fictional-character-whore

You stared at the screen for a few seconds. You were wide awake, and you definitely didn’t have the energy to start on your own work.

You giggled at your own message before hitting send.

YOU: I sold it oops

The reply came before you could even exit the app.

UNKNOWN: stop fucking around man im not in the mood

YOU: I dont think this is the right number lol

A minute passed with the typing bubbles flickering on and off a couple times.

UNKNOWN: the fuck

YOU: If ur stuck on his class just check the 2022 archive

There was no response after that. You eventually drifted off to sleep, figuring that was the end of a weird interaction.

Four days passed, and you completely forgot about the random text until friday when you received a notification from the same number.

UNKNOWN: it worked

You blinked at the message, trying to remember who it even was.

YOU: Yeah

UNKNOWN: howd you know about that

YOU: I saw his desktop open with that site and took my chances

UNKNOWN: youre actually not michael?

YOU: No im pretty sure im not a guy

You thought the conversation would end there, but about ten minutes later, you got another text.

UNKNOWN: any other shortcuts u know about

YOU: Maybe

Over the next two weeks, the texts became a weird regular thing. It wasn’t a constant back and forth, but it turned into a daily routine.

You’d get a text in the middle of the afternoon about whatever, or you’d send a quick message about random things in your life.

You didn’t know each other. There was no pressure. You didn't have to put on a performance to try to impress whoever it was you were talking to.

UNKNOWN: what were u saying

UNKNOWN: just got to the gym

YOU: Tf didnt you just leave ur room

UNKNOWN: yeah

YOU: Is the gym right next to ur house or smth

UNKNOWN: the gyms downstairs

YOU: Oh you live in an apartment??

UNKNOWN: no

UNKNOWN: i have a gym in my house dumbass

YOU: Oh!!!!!

YOU: Different tax bracket

UNKNOWN: funny

You found yourself looking forward to those short, blunt messages. He was definitely arrogant, but he was always honest and that pulled you in.

By the third week, the conversations started stretching later into the night. You’d be lying in bed, messaging your friends, and a text would pop up at 1 AM.

👻: why the fuck are you awake

YOU: Im readingg

YOU: why are YOU awake

👻: driving

YOU: Ur gonna die

YOU: Get off ur phone

👻: you sound like my dad

👻: hes the reason im driving

YOU: Shit is he at the hospital??

👻: no im clearing my head

YOU: Oh

YOU: You okay?

👻: family dinner was so fucking annoying

👻: just micromanaging my schedule like im some kid

YOU: I feel that, my parents keep controlling my life its so stupid

👻: exactly its pathetic

👻: honestly its weird talking to you

You: Ok whyd i catch a stray hello

👻: no i mean its off talking to someone who isnt trying to get something out of me

YOU: Idek who u are so theres nothing to get

👻: keep it that way

Then during one morning, you walked into the lecture hall for Professor Davis’s class.

The room was already buzzing with students and you took your usual seat next to Tanselle who was busy drawing sketches on her paper.

“Did you finish the reading he gave last week?” Tanselle asked, not looking up from her page.

“Barely,” you muttered, pulling your laptop out of your bag. “I read like two pages.”

Down in the fourth row, right near the aisle, Aerion Targaryen was slouched back in his seat. He had his dark leather jacket slung over the back of his chair and was surrounded by his usual crowd.

One of them said something, and Aerion let out a short laugh. The guy looked around the group with triumph all over his face, proud that he managed to impress Aerion.

Just then, your professor began talking and it didn't take long for you to lose focus.

Bored out of your mind as Professor Davis started droning on about the text you guys were supposed to read, you pulled your phone out under the desk.

YOU: Im bored entertain me

You hit send.

You kept your eyes on your screen, but then out of habit, your gaze drifted back down toward the front of the room.

Down in row four, you watched Aerion reach into his pocket. He pulled out his phone, a small smirk tugging on the corner of his lip.

His jaw set as he read something, and his thumbs immediately typed out a fast response before he shoved the phone face down on his desk.

Your phone vibrated in your palm.

