupted again.”

“Maybe you should stop talking and get to work then Anderson.” You giggle and Josh groans as you pull at his hair.

Josh did just that. Not wasting anytime pulling off your clothes and kissing down your body. “Fuck I’ve missed you.” His voice is deeper than normal.

“It was 5 days.” You run your hand through his hair.

“Still, I missed you.” He bites at the inside of your thigh and your hips jolt. Josh’s tongue licks though your folds and flicks at your clit. “Oh my girl is ready for me.” He laughs into you which makes you wiggle.

“Babe.” You moan again. His fingers dancing at your enterance. Josh’s eyebrows shoot up. “Just come here.” You motion up.

“You sure?” He lifts up from his tongue’s assault. Nodding you head he smirks. “Good because I’m pretty sure I could cum without you even touching me and that’s not fun.” This makes you laugh. “I’m not joking. You are so fucking hot.” He makes his way up and you feel the tip of his cock rub along your skin. He presses into slowly grunting as he bottoms out.

Pulling your legs around his hips you press your heals into him. “Fuck.” Josh says under his breath has he finds his rhythm. Your rans run through his hair and down his back. Racking your nails down his back as Josh’s lips find yours in a desperate need to be closer.

“Close.” You breath out unable to make out much more than moans. Josh pulls your leg up further reaching a spot deep inside you making it hard to breath. Your toes curl in as your heals dig into his back. A slew of curses slip from Josh’s mouth as his movements change. Your orgasms are intense and long. The sensation of not knowing where your body starts and his ends overcomes you as Josh melts on top of you.

Kissing you tenderly he rolls both of you to your side. “Wow. That was...”. His chest rises and falls quickly just like yours.

“Intense.” Finishing his sentence as he kisses you again.

“Yes. And the lack of boot really helped.” Josh’s laugh is met by a smack of your hand on his chest.

“Glad to know my injury effected your sex life Anderson.” Josh ran his thumb down your lips.

“Not exactly what I said...but....” You bite at his thumb which makes him laugh harder.

“Shhh. Really want Mace to come in to this?” You kiss his lips and feel them curling up.

“Not exactly.” Josh starts to get up to retrieve your clothes. “Oh, and I kinda promised Wildlights for tomorrow when I was in his bed.” Josh rubs his hand over the back of his neck.

“Sounds fun.”

“I thought so. Now let’s actually get to sleep. Kay? We have cars to break in and zoo lights to see tomorrow.” Josh crawls behind you and settling in. “I love you (y/n) and cannot wait for Christmas with you two.”

“Same Josh. I love you.”

#skating lessons fic #josh anderson #my andy man 77

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kennysatyr · 4 years

Text

Me First

TRIGGER WARNING: ABUSE, FIGHTING, SWEARING, MENTIONS OF BODILY HARM, RACISM, A TAD BIT OF TRANSPHOBIA AND ANGST.

(AUTHOR NOTE: Sorry if this is kind of bland ,but I am really tired and felt bad for not updating for a while and i've been sick so enjoy)

02/14/2014 12:35 PM Rafael was slammed into a locker, he once again was punched while being told: “You are such a worthless piece of shit!” his boyfriend grabbed his face and kissed his cheek he sometimes wished his boyfriend was not like this Rafael thought to himself “how the fuck did I even get into this relationship” Rafael gave him a sour look “Don’t look at me like that princess” “Just call me prince-” he gets slapped “Don’t fucking correct me you know what you are” Rafael didn’t have the energy to argue with him “Now I got to get to class see you later slut” he smacked Rafeal’s butt he walked away Rafael kept trying not to cry as he picked up his backpack and started to walk to his class the hallways were silent and empty reminded him of how he felt besides all of the Valentines day decorations this holiday made him sick he walked into his class “Mr.Ghali nice of you to show up?” said his teacher he looked at him he had a dead look on his face the teacher showed concern then gestured for him to come to the desk Rafael complied “Are you alright?” “I’m fine why?” he lied “Have you looked at your face?” he pulled out a mirror from his desk and showed him he had a big black eye and hickeys on his neck “Is everything okay at home?” “Just fine” “I heard what happened to your mom” “I’m still fine I just fell down the stairs” he walked away and sat next to his friend Roody immediately tapped his shoulder and signed “Are you okay?” he couldn’t lie to him he signed back “No K-Y-L-E is back on his bullshit” “Did he abuse you again?” “What does it look like?” Suddenly a person sat next to Rafael “I could understand every word you were signing and I just gotta say I’ll punch him for you” Rafael looked at this person fairly androgynous, fair-skinned, wore a black wide-brimmed hat, green flannel, brown eyes had brown and purple hair “Who gave you-?” “Sorry I couldn’t help but chime in my name is Samhain by the way” sticks their hand out to shake Rafael didn’t shake it “I get it I get it, but still sitting here” “No one is stopping you” “Good” Sam started to set up their easel and pulled out an almost complete painting it was a boy in a tight box crying “Wow that looks depressing” “You like it? It’s about my claustrophobia” they take out a lot of oil paints they pull their hair from behind their ear it’s pointed “Hey dude is your ear fake?” Sam looked at Rafael “No its real man wanna touch it?” Rafael was hesitant “S-sure?” he reaches to touch it it is real “Don’t worry man I’m only a half-elf” “Elves aren’t real you stupid fuck!” said a random kid Samhain immediately rebutted with “I’m sorry you are insecure and feel the need to pick on others to hide your dick is tiny!” the kid blushed was silenced Rafael was impressed then he noticed that Sam was wearing gloves “Why are you wearing gloves?” “After class, I’ll show you” then he remembered he had to see Kyle after class or he will get hit again “Can’t my boyf-” “Forget that asshole”

1:30 PM Sam is pulling on Rafael’s arm pulling him to the park near the school and climbed on some equipment into a small area that sat on top of the slide “Why here?” “Fewer people also what I freaks out people” this just raised more questions Sam took off their glove hand held it out “Now shake my hand” he was hesitant, but as soon and he did Sam’s eyes turned white mouth opened with a “Uuuuuuuuuuuuuh” sound Rafael let go and Sam came back again and a tear went down their face and went to hug Rafael “Dude what did you do?” Sam let go and wiped the tear “Well I have an ability to touch someone and see their past” “So you saw-” “Everything man your dad was an asshole” “Why do you think he’s dead” Sam laughed a bit “But seriously dude your boyfriend is horrible to you” Rafael sighed “I know he is, not like I can break up with him” “That is where you are wrong you can you are just scared” Rafael knew Sam was telling the truth and slumped in his spot “I know you just met me today, but I cannot stand and watch someone be in this situation” “I appreciate your generosity, but-” “ You need to stop worrying about him and put you first what do you want to do?” Rafael thought for a minute “I want to break up with him, but I feel trapped” Rafeals phone buzzes it’s Kyle he texted “Bitch where are you??? >:(” Raffy sighed Sam looked sad “It’s him isn’t it?” he nodded he felt like crying Sam took his phone and typed “hanging out with my friend” he replied, “Who tf would be friends with you?” “People who don’t beat me just because they feel like it” “You are on your way to another beating >:( ” “I’m breaking up with you” “No, you are NOT” “I need to put myself first” “That is the shittiest excuse I’ve ever heard” Sam looked at Rafael “Wow he is a dipshit” the phone buzzed again “I am going to beat your sorry little ass in front of everyone to show you are a piece of shit that doesn’t deserve love” They gave the phone back and started popping their knuckles and took off their flannel and wrapped it around their waist Rafael was concerned “what are you going to do? “You’ll see”

2:00 PM Sam was practically marching over to the school Kyle was still angrily texting Rafael he was scared of Kyle when he gets like this yet was following Sam, Kyle was in the lunchroom when he saw Rafael he started to march on over full of rage Sam stood in front of Raffy perfectly still fist clenched “Hey Bitch!” Kyle shouted everyone in the attention of the room was caught Sam still stood still and whispered “Leave this will get ugly” Rafael was still scared suddenly Roody grabbed Raffy and moved him out of the room “HEY ASSWIPE WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” Kyle shouted he was about to push Sam out of the way Sam grabbed Kyles arm Kyle was surprised and shouted “LET GO DIPSHIT” and went for a punch Sam caught it and said “You really need to work on your anger” then kicked him in the stomach Kyles back hit a table full of kids he quickly got up to punch again, but Sam blocked it and blocked another one and proceeded to punch him in the face Kyle was thrown off guard, but his anger raised and finally got a punch in on Sam “Not so tough are ya?” Sam giggled “I can do this all day”.