👻: go entertain yourself

Your breath hitched. You stared at the screen, your heart doing a weird thud against your ribs.

No way, you thought. The lecture hall is massive. At least forty people were on their phones. It’s a coincidence.

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard. You needed to be absolutely sure. You typed out a reply, keeping your eyes glued directly on the back of his silver head.

YOU: Ok unkind

YOU: So ur actually paying attention to class?

The exact moment your text delivered, you watched as Aerion’s head tilted down. He picked his phone back up, scoffing under his breath. His thumbs moved around the screen, typing quickly.

Buzz.

👻: no im looking at my phone because a dumbass is texting me

A cold wave of panic hit you.

Your eyes darted from the screen to the back of his leather jacket. Your mind was short-circuiting, trying to connect the dots.

Aerion Targaryen.

Aerion Targaryen who had a reputation for being, well, himself— was the exact same person who had been texting you until midnight.

You spent the remaining minutes of that lecture staring into the wall. Every time Aerion shifted, your eyes snapped straight to him.

When the bell finally rang, the sudden noise of chairs scraping against the floor made you jump.

“Thank god,” Tanselle muttered, slamming her notebook shut. “You coming to the library?”

“I don’t think so,” you replied after a beat, shoving your things into your bag.

At the front, Aerion was already walking. One of the guys threw an arm over his shoulder and Aerion swatted him off with a grin.

He didn’t look back once. He had absolutely no idea.

For the next three days, every time your phone buzzed, your stomach did a flip. You knew exactly who was on the other side of the screen now, while he remained clueless.

During a late saturday night, you were eating with your friends when your screen lit up.

👻: this movies terrible

👻: why would you recommend this

You stared at the text. Knowing it was Aerion, reading the texts felt completely surreal.

YOU: Ok my bad ill just die

YOU: Its good tho idk what ur on

👻: its not

You: Lol turn it off then

👻: im already an hour in

👻: wouldnt wanna hurt your feelings

YOU: Aww how sweet

YOU: Stubborn bitch…

You bit your lip as you sent the second message. No one would dare to call him that in person, it was thrilling.

👻: lmao

👻: what are you doing anyway

YOU: Eating cheesecake

YOU: Wait have u done the assignment due next week

👻: nah im dreading the partner assignment on monday

👻: if i get paired with one of the idiots im doing it alone

You swallowed hard, grabbing your glass to drink the strain away.

YOU: Maybe youll get someone decent

👻: doubt it

You closed your phone and pressed it onto your chest. He was so different in real life.

When monday came, the room was silenced as Professor Davis tapped his microphone, turning on the massive projector behind him.

“Alright, I’ve randomized the pairings for the research,” he announced. “Check the board, find your partner, and spend the rest of the period discussing with them.”

Your eyes scanned the list, stopping as you found your name near the center column.

Your lungs locked up.

Aerion Targaryen was written right next to it.

“Oh, jeez,” Tanselle said, looking at you with worry. “You got Aerion… Good luck babe.”

Down in row four, Aerion didn’t even bother looking back to find his partner. He simply opened his laptop, ignoring the rest of the room while his friends started moving around. He clearly expected whoever his partner was to come to him.

You took in a deep breath, grabbing your bag.

Walking down the steps felt like walking a plank. As you got closer to his seat, a couple of his friends looked up at you. One of them nudged the guy next to him to clear a seat for you, leaving an empty chair next to Aerion.

You gave them a light smile before sliding into the seat, setting your laptop on the desk. Up close, he smelled like expensive cologne and musk.

“You’re my partner?” he asked, his voice a careless drawl. He still didn’t look at you, opening a blank document.

“Yeah.” You kept your voice as even as possible.

“Type in your email,” he said, turning the laptop just an inch so you could see the screen. “I’ll do the body and everything else. You do the outline and introduction.”

You blinked at him, the contrast hitting you like a physical punch. No jokes, no banter, no casualty.

You were aware he had a reputation for being a ‘womanizer.’ So why was he so cold to you?

“Okay,” you mumbled as you awkwardly reached out to type in your email.

He didn’t say another word to you for the rest of the hour. You sat right next to him, occasionally looking at the side of his sharp profile, realizing this was the same guy who had texted you about the miserable movie you recommended to him just two nights ago.

By 10 PM that same day, you were sitting on your bed, staring at the shared Google Docs. He had already finished his sections before you did.

Your phone buzzed on your blanket.

👻: just wrapped up that history project early so i dont have to deal with it later

You read his message, a sour feeling building up in your chest. You picked it up, your expression hardening.

YOU: Lucky, im still doing mine

You lied.

👻: thats sad

Chewing on your inner cheek, your thumbs moved before you could stop.

YOU: Hows ur partner

The typing bubbles appeared immediately.

👻: its some girl in my section i didnt pay attention

👻: she didnt mess anything up, shes whatever

She’s whatever.

Your eyes fixed on his message until they blurred. You had spent weeks listening to him, laughing at his texts, sharing personal concerns to each other—and yet in real life, you were just a boring, insignificant whatever to him.

The irritation flared up. You tossed your laptop onto your bedside table and sat back against the headboard of your bed.

YOU: Cool

A minute passed without a response.

👻: just cool?

YOU: Yeah

👻: youre acting weird

You left the text on read. Not like it mattered, his read receipts were off. Throwing the phone somewhere in your bed, you didn’t reply.

For the next few days, you struggled returning to how you normally were.

He didn’t text you the next morning but eventually did at night, and you left it unreplied for two hours before sending a short answer.

👻: you alive?

YOU: Yes

👻: ok whats wrong then

YOU: Nothing

👻: ???

YOU: What

👻: fine

It felt petty, but each time you looked at your phone, you remembered him sitting right next to you and not even glancing your way. You felt stupid, but his words hurt too.

If you were just a blank space to him in person, you figured it would be better if you were that way on every platform.

By the end of the week, the silence between your texts was heavy. He didn’t text you back after the last chat, and you definitely weren’t going to break first.

You were sitting in class when Tanselle walked in, settling in the chair beside you.

Professor Davis cleared his throat before speaking. “Alright, before we start today’s lecture, I’ve set up a group thread for the upcoming peer reviews. Click on the link and make sure you’re in it by the end of the day.”

You opened your phone to join the chat, then automatically shoved the phone back into your bag. You had no intention of participating.

The period of the lecture ended with a few minutes remaining and your phone started vibrating nonstop.

You tried to ignore it, but the constant noise was getting frustrating. You reached into your bag and pulled it out, looking to mute the group.

A new message popped up at the bottom of the chat. A classmate tagged your number directly because you hadn’t put your name on the sheet yet.

Too annoyed with the whole class to care, you swiped the app and locked your screen.

Then, your eyes subconsciously drifted toward Aerion. You watched as he pulled his phone out.

He was scrolling through the mass text thread when suddenly, he froze.

His head tilted slightly. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the only text tagging a number. The number he’d been texting every day.

Up front, the classmate who had sent the message lost his patience. He turned around, looking up at where you and Tanselle were sitting.

The guy called out your name, his voice turning multiple heads in the quiet room. “I just tagged your number in the group, you need to upload your topic.”

The sound of your name echoed through the lecture.

Aerion’s head snapped up.

He didn’t look at the guy talking to you. His eyes darted straight up until they locked dead onto you.

The usual expression on his face dropped away. His eyes searched your entire face, his brows drawing in closer.

He saw the phone in your hand before going back to your face.

It clicked.

You stilled under his gaze, the blood rushing loud in your ears.

Beside you, Tanselle nudged your shoulder. “Babe. Babe? He’s talking to you?”

“Yeah,” you managed to choke out. Your fingers felt like wood as you uploaded the topic into the sheet. “Done. It’s in there.”

The classmate muttered a quick thanks and turned back around.

But Aerion didn’t.

He stayed shifted in his seat, his body turned toward your row. One of his friends said something, laughing and clapping him on the shoulder, but Aerion blindly shrugged the guy’s hands off without looking at him. His dark gaze remained on you.