2:15 PM Rafael and Sam were now sitting outside the principal’s office Rafael kept looking at sam and his new bruises “we are both screwed aren’t we?” Sam said Rafael sighed “With my mom probably yes” “Probably yes with my aunt” “Why your aunt?” “I live with her since my parents died” “Oh dang so you are birdman with extended family” Sam laughed “SAMHAIN MARIE LOVECRAFT” Sam froze suddenly a dark-skinned woman with white tattoos, white long hair, with a pastel purple dress was in the room “What did you do?” “Aunt-” “Rafael!” Khadijah walked into the room “I got a call from the principal what’s happening?” she saw the bruises on him she started to touch them “Who did this?” before he has a chance to answer Kyle walked out of the office with a death glare pointing at Rafael “Ms. Ghali Ms. Lovecraft we are ready for you” they all walked in.

2:30 PM “SO YOU KNEW MY CHILD WAS IN THIS TOXIC RELATIONSHIP!” “Ms.Ghali-” “AND YOU DID NOTHING!” “Not nothing-” “What kind of bullshit school is this” Ms. Lovecraft said “Celine-” “Don’t fucking Celine me! You are going to persecute my nibling for defending their friend?” “Well, she-” “You won’t even use the right pronouns for them!” Sam and Rafael were looking at their caregivers ripping the principal a new one they felt bad yet amused suddenly Khadijah said “You have 24 hours to fix this or I will sue the school for discrimination!” she grabbed Rafael by the arm Celine did the same for Sam as they got to the parking lot Celine started laughing “Are you actually going to sue the school?” Khadijah chuckled “No I don’t even have a lawyer” “I never properly introduced myself I’m Celine Lovecraft I am Sammy’s aunt” extends her hand to shake “I’m Khadijah Ghali I am Rafael’s mother” shakes her hand “Do you have a ride home?” “Unfortunately no my husband has the car I took the bus here” “I can drive you and Sam home my car has enough” They all get into the car the adults started talking about their lives the teens looked at each other and knew this would start a beautiful friendship.

05/21/2014 4:03 PM Sam was knocking on the door vigorously Raffy answered “Welcome Eldritch god” “Happy to be here juniper boy” Sam had a backpack “Sleepover again?” “Hell yes get in here” Raffy pulled them in laughing Khadijah was in the living room “Hello Sammy” “Hi Ms. G! I’m spending the night again!” “I heard don’t break anything like last weekend” “No promises!” The two teens laughed and ran up the stairs. They make it to Rafael's room “Alright crack open the bag what do you got?” Sam sat on the bean bag chair and rummaged through “Well some sunflower seeds, Plateau Condensation, some horror flicks also” they pull out a bag of weed “Ah hell yeah but did you bring the Air freshener” they pull out a can of it.

7:38 PM “Hoe you don’t run from a serial killer!” “Defend yourself!” they proceeded to throw popcorn at the tv a scream came from the TV “Why do we watch these if we are gonna know they get killed” “I don’t know it’s funny and hilarious with your best bud” “I mean true” a knock is heard they start hiding the weed someone opens the door it’s Sahar “Hey bro can I crash in here?” “Yeah man” “Also I’m about to say something I’ll probably regret later” Rafael was skeptical “which is?” “Can I have a hit of the weed?” “Sure man close the door mom will smell” he closes the door and sits on the floor and takes the joint and takes a hit and coughs hard Raffy and Sam laughed and Sam said “If you aint chokin you ain’t toking” Sahar passed it to Sam “So Sahar what made you wanna be a weeder with us” Sahar pointed to the door and suddenly heard yelling “HERMES YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE” all three teens looked at each other and Raffy sighed and said, “Your dad is here again?” “Yup he just does not learn” “Why is mom yelling at him?” Sahar sighed “He heard about Dembe dying and now just now is deciding he wants custody of me” “Oh hell no” Sahar scoffed “As if mom can’t provide for both of us” Sam passed to Rafael, Sam just said “Dang your family life seems more complicated than mine” “How so?” Sahar asked Sam sighed “Well I live with my aunt who is considered a freak in the elf world because she is a dark-skinned light elf and transgender, she is also fostering my cousin who is drow elf, and she is married to a centaur and is fostering me all because my uncle decided to be racist” Rafael passed to Sahar “Wait a minute a centaur? Isn’t she married to a dude in a wheelchair?” “Yeah he hides his horse half in there like some magic shit” “Wait does he use the horse half with your aunt” he smirked Sam pushed him “Please don’t put that image in my head” “Well everyone has sex” he laughs “Except mom” Sahar laughed Rafeal laughed even harder everyone in the room was then suddenly they hear a vase break down stairs “GET OUT OF MY HOME YOU ARE NOT WELCOME” both Sahar and Rafeal were silently rooting for this, Sam grabbed the remote and turned the volume up on the TV they all silently agreed to deal with this later.

07/02/16 11:06 AM “A is for Organization” “In what fucking Alphabet?” “Shhhh” Sam said as they picked up a box Raffy was left confused a grey skinned man with red hair said “Don’t question anything my cousin says dude” “I’ve been friend with them for a bit and 97% of what they say confuses me” “Well you are going to live with them” “Too true dude” he moved a box into the empty space Rafeal was long graduated Sam recently did and now they could finally live together with Roody of course Rafeal felt like his life was coming together at last.

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wormy-business · 5 years

Text

Neverwinter University; Chapter One

Starting the Semester

Summary: It's time for the Tres Horny Boys, and the entirety of everyone from The Adventure Zone; Balance to head off to college. new faces abound, relationships are formed and broken, and a Lich just might be hiding out in the staff break room.

Word Count: 2,970

Read on AO3

“Well bro, here we are, the next four to six years of our lives.” Lup chimed as her boyfriend drew their carriage-like wagon to a stop. Taako stared out the window and stretched his arms out.

“Yeah, I mean at least it looks nicer than NHS.”

“Honestly,” came Barry’s voice as he unhooked the covered wagon’s door and let it come open. “Any place looks better than ol’ Neverwinter High.”

Taako surveyed his new, unfamiliar surroundings as he stepped down off the wagon, followed by his twin sister. The main building was massive, and made mostly out of stone. The building had been a castle before it was a university, and thus prided itself on maintaining that aesthetic. The new buildings stood out starkly, however. They were large contemporary dorm buildings that faced each other, neither marked much aside from being labeled the east and west dorms. He could also see the hint of a temple peaking its high pointed roof between the space of the actual university and the western dormitory. Taako was thankful he and Lup would be housed on the same floor, even if they weren’t roommates. He hated being away from his sister for too long, since he’d spent his entire life with her. Barry was going to be on the same floor with them, which wasn’t surprising as he and Lup had become nearly inseparable since they started dating their junior year of highschool. It was going to be somewhat of a relief having familiar faces so close to him, but he knew plenty more were either on their way or had already shambled onto campus; there were only two major universities this side of Faerûn after all. But searching through the crowd could wait, Taako wanted to see what his dorm looked like and figure out who his roommate was going to be. Lup and Barry were carrying two bags each, but Taako scoffed and casted levitate on both of his bags, as to avoid having to do any actual physical labor.

“Oh god!” Taako whined as the three entered through the doors of the eastern dorm. Lup didn’t see immediately what he was whining about, all she saw was that the place looked nicer than she had expected.

“What?” she asked, still unsure of what her brother was complaining about this time.

“Look!” He said in the same tone of voice, pointing his wand towards an elevator.

“Well I’ll be damned, even this place is getting an upgrade.”