You looked down at your screen, pretending to type, but you could feel the weight of his stare.

A quick glance back down confirmed it. He was staring at you like he was seeing you for the first time, his mind putting the pieces together.

Some girl in my section, she’s whatever. He finally understood why you had iced him.

When the bell rang, you instantly stood up, already packing your bag.

“Why are you in such a rush?” Tanselle asked, shaking her head with confusion.

You gave her a tight smile. “I just need to get back.”

You wanted to wait out the crowd, hoping he’d leave first, but Aerion was already standing by the row exit.

He leaned his back against the desk, ignoring his friends as they stood confused as to why he was still there.

Panic flared in your chest. You didn’t think this through properly.

Without thinking, you threw yourself into the small crowd shuffling through the other exit at the top of the hall.

You basically sprinted across the stone of the parking lot, your keys already clutched in your hand. Unlocking the car, you threw your bag into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.

You slumped on the headrest, gripping the steering wheel as you finally let out a breath.

Then, your phone lit up with two notifications.

There were two missed calls and above them another notification popped up. It was a text.

You jammed the keys into the ignition and backed out of the parking space. The drive back home was scary. You kept looking back at your phone, expecting another text to pop up but thankfully none did.

When you finally got home, you locked the front door and leaned against it.

“What the fuck…” You whispered to yourself, closing your eyes.

It was a good thing the next two days were a weekend. A temporary shield. For the next forty-eight hours, you didn’t have to step foot on campus and risk catching a glimpse of his silver hair across the building.

But hiding out in your room didn’t stop your mind from racing. A full day hadn’t even passed when you finally gave in and opened instagram. You pressed the search bar and typed his username into it.

You weren’t mutuals, he never followed you and neither did you follow him.

There wasn’t much to see. He only had one post and a highlight. It was strange trying to match that version of him with the guy who had texted you for the past month.

Though on sunday, while your phone was open on a groupchat, your peace was interrupted.

👻: youre online, i know you see my texts

You stared at the small block of text, your chest tightening. Again, you didn’t reply.

By monday morning, you had braced yourself to go to campus again. It was packed as you walked with Tanselle.

“So I told him if he thinks I’m letting that happen, he’s out of his mind,” Tanselle was saying, before her hand suddenly clamped down hard on your forearm. “Wait. Don’t look but Aerion is heading right to us.”

You looked up anyway.

Aerion was cutting through the crowded walkway. As soon as you looked, his eyes were already on you, his face tense and unreadable.

The people next to you instinctively quieted down, stepping back as he closed the distance and stopped in front of you.

You tried pivoting to the right but he blocked the way, cutting off your route.

“We need to talk,” he said, voice low and rough.

“I’m trying to get to class,” you replied, keeping your voice even, refusing to let the panic show on your face.

“Don’t do that,” he muttered, stepping closer. His form completely covered yours, and you felt suffocated in the open area. “You know exactly why I’m standing here.”

You kept your arms folded around your waist, your posture rigid. A few students walking past were already slowing down, noticing the interaction. “I have to go,” you mumbled.

“No–”

“Aerion!”

A sharp voice broke the tension between you. A girl with long, blonde hair walked over, calling his name as she hurried over. It was Jess—you knew because your friends had told you she was someone he used to talk to before things apparently ended badly.

“Aerion, hold on,” she said, totally ignoring you as she reached him. “Did you get my messages? You haven’t replied to any of–”

Aerion didn’t look at her. He tilted his head slightly, his jaw tight as he dropped a flat, impatient, “not now.”

It was a short distraction, but it was enough. You didn’t hesitate as you grabbed Tanselle’s wrist, pulling her with you as you turned on your heel. You moved as fast as your legs could carry you.

“Whoa–hey! Slow down!” Tanselle stumbled slightly, scrambling to keep up as you dragged her toward the stairwell.

Once you got on the platform between the stairs, you let go of her wrists, your heart still pounding hard.

Tanselle adjusted her tote bag, looking at you with wide eyes.

“What the hell is happening?” She demanded. “You barely explained a thing to any of us and now Aerion is doing this? Since when do you two even speak?”