“Uh, if you really wanna call it that. I don’t get the deal with elevators, I can go up without walking too it’s called magic!”

“Taako, I will never understand why you’re so against elevators.” Barry noted, standing behind the twins.

“They’re overrated!” Taako exclaimed as he huffed and marched towards the stairs.

Lup chuckled as she followed her brother up the stairs to the third floor of the building, where they all were going to be situated. Taako glanced over the floor’s room listing, and turned to face Barry.

“You’re the RA?” He asked, a gleeful smile jumping onto his cheeks.

“Oh, uh, yeah! So, I’ll be the one laying down the rules and-” He was cut off by the elf, who in his excitement, dropped the levitation spell he’d been maintaining, causing his bags to drop to the floor.

“This is perfect! Sorry kemosabe but you’re not going to be able to stop me from doing anything I want!” and with that he was off to his dorm, the second room on the left side of the hall. He poked his head in, seeing a bare living area with a small kitchen area, a door to a bathroom, and two closed bedroom doors.

“Uh, hello?” He called out as he set his two bags on the floor that he ha carried in from the hall. He checked both rooms, and both were empty. Taako grinned as he grabbed his bags and marched into the larger of the two rooms. He got there first, so it was his right to take whichever room he wanted. He was about to start moving his clothes from his luggage into the closet when he heard a sound come from the lobby that he recognized immediately as coming from Carey Fangbattle. He got up and walked back out into the hall to watch what was going on.

“Carey? No way!” His sister’s excited voice came from inside a dorm room with an open door, so he moved to allow himself to look inside.

“I knew this was gonna be fun!” The blue dragonborn looked like she could hardly contain her excitement, her feet stomping on the ground and shaking her hands back and forth.

“How touching.” Taako teased when the two girls hugged, gaining the attention of both women.

“Taako! You’re on this floor too?! We are gonna have the best floor parties!”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Barry grumbled, now leaning on the doorframe of his dorm room which sat at the end of the hall.

Carey looked at him, grinned, and then looked back at Taako. “Like I said, best floor parties, ever!”

Lup waved her hand, and the door of her dorm shut. She stuck her tongue out at her brother as it closed, an he did the same back. As he was turning to go back into his dorm he saw a half elf who he was pretty sure he recognized from high school, but then again he might have been totally wrong. The guy looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and he was wearing a stupid hat with a feather in it, and a he was carrying a single bag of luggage and a carrying case for some kind of instrument. He walked down the hall, and stopped in front of Barry.

“Hey, I’m Barry, guess we’re gonna be roommates!”

“Yeah, cool. I’m Johann. We, uh, we went to highschool together. You know that, right?”

Barry’s rounded cheeks turned a glaring shade of red, a clear indicator that no, he did not know that. “Oh, yeah! I knew you had a familiar face!”

Johann. Was that name familiar? Who cared. Taako was about to slip back into his room when he heard someone call him from across the hall.

“What’s up, flip wiz?” It was Killian, who was leaning against the doorframe of her dorm, her square frame nearly taking up the entire space.

“Flip wizard” was a nickname that Taako had earned somewhere along the way in high school, mainly due to the fact he was very dextrous and incredibly agile.

“Not much, waiting for someone new to come around. Like I get it, you know? A lot of people I know but can’t there be someone I don’t know for a change?” He complained as he turned to face the orc.

Killian shrugged her shoulders. “Beats me, man. Hey, is Maggie here yet? Carey was talking the whole way about how when she saw him she was totally gonna sneak up on him and jump on his back.”

Taako’s ears picked up and a giddy smile drew across his face. “Now that’s something I need to see!”

“Let’s go find him then!” Taako jumped when he heard Carey’s voice come from behind him, and he whipped around as her girlfriend burst out laughing.

“Okay, never do that to me again, you nearly gave me a heart attack!” He shouted, now hearing Lup’s laughter from behind him as well.

The four of them, five once Barry had caught up, all walked their way out to the field after Taako adamantly refused to take the elevator. He’d be damned if he was about to start telling people about the weird dreams he’d been having lately that included elevators and vines. Even more people were milling about now, which would make it difficult to spot even Magnus. Faces were rushing past an not giving anyone enough time to figure out who they belonged to, but Taako managed to pick out a few that stuck out. Two drow who held a parasol over their heads, shielding their sensitive eyes as they rushed towards the eastern dorm building, a young country-looking girl who appeared overwhelmed, a red headed guy carrying too many books for one person to handle scampering towards the western dorm, and one guy who was standing in the middle of the chaos looking stoned out of his mind with his hand half stuck in a pringles can, and then a voice, broad and chesty, cut through the crowd.

“Jules!” The group followed the sturdy figure of Magnus’s girlfriend as she ran towards him and he picked her up and swung her around, nearly taking out the half elf who was standing a little too close. “I’ve missed you!” Magnus exclaimed as he kissed her, and set both of her feet back on the ground.

“Oh, you know I missed you too, big guy.” Julia teased, pressing her finger lightly to the tip of his nose.

“Gotcha!” Carey exclaimed, having successfully snuck up on her friend and jumped onto his back, though amidst the chaos sneaking wasn’t a particularly difficult feat. Magnus laughed, turning his head to look at her.

“Carey! And Killian, and wow, hey you guys!” Magnus waved to his other friends as the dragonborn hopped off his back. As she was walking away Magnus quickly checked his pockets and then grabbed her wrist. “Carey.” He said in a higher tone. “Give it back.” He extended his other hand and watched as Carey put something into his palm. As he brought his hand a little closer to his face in confusion, the small round object exploded into a cloud of smoke, eliciting laughter from the lizard-like woman, who swung around to drop Magnus’s wallet back into his pocket and then off to her girlfriend’s arms.

“You gotta keep your eye on your stuff, Maggie.” She teased, her tail swishing as she nestled herself under Killian’s arm, leaving Magnus and Julia to wave the smoke away.

Taako and Lup were both snickering, and Lup high-fived the dragonborn when she got back to their small friend circle. Lup was about to compliment Carey when she was cut off by a different familiar voice.

“Fellas! Hey fellas!” A dwarf with a short-ish beard (short as far as dwarven beards go) and a prosthetic arm bounded up to them. “Wow, it’s so great to see you all again!”

“Hi Merle.” Taako spoke and waved as Magnus picked up the smaller man and noogied him once the smoke from Carey’s bomb had cleared

“It’s been too long!” He exclaimed, putting him back down.

“I know, I know. I was doing spiritual stuff all summer so my dad took my stone of farspeech away. But hey, I got it back, and hey guess what else! I get to room with Davenport!”

“Oh, that’s great. You two really mesh well, that’s good.” Taako said, brushing his whitish blonde hair over his shoulder.

“I’m pretty psyched, I’ve got Avi and we’re gonna fucking party dudes!” Magnus gave powerful high-fives to both men. “What about you, T? Who are you with?”

The elf shrugged, playing lazily with his wand. “I don’t know, the dorm was empty when I got there, so I got the good bed.”

“You didn’t check the registry?” Merle asked. In all honesty, Taako hadn’t really thought to check the registry, but it wasn’t like he was about to tell anyone that.

“You gotta keep a little mystery going in your life, you know?”

Lup, who had gotten caught up in conversation with Carey, Killian, and Julia, was now tugging at her brother’s sleeve. “Hey, Taako? It looks like we’ve got competition.”

She lead his gaze towards two stunning elves, dressed in gaudy, flashy clothes who were walking in sync with two animated mannequins carrying their luggage for them towards the center of the school yard. Taako, a fire igniting inside of himself, flipped his hair, straightened out his handmade hat, and began strutting with his sister in sync towards the other two.

“Well, I’ve been asking for new faces all day, thank god they were good looking.” Taako started the conversation as he and his sister stopped in front of the two elves. The pair looked at Lup and Taako, looked at each other, and grinned.

“Well I could definitely say the same thing.” The male elf spoke with a smirk drawn across his face. “Your hat is stunning, I have to say.”

Taako winked, pulling it down slightly to show the way the sun bounced off the rim. “Thank you, I made it myself. And honestly? Your shoes? I’m loving them right now.”

“Thank you, they were expensive.” The foursome shared a laugh, and the female elf extended her hand out to Lup.

“I’m Lydia.” She said with a smile.

“Edward.” The male elf introduced himself to Taako.

Lup shook Lydia’s hand, drawing her own smile. “Lup.”

Taako and Edward’s handshake was a it more refined than the girls’ was. “Taako. We sorta know the place, we’ve been here for like an hour, and you two look lost.”

“Well, we’re both set up in the east dorm, the third floor.” Lydia stated, taking her hand back and shifting her weight to one side.

“No shit? So are we. Come on, we already know most of the people on the floor.” Lup said, already walking towards the building with the other three following behind.

“Edward, tell me, are you in room 33?” Taako asked, which made Edward’s ears face upwards more.

“I am, actually. Why do you ask?”

Taako looked relieved, but was also inwardly somewhat upset. He and Lup had to outfab these two new elves, and now he was sharing a room with one of them?

“Oh that’s crazy! We’re totally roommates!” Taako exclaimed, arms raised out to the sky.

“That’s perfect!” Edward proclaimed, following Taako into the dorm room once they had gotten to the floor.

“So, what are you majoring in?” Taako shouted from across the dorm as he and Edward were both setting up their closets in their respective rooms.

“Fashion design, obv. Lydia and I both are. What about you and your sister?”

“Culinary arts for me.” Taako called back. “And my sister is going for mechanical engineering. Oh, hold on bubeleh my sissy wants to talk.” Taako said as he saw his stone of farspeech light up. He picked it off his bedside table, and raised it up. “You’re go for Taako.”

“Meet us back in the courtyard, it’s Raven!”

“Sorry kemosabe, I gotta blink my high school teacher is here for some reason and I gotta get the tea.” And with that Taako casted Blink, shifting him into the ethereal plane where he could move faster to the courtyard, blinking back into the material plane next to his sister. And sure as hell there she stood, Ms. Raven. She was wearing a long black dress that trailed into the grass behind her, a murder of crows sitting upon tree branches all around her, and in front of her a young man who shared her same dark complexion, his face somewhat broad and very, very handsome.

“Taako.” Lup said, waving her hand in front of her brother’s face. “You’re ogling.”

“I’m not!” He protested as he smacked her hands away, watching as Ms. Raven kneeled next to the young man, looked like she whispered something to him, and with a snap was surrounded by black fog and was gone. The young man picked a large bag off of the ground and began walking, looking down at a paper he was holding. Taako straightened his robes off, dusted off his shorts, and walked right up to him.

“Hi there, handsome.” He started, making the man look up. “I’m Taako. I know your mom, she taught me in high school.”

“O-oh, yeah, she taught at Neverwinter High. Uh, I’m Kravitz, it’s nice to meet you.”

Taako grinned, biting his lip as he shook his hand. It was cold, very cold.

“Oh, boy howdy that is a clammy one. No worries! What’s your dorm? I’ll show you around.”

With a blush creeping onto his face, Kravitz cleared his throat. “Uh, the western dorm, fourth floor.”

“Perfect!” Taako clapped his hands together. “It’s over here. Hey Mags?” He called, now shouting to Magnus, interrupting the conversation he was having with Avi. Magnus excused himself and hustle over to the two.

“Hail and well met!” Magnus grinned, holding his hand out to Kravitz. “My name is Magnus, and your mom scares me!”

Kravitz laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he shook hands with Magnus. “Kravitz Raven.” He said, a bit more softer now.

“Maggie he’s sharing a floor with you, I believe. West dorm, fourth floor?” Taako inquired.

“Yeah, that’s us! C’mon bud, we’ll walk you there.”

Kravitz followed the two, Taako smiling at him the whole time.

“And let’s see, looks like this is your room.” Magnus smiled, stopping in front of a dorm, his smile turning down. “Ooh, Taako that’s gotta be awkward.”

Taako looked up and saw what name was labeled next to the door under Kravitz’s, and then he walked out of his room.

“Oh, Sazed, it’s nice to see you.” Taako looked away from him immediately, and Sazed scoffed.

“No it’s not.” He pushed his way past the group, and Taako tensed up, hands curled into fists as his sides.

“I have to go.” Taako blinked back into the ethereal plane and got as far away from Sazed’s dorm as he possibly could until the spell wore off. If his new crush was going to be rooming with his ex-boyfriend, this year was turning out to be a hell of a ride.

#the adventure zone #the adventure zone balance #taz balance #taako #lup #barry bluejeans #magnus burnsides #julia burnsides #carey fangbattle #killian fangbattle #edward taz #lydia taz #edward and lydia #johann taz #avi taz #kravitz #taz sazed #the adventure zone fanfic #taz fanfic

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kuriquinn · 6 years

Text

Telanadas [2/19]

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first chapter

Sakura’s resolve to press on only lasts a half hour, if only because Nature makes a more convincing argument than Comfort. Darkness falls sooner than expected, and they are forced to find shelter.

As the winds grow strong enough to press the travellers up against the sharp, icy façade of the mountain, Sasuke spots a cave almost obscured by rock and snow. Even luckier, it is large enough that all four of them can fit comfortably inside without infringing on each other’s personal space. Having had to sleep crowded against Naruto on at least two occasions lately and subjected to his kicking, Sasuke is more than relieved about this.

Once inside, Kakashi uses his magic to erect a barrier of fire, offering both protection from enemies and the frigid gusts of wind. As the blood flows back into Sasuke’s fingers and toes, the mage conjures a small fire. Meanwhile, Sakura takes on the undesirable job of fashioning a small latrine at the back of the cave.

“That’s all we need is for one of you to wander out to take a crap and fall off the side of a mountain,” she says cheerfully.

Sasuke doubts any of them will make use of such a thing unless they are snowed in here for days. Then again, dwarves and humans have such odd notions of hygiene and propriety he cannot be entirely sure.

While Sasuke lays out their gear and armour to dry near the fire, Naruto digs about in their supplies to put together a warm meal.

Though meal is being polite, Sasuke thinks with a grimace.

“I do not understand how you people can eat this,” he mutters, the complaint escaping him before he can stop it. He was taught to consider food no more than fuel, but after weeks of the same paltry fare he has lost patience. “Do I even want to know what it is?”

“I think it was lamb at some point,” Sakura says, accepting the makeshift bowl of tasteless noodles and jerky from the human. “But the texture…isn’t one I’d normally associate with lamb.”

“Beggars cannot be choosers,” Kakashi replies mildly, shrugging one shoulder.

“What are you guys talking about?” Naruto asks, slurping down his share. “This is so much better than that frilly stuff we had back at the castle! I hate food I can’t pronounce. And this stuff never goes bad. I bet if we packed it away, it’d still be good to eat fifty years from now!”

Sasuke stares at him in disgust. “I cannot even tell if you are joking or not.”

“He is not,” Kakashi confirms, examining what is left of their rations. “I am rather sure these are from supply caches that have not been opened since the Storm Age. They were old before I stole them from the Circle of Magi.”

“And…I’m done,” Sakura says, offering her still-full bowl to Naruto, who cheers and adds the share to his own. Sasuke is tempted to do the same, but as it might be construed as a kindness to the human, he refrains. “What about you, Sasuke-kun? You didn’t eat like this where you grew up, right?”

As always, she is trying to find out more about him.

“No.” He intends to leave it at that, but when she gazes up at him beseechingly, a follow-up question clearly on her lips, he elaborates: “Simple fare. Bread made from seeds. Milk from our halla. Vegetables.”

He tries not to lick his lips at the mere thought of tomatoes. It has been so long since they had a decent meal.

“Halla?” Sakura repeats, confused. “Is that a kind of animal in Oto?”

Sasuke tenses, realising his unconscious slip.

“Not necessarily Oto,” Kakashi answers for him, eyes widening in understanding. “Halla are creatures like horned stags. The Dalish consider them to be noble companions.” He raises an eyebrow. “I had wondered about the markings on your face, Sasuke. They resemble none of the tattoos that the House of Crows use…but I have never seen that particular vallaslin before, either.”