“I’ll explain later, I promise.” You looked down to make sure he wasn’t anywhere close. “Let’s just go.”

“You’re a terrible friend,” Tanselle grumbled, though she immediately followed you up to the remaining steps.

Five minutes later, the bell rang and you were already sitting at your usual row in Davis’s class.

“Settle down,” Davis silenced the class. “Like I said, today we’re starting the peer reviews on the personal assignment from the start of this semester. You’ll be working with the same partner from the previous project, find them and get moving.”

Your stomach dropped.

Before you could even think about moving, the chair next to you moved. Tanselle was gone, shooting you a sorry look as she settled next to her partner.

You searched around the room when suddenly, Aerion sat down, his shoulder brushing yours as he turned his upper body toward you.

“How long?” he asked, keeping his voice low, but his eyes were drilling into yours.

You turned your head, gaze fixing on your laptop, your fingers resting still on your keyboard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stop,” Aerion leaned closer. He looked guarded, a defensive edge tracing his words. “The text about the project. You knew it was me. How long have you known before that?”

The accusation stung, but you didn’t raise your voice. You looked over at him, offended by the fact that this was his main concern.

“A few days before that.” You furrowed your brows. “I didn’t know anything at the beginning. I put the pieces together when I saw you pull out your phone.”

Aerion watched your face, his brows drawing together as he searched your expression. “Then why did you go silent on monday?”

“Seriously?” You paused, “I don’t know, maybe because you basically called me boring.” You scoffed, looking right back at him.

“You barely even acknowledged me, and then what? You texted that your partner who happens to be me was just whatever. Why would I want to keep talking to you after that?”

Aerion flinched. The words seemed to hit him, the defensive wall in his eyes fracturing into genuine surprise. He opened his mouth to say something, his hand shifting on the desk, but a shadow fell over your screen.

“Are you guys actually working, or what?”

Jess had walked up the tiered steps, stopping at the edge of your row. She leaned on the desk, looking down at you with a fake, dismissive smile.

“Don’t take it personal,” Jess said, her voice loud enough for the people in the next row to hear. “He won’t even remember your name next week.”

The comment was explicitly meant to embarass you, and it worked. You felt your face warm up as a few classmates looked over.

But before the silence could stretch, Aerion turned.

The change in him was instantaneous. He looked up at Jess, his face turning cold.

“Go.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it brooked no refusal.

Jess’s smile faltered slightly. “I was just saying–”

“I don’t care,” Aerion interrupted, his stare landing on her in a way that made her step back. “Leave. We’re working.”

The people watching started whispering and nudging each other. Jess’s cheeks flushed a bright red. She wanted to snap back, but caught the total lack of interest in Aerion’s eyes, and quickly turned around.

You sat there, your hands unmoving. The frustration that had been building up since last week slowly started to ease, replaced by a strange, heavy feeling.

Aerion had just defended you in front of the whole class. You blinked twice, trying to process what had just happened.

He took a slow breath. Not looking at anyone else in the room, he turned back to face you.

“Thanks,” you murmured, swallowing as your eyes landed back on the screen of your laptop. You clicked open the peer review rubric Professor Davis had shared to the group. You had to find a way out of talking with him.

“Davis wants us to evaluate the thesis of the intro first,” you pointed out, acting as if nothing happened.

Aerion licked the bottom of his lip, caught off guard by the abrupt shift. His shoulders shifted as you continued looking through the rubric. “What?”

“Is your document open, or do you want to look at mine first?” you answered, tapping your trackpad to highlight the first section of the bibliography.

A frustrated sigh escaped him, you could see his confusion from your peripheral vision, his jaw clenching as he realized you were shutting him out.

He was used to people reacting to him by either backing down or trying to stay in his favour. This indifference was clearly a new territory for him. A difficult one too.

For a second, it looked like he might push past it anyway, his hand tightening on the edge of the desk. Yet he let out a heavy, defeated exhale, pulling his laptop closer. “Mine is open.” His voice was clipped.

For the rest of the period, you kept your barrier firmly in place. You weren’t sure why it was so hard for you to hold a proper conversation with him.