“Dalish?” Naruto asks Sasuke in slack-jawed awe. “Wow, really? Arl Hiruzen used to talk about the Dalish, but I’ve never actually met one before!”

“Your powers of observation are worse than I thought, as you have been travelling with one for weeks now,” Sasuke bites out.

“Oi!”

“What’s vallaslin?” Sakura asks quickly, obviously attempting to curtail an argument.

Sasuke shrugs noncommittally, not wanting to explain.

“It translates to ‘blood writing’, if memory serves,” Kakashi says in his place. “A sign of adulthood, and adherence to the beliefs and traditions of the Dalish. It is surprising that one who submitted to the ritual would then be found working as an assassin for the House of Crows.”

“Chains of a past that no longer exists,” Sasuke interrupts. “I am going to sleep. It has been a long day.”

He turns away from the fire, a clear message that he has no intention of answering any questions or pursuing the discussion further.

He can feel Sakura’s eyes on him, but after a short pause, she suddenly says, “Well, that still sounds a lot better than what happened to me. I got this—” He imagines she is pointing at the rhombus shaped brand on her forehead, “—just for being born in the wrong place.”

“Heh. I understand what that’s like,” Naruto snorts.

“Maybe. Except as far as I know, Konoha doesn’t brand a newborn with a hot poker just because his parents were unwed.”

“What? No way!”

“Uh-huh. The minute a casteless dwarf is born, we get marked, so there’s no way to mistake who we are if the nobles catch us lurking in the richer quarters. Also, it makes it way easier for Carta recruiters to decide which kids they can press-gang into doing their dirty work.”

“Carta—the dwarven crime syndicate?” Kakashi questions, sounding surprised.

Back still turned in a pretence of sleep, Sasuke frowns. He does not find that surprising at all. It certainly explains her occasionally mercenary attitude and her talent for surviving insurmountable odds. The Carta offers about as friendly an upbringing as the Crows do.

“They’re the ones who smuggled lyrium to the Templars,” Naruto whispers, a little uncomfortable. No doubt he had comrades who suffered from that particular addiction. “You were one of them?”

“There wasn’t much choice,” she replies, unembarrassed. “Since the most respectable job for a casteless dwarf is sweeping the streets, and there’s only a few people who even get that job. It’s either work for the Carta or become a noble hunter. And I’d starve to death begging before I got on my back for some jacked-up noble because I might bear him a son.” She sounds abruptly fierce just then. “No disrespect to the women I grew up with who did that—there’d be no dwarves left down there if there were no noble hunters. But I won’t sell my heart for the small chance of pretty clothes and jewels.”

Sasuke snorts at this.

There is that naivety again.

“It seems we are talking too loudly and disturbing the elf’s sleep,” Kakashi remarks wryly, but Sasuke refuses to reply. It is enough that he has been forced by close quarters to listen to this.

Sakura is not so easily fooled; though she does not speak to him, her next words are pointed.

“People should be allowed to love one another without reprisal. Without duty or society or anyone else’s agenda getting in the way,” Sakura says, and her tone has lost all the levity he would normally associate with it. She only sounds like that when defending a cause that she considers worthy.

“You’re right,” Naruto says quickly. “The world would be a much nicer place if that were true.”

“Perhaps some places,” Kakashi says carefully. “Circles of the Magi, for one. But for the good of the many, sometimes the desires of the few need to be set aside. Many a peace accord may never have happened if the belligerents in a conflict did not seal it with a marriage. And our world may have looked much different.”

“Maybe up here on the surface,” Sakura says. “Back in Iwa they’re so obsessed with blood purity that soon there won’t be anyone left to marry, diplomatic or not. If people could choose…if people could choose, Iwa might not be falling into the dust.”

There is sadness and anger in her tone, coupled with the sudden shifting of her body.

“Anyhow. It’s not like any of this matters here and now,” she goes on, and her tone is such an abrupt shift to cheeriness that Sasuke knows it is fake. “We just have to get to that temple and find those ashes to help Arl Hiruzen.”

“That is assuming they do exist,” Kakashi says reasonably. “This ‘Urn of Sacred Ashes’ could be nothing more than a rumour. Or a hoax.”

“You couldn’t have said something before we climbed half a mountain to get here?” Sakura jokes lightly. “Shannaro…”

“No, it’s real,” Naruto insists, faithful Templar even now. “Just wait, we’ll get those ashes back to him and he’ll be kicking down Danzō’s door in no time—believe it!”

The dwarf is not the only naïve one.

“I’m sure you’re right, Naruto,” Sakura says warmly. “But in order to get up there, we need to be at full strength. Which means sleep. I can take first watch if you want.”

“No, you’ve been pushing yourself pretty hard the last few days, Sakura. Take a break. Kakashi and I can keep a lookout since someone’s being a lazy arse.”

The recipient of the barb rolls his eyes.

“Naruto,” Sakura warns.

“Yeah, yeah…”

“Go on, Sakura, he is right. You are no good to your cause if you pass out and freeze to death in the snow,” Kakashi coaxes.

“Hah! Like I’d let that happen!” Naruto scoffs.

“Well, thank you guys. I guess I can take an hour—but I will take second watch at least.”

That is what you think, Sasuke decides.

Annoying as the humans are, they are correct. Sakura is no good to them dead from exhaustion. Especially since Sasuke has thrown his lot in with her, he intends to keep her alive until he figures her out.

It should not be an issue to take the next watch.

There is a sound of shifting armour and the rustling of a camp bed, and he imagines Sakura has indeed turned in for the night. Kakashi and Naruto murmur to each other quietly, not wanting to disturb her; Sasuke is not so lucky, his ears picking up even the quietest whispers.

“I’m actually just as tired,” Naruto groans. “I’ll play you for first watch, if you promise not to cheat.”

“No, you go ahead and sleep. I’ll stay up and read for a little.”

“Ugh…just make sure you ‘read’ far away from my blanket.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. You mages are all perverts…”

Sasuke silently agrees.

After that, everything goes quiet (or as quiet as they can with Naruto’s snores). Sasuke allows himself to sink into a light sleep for a few hours, but when his ears pick up on Kakashi shifting in discomfort, he rouses himself. The older man has an odd propensity to take longer watches than he ought, to let everyone else rest. This makes no sense considering Sasuke does not need as much sleep as anyone else in the party. Sakura would say it is because Kakashi is an old mother hen at heart, but Sasuke is not sure. He does not trust humans, and mages even less, even when they do not wear masks to cover all but the eyes, the way Kakashi does.

With a stretch, Sasuke climbs out of his bedroll. He heads for the mouth of the cave to take a piss, then goes to sit beside the mage.

“I will take the watch until morning,” he murmurs. “You people are no use to me dead on your feet.”

“I sense there was concern in there somewhere behind all the stoic,” Kakashi remarks.

“Tch.”

“I’m serious, Sasuke. You are so tightly wound, it cannot be good for you. You know what would do you some good?”

“I suspect you are about to tell me.”

“If you went out some time, found a girl, and did naughty things with her that did not involve trousers,” the mage continues as if he hasn’t heard him. “If you are in the market, I know of at least one who is definitely interested.”

The way his eyes slide toward where Sakura is sleeping, albeit fitfully, leaves no question to whom he is referring.

“Len’alas lath’din,” Sasuke grumbles, turning away in contempt.

“Now, now, that is not very polite,” the mage says, more amused than offended. And it should not surprise Sasuke that the older man knows Elvish, especially given his remarks earlier about blood writing. No doubt he has read about it in his studies, locked away in one of those shemlen towers.

He honestly has no intention of replying, but Kakashi continues to look more amused than he should. It reminds Sasuke a little of the teasing his cousin Shisui used to subject him to, and now, as then, his pride does not allow him to let it go.

“What makes you think I have not already?” he hedges.

Kakashi chuckles. “I can smell purity a mile away. It is a talent.”

“That proves to be useful, I am sure.”

“Not that often, as it turns out. It would be much better if I could sense Templars. It might make them easier to avoid.”

Sasuke snorts. “You have my deepest condolences.”

“Heh. Likewise.” Kakashi puts away his well-worn, orange-covered book. “And so does she.”

The comment has Sasuke puzzling over it longer than he will admit.

When he gets it, he wonders if it is too late to hit the older man.

Translations:

Halla – type of horned stag, used by the Dalish to pull their landships

Vallaslin – intricate facial tattoos worn by adult clan members of the Dalish elf tribes

Arl – feudal title; rules over an arling

Lyrium – valuable mineral/material whose consumption can strengthen a mage and boost their mana

Len’alas lath’din - dirty child no one loves; Dalish insult

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maedarakat · 7 years

Text

Fic: The Sharpest Smiles

Summary: Ruffnut has a list of problems so long she can't even keep track, and one of them is related to her and her brother.

----

They were five years old when they met Aunt Hazelnut’s son for the first time, a taller boy with long hair that hung in his eyes. He was just a year older than them and he had an unnerving grin when he glanced at her and her brother.

It was probably supposed to be friendly, her brother would say later. Tuff liked to give people more chances than Ruffnut did, especially if they were family.

Ruff liked to give family member chances too, but they just kept doing this annoying thing where they proved themselves untrustworthy and completely awful.

That grin for instance? That wasn't a nice or friendly grin. It was an appraising one, a calculating one.

The grin of a fox who'd just spotted an unlatched chicken coop.

There were enough crooks and pirates in their big family for her to have noticed it all on her own. Those same people - uncles, aunts, older cousins - had cared enough to make damn sure she could spot a creep like that from yards away.

It was an education she would come to value in time.

------

Gruffnut could con her brother out of his own shadow, it seemed.

One would almost think it was beneath him, taking advantage of the boy’s goodwill and trust like he was. Yet, if any shame ever was directed at Gruffnut, it certainly had no effect. He just kept on doing it, regardless of consequence.

For instance, if the ill-tempered hungover wastrel sack who claimed to have sired them gave Tuff money to buy him a cask of ale? It made no never-mind to Gruffnut if his cousin would be beaten later for 'losing' it.

This particular time, all he had to do was tell Tuffnut his dad would thrash him even harder if he missed such an easy opportunity to 'double' his father's cash.

To the surprise of no-one but Tuff, it was the same result as last year; Gruffnut was unexpectedly gone by sundown. And Ruff had to sit downstairs by the fire while her brother wailed and pleaded how sorry he was over the sound of their father's belt.

She had to do something other than let this go on, especially after no adult seemed interested in interfering. Aunt Hazelnut was the worst of them all; her plump cheery face glowing as she waved responsibility off her boy's shoulders.

"If someone's dumb enough to believe him, that's their fault for being fooled."

Defeated, Ruff had gone up to their room afterwards with a pot of their mother’s salve, to do what she could for her twin. Hands shaking, she nearly dropped the ointment while opening it as her eyes catalogued the damage.

His welts were vivid and dark - an unpleasant purplish red against pale skin. Ruffnut saw Tuff’s clothing, torn and crumpled aside on the floor. As always, their father had put a careless amount of force into both stripping and beating him.

Ruff cursed their cousin for every weal she coated in salve, for every hoarse sob that Tuff couldn't hold back whenever she touched him.

Afterwards, she lied down next to her brother, fingers gently carding through his hair. He hitched and whined at that, curling closer to hide his face in her shoulder. Eventually she drifted off, though her sleep was interrupted every so often by a low sob or whimper as Tuff shifted his hips on the bed.

If she'd only just been a little ruder to their cousin, Ruff thought, maybe she could have stopped it from happening. She'd been too nice so far.

She had to fix that.

-----

Gruffnut showed up two years later, in the middle of winter and Snoggletogg instead of his usual time in autumn. Deceit and flattery oozed from his mouth like a wound, and for some reason every adult lapped it up as though it were honey.

Ruffnut fumed, tasting only vinegar, especially when Tuff (hiding slightly behind her at their cousin's unexpected arrival) seemed to warm up to him.

She was nine, the family was low on cash and food, everyone was hungry but trying to make the best of things . . . and here was this lying son of a jackal, doing absolutely nothing in return for all the food he was stuffing in his face.

Up until that year, Gruffnut had always ignored her, preying on her impressionable brother's naïveté instead.

That changed the year she caught him alone with her twin, trying to divulge him of his new dragon-tooth necklace.

A surge of pride and relief went through her heart as Tuff refused, shaking his head. He apologized, but despite Gruff's entreaties, stood firm.

"I can make one for you next year, if I kill a Terror," Tuffnut assured him, fiddling with the tooth. "The teeth are small, but really cool. But . . . I like this one. It looks exactly like Ruff's and our uncle said it came from the same dragon that he killed."

Finally, he was sticking up for himself.

Gruffnut face had gone a little cold. His sudden smile didn't make it any better.

"Hey, look, it's just a dragon tooth. Do you know how easy those things are to kill? I kill at least three a day out there while traveling. You know, it's a shame. If you had just given that to me, I would have brought you back a whole dragon skull, with horns attached. Could've had a really nice helmet."

Tuffnut winced, and then caught sight of his sister as she stepped around the trees that were shielding her. He looked to her for support. She folded her arms and looked evenly back at him - sternly encouraging, but definitely on his side.

"No, cousin. I'm sorry. Thanks for the offer. I think you deserve an awesome dragon-skull-helmet more anyway."

Gruffnut said nothing. Tuffnut took that as his cue to walk closer to Ruff. She took her twin's hand.

"Bye, cousin Gruffnut," she said. It was always good to be ladylike, especially to people who didn't deserve it. Her own mother had said so. "Have a safe trip to wherever you're going."

They headed back to the house but didn't get far before something dark and heavy collided with her brother's head, crumpling him. Ruff saw red on his skull, staining his hair and face and the surface of a fist-sized rock laying in the grass.

Tuff’s eyes were squeezed shut, mouth open in a scream, too breathless with pain to vocalize it.

"Wow, weird. That rock just came out of nowhere," Gruffnut shrugged. He smirked at her as she looked up.

There was a scream after that, a primal one that sent several adults running to its source.

Her strongest uncle managed to pull her off Gruffnut, but it was nevertheless a chore separating her teeth from the boy’s ear, and handfuls of his bloody hair from her clenched fists.

“I hate you! And I also curse you forever and ever! May Odin twist every path you walk on, may Loki send trolls to gnaw your bones and dragons to burn the flesh off your stupid ugly butt-elf face --”

There was a harsh slap to her cheek. Ruffnut glowered at Aunt Hazelnut’s red face, but she bit her tongue.

"My girl," the woman scolded, mopping at her own sweating face. "You watch that mouth of yours and the harm it does to your own kin! You've bit him bloody, I'll not have you wishing such horror on him! He's all I have since his father died!"

This ended in a sniffle, then a wail, and Aunt Hazelnut was swept away into the comforting arms of other female kin.

Oh, gods . . .

Ruff ran to her brother, who lay ignored and still curled over on the ground, the right half his face streaked with tears and blood. It was all coming from his scalp, where the rock had torn flesh. Scalp wounds bled ridiculously long, but at least he wouldn't need stitches.

She looked up defiantly at the next adult who approached them, but it was only their mother, Madge. She knelt by Tuffnut, looking over the damage.

"Come on, boyo, let's get you cleaned up. You're both to take supper in your room."

"But Mom-" Ruff argued, beseechingly.

"What, you want to stay downstairs? Listening to all that?" She jerked a thumb behind her shoulder, where Aunt Hazelnut and Gruffnut both had a seemingly endless supply of tears and shoulders to cry on. Ruff rolled her eyes when she heard him carrying on about never having known his father.

"Best thing is for you two to lay low and let everyone be cold to you in the morning before they leave. They've got an entire year to get over it.”

Their mother only ever made sense, and even if she didn't approve of Ruff's unladylike actions, they were still Vikings. They were still young and learning.

And sometimes learning involved unleashing absolute hell on a bully.

----

Gruffnut apparently recovered fastest, showing up halfway through an early summer wedding between a Nutt and a Hofferson.

With the exception of Astrid (home with the measles, poor thing) Gruff charmed a few of the Hoffersons as well as his own family. And yet again - despite the fact Tuff couldn't see too well out of his right eye anymore - her brother was aching for a chance to make amends with his cousin.

For her part, Ruff refused to let Tuffnut out of her sight, glaring at their cousin the whole time. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest as she followed the group and her brother to some swimming hole on the island.

As Ruff glared at the back of her cousin's head, Tuffnut prattled on about some awesome dragon slaying he'd witnessed last week from their bedroom window (He'd cried the whole time, actually, hiding his face against Ruff’s shoulder, then made her promise to never tell).

Gruff was only half listening, grunting with interest to everything Tuff said without distinction. He was walking towards the sinking golden sun, surrounded by light as though he were some Baldur-blessed hero. It was unfair, how he could look so worthy, when he wasn't.

While Tuff was yapping obliviously at his heels, Gruffnut turned to look at Ruffnut appraisingly. She couldn't help but glare and curl her lip up a little.

As the others stripped down to their underthings to swim, Ruff reluctantly joined them and pulled off her tunic. She left her leggings on only, not yet having any chest to speak of, and waded into the water.

A form broke the surface unexpectedly and Gruffnut was rising before her like a demented nokken, wrapping her up in a wet hug.

"There's my favorite cousin!" he smiled. "How've you been, Ruff?"

He was rubbing her back, making her skin creep. "Hands off, cousin," she spat, shoving at him. Gruff yelped as he almost slipped.

"Hey, careful, its mossy over here. Wouldn't want you to slip." He gallantly offered his hand, with a charming smile, to lead her safely into the creek.

When she refused to take it, he moved closer and pulled her into the water by her hips. She tensed, ready to hit him, not knowing why she had frozen up.

"I've been thinking of you, Ruffnut. Even after you hit and bit me. You know, I guess I deserved some of that. Not all of it, but maybe just a tiny bit. I've always said you were the better twin anyway, so I guess I can forgive you."

"Huh. Not sure I can say the same about you," she replied coolly. "You know, Tuffnut can't see that well out of his right eye, ever since I had to kick your quote, 'deserving' ass."

Gruff didn't even acknowledge that. "You know, I like summer. It's hot, so you get to go swimming." He leered at her. "And pretty girls wear a lot less, so you get to see even more of them."

Ruff wrapped her arms around her bare torso, uncomfortable and suddenly wanting her shirt back on.

She was saved when the ball of pure energy and joy known as her brother slammed into her cousin, knocking him into the water. Tuff had tackled Gruff, spreading a game the others had started. Now Gruff was expected to tackle someone else – at least once he resurfaced.

Ruff scrambled away up the bank, snatching up her boots and tunic and fleeing.

She was curled up in a trampled nest of blue forget-me-nots when Tuff finally found her, and she couldn't stop crying. It wasn't until her brother asked her what had happened that she realized why she felt so helpless.

Nobody was going to believe her if she did tell them. Certainly not her family, not even Tuff. Gruffnut would twist her words, make her look crazy and perverted. She couldn't tell anyone and it was going to get worse.

Her cousin had given her a choice; tell and be called a liar and hated even more, or let him do anything he wanted and suffer in silence.

She sobbed out loud and hid her face in Tuff's shoulder. He said nothing, just held her for a while. An hour later, he helped her tie back her hair and carried her boots as they walked back to the wedding revelries.

Ruff didn't see Gruff or her brother for the rest of the night, but Tuff managed to get her a seat next to the fire beside the Hofferson groom's sister. The young woman’s name was Selene and she looked like an older Astrid (though she was way nicer). Ruff found her company soothing, even though she wished she knew where Tuff had snuck off to.

During all the drunken and long-winded toasts, Selene gently combed Ruffnut’s hair and intricately braided it. Plus, thanks to her prime seating, she was allowed every delicacy and dessert that was passed around to the groom's family.

As they prepared to journey home, Tuffnut came out of nowhere - eye blackened and lip split, but grinning. He hugged her tightly despite her squawks of alarm.

"Whatever Gruff said to get you so upset is over, okay? He said to tell you he was sorry and he won't ever do whatever it was again. So now we can all be close and have fun again?”

She tried not to make a face at the hopeful plea in his tone.

"Then why did he hit you?"

"Oh this?" Tuff looked embarrassed. "After we talked, we rough-housed a little. He wanted to see how hard I could hit him, and then he showed me how hard he could hit me. I think the bruise I left on him is way bigger, though it'll be gone before I can see it."

Ruff frowned. She was only ten, but it didn't sound right. Actually, what it did sound like was a message.

Hurt me? Then I'll hurt him.

-----

It really only ever went downhill from there.

Gruff's demands were silent, murky, and unclear - but Tuff paid the price at every refraction. The more she built herself up to ignore his awkward and fumbling advances, (was he actually serious, or just messing with her head?!) the more he tore her brother down.

Not even physically so much as mentally.

He was worthless compared to Gruffnut. His father didn't really like him, but liked Ruff better. It wasn't because they were poor that the twins had to share one of everything; it was because one of them wasn't even wanted. Guess who wasn't?

Ruff was the important twin, Gruff would tell her brother out of earshot. She would be so much happier without him, especially when she got married and moved away. Tuffnut was bogging her down, keeping her back. And everyone knew it but him. So sad . . .

It took at least a year and a half to realize why her brother was suddenly so standoffish and rude to her. Why he grabbed things out of her hands instead of just asked for them. Why they fought so much. Why he called her names or insulted her or had the odd angry outburst, sounding on the verge of tears each time.

"I'm worth nothing without you, so that's why I always have to follow you around!" Tuff had snapped on one such occasion. He'd wiped at his eyes furiously, hiding behind his hair and claiming they were irritated by pollen.

“It's not like - it's not like I wanted to be stuck with you either,” he hitched, almost too low for her to hear.

She could hear him crying that night in his bed, as much as he tried to muffle himself. He choked and sputtered a feeble protest when Ruffnut climbed into his bed and curled around him, but he didn't push her away.

She stopped letting him go anywhere by himself, especially when Gruffnut was around.

Tuffnut still clung to their cousin's every word, every backhanded compliment was like a nugget of found gold. Every story was true, everything Gruff did was right and if Tuff didn't like it, that was his own fault wasn't it?

“Lay off of him,” Ruff hissed, the next time she caught Gruffnut alone.

“Why? Can't you see how happy he is? I'm giving him exactly what he thinks he wants.”

“In return for what?” she snorted. “No scratch that. You’re messing with my brother’s head and I don't care why. Because you're going to leave him alone.”

“Oh, okay. You mean give him the silent treatment? Show up, not talk to him, act as though he doesn't exist . . . I can just see his devastated little face. I wonder what he'll think when I tell him it was just a prank you and I were playing on him.”

Gruff feigned a convincing distressed face, and put a hand sheepishly on the back of his neck. “Gee, I feel so terrible. I thought we were all having fun, I had no idea how much it would hurt him.”

Face white with impotent fury, Ruff bit the insides of her cheeks and said nothing.

“Your brother’s actually a lot like a dog, Ruffnut. He doesn't believe I'd ever hurt him, because he doesn't want to believe it. So all you're really doing by ‘warning’ him about me, is more harm than good. Even if it's not real, can't you just let him have the illusion of a doting heroic cousin who loves him? Or are you just too selfish for that?”

He'd trained her brother very well. He was starting to figure out ways to train her.

She didn't know how to undo it herself, but she had to get Gruffnut to stop.

-----

"Come on, you can do better than that!"

Gruff ducked into Tuff's blind spot (Ruff wished she'd never told him about his eye) and slammed a fist into her brother's kidney, sending him down hard.

"Still can't take me, huh? It's no surprise, but I'd thought you'd at least be better than last year." Gruff moved into stomp on Tuffs hand, but he rolled away in time and staggered to his feet.

Ruff watched, digging her fingers into the flesh of her arms. She would have intervened by now, but Tuffnut had long ago been shamed into insisting against it. Though heartsick, Ruffnut no longer wanted to fight with him about it.

It wasn't much better than watching their cousin beat her brother. Gruffnut wasn't pulling his punches. Her brother - who still saw him as friend and family - was.

It wasn't fair.

Gruff ended the fight as he always did, pinning Tuff on his back and punching him across the face. Tuffnut grunted, but this time Gruffnut didn't stop after one.

Ruffnut clenched her fists as he struck Tuff in the face, chest, stomach - harder each time until her brother started to whimper and then wail in protest, putting up his arms to shield his head.

They were both fifteen - it wasn't hard to get her twin to still openly cry in front of her, but it took a lot of pain before he would cry in front of another man.

Gruffnut looked at her as he caught Tuff's flailing wrists and pinned them over his head. He grinned at Ruff before looking down at Tuffnut, who was shivering. Then he hit him again, this time a backhanded slap hard enough to make her ears ring.

"AAAAGH, please!" Tuff wailed. "Ow, ow, ow, stop! You win, I'm sorry, you win-!"

Gruff laughed unkindly. "Wow, really - you're begging? I've been beaten up worse than this, but I never begged. And after one little slap? Maybe I just need to toughen you up some more."

Gruffnut raised his fist again, making Tuff flinch and try to hide his face. It didn't work and another series of punishing blows had him pleading all over again, openly sobbing.

She didn't understand. He'd won. He'd gotten her to just stand there and watch helplessly as he tormented her brother, because otherwise she would only make it worse. Why was he continuing? What did he want? Was it death, perhaps?

"Pathetic," Gruff chuckled, sounding almost fond. Humiliated, Tuffnut stopped fighting after that, just hitching and trembling.

Ruffnut felt a scream bubbling up inside her and didn't move, because she knew if she interfered, there likely would be an actual murder. Which . . . really didn't seem so bad, as Tuff’s eyes rolled up into unconsciousness.

She had never killed anyone. Ruff didn't even know if she could, but the knife in her boot was in her hand now, and then Gruff was suddenly on his back, blade’s edge pressing hard against his throat.

Tuff was a pile of golden hair, blood, and shuddering breaths behind her, but his sister was all teeth and claws, which she dug - very painfully - into Gruffnut's shoulder. She leaned over to grin in his face.

"Hey, cousin. Hi. Do you know how hard it is to remind myself right now that you're family?" Her bright grin was unnerving enough to make Gruffnut's eyes widen a bit.

"Whoa there. Do you know how crazy everyone will think you are if you actually harm me? Especially after you attacked me last time?"

"Oh, I already figured that. Thing is, I'm . . . yeah, I think I’m okay with being the crazy one. You gotta admit, you pushed me there and now . . . Here we are!”

“Really? You're okay with going to jail after they find my poor mangled body in the woods?”

“See, that really depends on if they do find a body. I mean, look where we are! Middle of the woods, wild untamed dragons and boars on the loose. Anything could happen to a freshly slaughtered corpse out here. Dragons can eat the meaty bits, boars will chew up bones and marrow, packrats hide all the small things - like finger bones and cartilage - in their burrows. I'll be surprised if any proof you ever existed shows up by the end of the day. Gotta love Berk . . . it's not for the faint of heart. You live well here, or die horribly.

"I guess the real question is whether you don't mind being the dead one. Think anyone will even bother looking? I mean, you were just leaving weren't you? For parts unknown and ucharted? Mommy’s brave, adventurous little boy!” She cooed, voice going an octave too high and ending on a discordant note.

The knife glinted and made a curious little scrape across his throat. Gruffnut laughed a little unsteadily, and she couldn't tell if it was because he was frightened. "Well, Ruff, you totally proved your point. I guess I will be leaving now. See you next year?"

"If your skull sticks around, sure. I'll nail it to that tree over there and visit you from time to time. We can have some yak dung tea, some cakes . . . Hey do you think your helmet would still look good on your skull? Or should I make you a festive hat out of something’s entrails?”

She didn't let him up, but Gruffnut scrabbled away and to his feet. Ruff got up with more grace than she thought possible, and kept walking towards him.

Gruff shouldered his pack and hurried through the undergrowth, heading for the dock where he could set sail. He kept looking over his shoulder nervously.

She followed him for a while, knife still in hand, not saying a word. Just grinning, showing all her teeth, head tilted a bit to one side. Gruffnut started walking faster. She didn't turn back until he'd started running as fast as his legs could carry him.

When she came back to her brother, he was sitting up and curled over, swollen face in his hands. Ruff kneeled down, wrapping her arms around him. Tuff leaned into the embrace briefly, then pulled away, ashamed.

"Is he . . . Did he leave? What happened? Did I pass out?"

"He knocked you unconscious, bro. He's a jerk."

"Don't say that. He was just teaching me how to live up to my name. You know . . ." Self-consciously, he started wiping at his face and eyes. "C-Can you do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"Can you just . . . Can you hit me more from now on? Really hard, so I get used to it? I don't want to beg ever again. It's . . . cowardly."

Fuck. She wished she was crazy enough to have actually done it and killed Gruffnut. It was good she had convinced him to run off, but that wouldn't keep Gruff away forever. Ruffnut didn't answer Tuff's question, instead helping him up to his feet.

"You won't have to beg again. Gruffnut and I . . . we actually talked before he had to leave. Seems since he's so strong, the next time he wants to fight both of us at the same time."

"Wait, really? I guess that makes sense. He did say he had the strength of several men. I certainly can vouch for that.”

"Right? I bet I could even rope our cousin Lars into helping. He'd get a nice workout and we could all share our glorious bruises."

Tuff managed a grin. "I think he'd really like that. Maybe you and I could spar sometimes. To practice."

"Yeah," Ruffnut replied, smiling. "Of course. We’ll toughen each other up and then we'll be ready to help Gruff toughen up. But first, lets go home and eat, huh? I'm starving.”

She put his arm over her shoulders to help him walk.

If Gruffnut ever showed his face on Berk again, he'd live just long enough to regret it. Thankfully, it would be three years before she had to deal with him again.

-----

She hadn't quite managed to keep that vow, but Ruff figured she'd done a fair enough job.

The tea was cool enough to drink now, and she brought both mugs over to Tuff’s bed, sitting beside him as he softly preened Chicken’s feathers.

Hiccup had put him on bedrest for the next few days, after he and Heather relocated Tuff’s hips, shoulder and ankles. The big bump on his head was worrying too, but Heather assured them all he didn't have a concussion. He just needed some sleep and relaxation.

Ruffnut was no medic, but she failed to see how one of her mother’s herbal teas could hurt things. It would bring down the swelling, if anything.

Her own wrist was wrapped up in an ice-cooled bandage. Just in case, Heather had said, though she'd found no breaks. (Honestly who knew the girl could be so motherly? What was next, Dagur coming over to ‘dad-friend’ at them?)

“You okay, sis?” Tuff asked, for probably the hundredth time. He didn’t look at her, probably because his eyes kept wandering guiltily to her wrist.

Her brother was unbelievable; here he was, lying bedridden with bruises slowly appearing all over his body and face like some awful map, and yet worried about her.

Ruff didn't really mind it though. In fact she loved that he'd solidly kicked Gruffnut’s ass to the curb to save her and their dragon. He seemed better, happier, finally off the Gruffnut train.

And if he wasn't, well nobody had to tell her brother that the island they'd dropped their cousin off on was now full of migrating Changewings.

Some time ago, Hiccup had mentioned to her in passing which islands they tended to hop this time of year.

She hadn't mentioned to Hiccup which island they'd dropped Gruff on for the next few nights.

If he was somehow still there when she flew overhead, she'd take care of it.

Ruff handed a mug to her twin, and took a deep satisfied sip from her own.

“Yeah, I'm okay. Never been better.”

End

#ruffnut #tuffnut #rtte #gruffnut is gross and he deserves what he gets

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