You two texted nonstop for a month. It wasn’t like he was a complete stranger. But somehow it felt like it.

Aerion complied, though his compliance was tense. His fingers tapped against the desk whenever you took too long to read through a paragraph. His focus was entirely divided between the text on his screen and your face.

Every time your fingers accidentally brushed his while adjusting the laptop, he would wait to see if you’d pull away. You always did.

When Davis dismissed the class at last, relief coursed through you.

Snapping your laptop shut, you slid it into your bag and slung the strap over your shoulder. “I’ll upload the comments to the docs by the end of the week.” You stood up, looking him in the eye for a brief, passing second.

Aerion stared up at you from his seat, his throat bobbing as he swallowed whatever he wanted to say.

“Okay.”

You walked to the exit, where Tanselle was already waiting for you. Turning your head for a moment before exiting, your eyes met his.

Reluctantly, you had to tell your friends everything as they kept demanding. No, almost everything.

You conveniently left out the part where you had grown to have this strange, unexplainable, and impenetrable feeling for him.

Tanselle then pointed out how she hasn’t seen Aerion with any girls recently. Everyone agreed, which didn’t help your case.

Yet two days passed without a single notification.

By wednesday, the silence had turned from peace into an uncomfortable, distracting weight. You spent the night trying to study, but your mind kept drifting back to him.

Eventually, you couldn’t resist and opened his chat. You scrolled all the way back to the start, back when he was just an anonymous stranger who made you laugh.

Just as you got to the part where you started icing him out, a new message came through.

You frowned, lips parting as you clicked on the button to the most recent chat.

👻: if you wont talk to me in person, fine

👻: lets do it here

Your heart skipped a beat at the sight of the text. You sat up and paced your room for a full minute before warily typing back.

YOU: What do you want aerion

It felt weird to actually acknowledge who you were talking to.

👻: do me a favour

👻: talk to me like you did before finding out. pretend you dont know who i am

Your eyes narrowed at his message. It was a bizarre request, but the familiar look of the text thread made it entirely too easy to slip back.

YOU: What???

YOU: Fine

👻: tell me everything

YOU: Ok u wanna know what i think?

YOU: I think the guy im paired with in davis’s class is an arrogant prick

There was a long pause. The typing bubbles appeared, vanished, then appeared again.

👻: an arrogant prick? really?

YOU: Yes

YOU: He refuses to talk to anyone outside his immediate circle, he walks like he owns the world, and most importantly he treats his project partners as if they were invisible

👻: maybe hes just focused

YOU: Nope, he didn’t even look at my face

YOU: Can you believe it

YOU: Then he has the nerve to say that im a whatever.. Like sorry i didnt juggle for your entertainment??

A couple minutes passed and you thought he wasn't going to respond, but he was still online.

👻: huh

👻: he sounds terrible

A small, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of your mouth, and you tried your best to fight it down.

YOU: He is, hes mean

👻: i didnt mean to be

The sudden drop of the bit you two were doing made your breath hitch. The text continued.

👻: im sorry about monday

👻: and the thing i said

👻: youre not whatever

You stared at his texts, the honesty of it surprising you. You typed out a reply then deleted it. While trying to formulate a reply, another message popped up.

👻: i have to go

The chat went dead. You sat back on your pillows, staring at those four words, your mind spinning into a frantic spiral. I have to go. What did that mean? Go for the day? Or was this his dramatic way of saying goodbye to whatever you guys were?

You slammed your phone down on the mattress, irritated by the sudden exit. You needed to clear your head.

Sighing, you grabbed a towel and headed into the bathroom to take a long, hot shower, letting the steam wash away the stress of the week.

By the time you stepped back into your bedroom, it was already dark outside. Drying your hair and changing into your pajamas, you picked your phone up from the bed to check the time.

There was a new text, sent just a minute ago.

👻: open the door

You froze, reading the message over and over again to make sure you weren’t hallucinating.

You walked into the living room, your bare feet making no sound against the floor.

You never gave him your address.

The only people who knew the exact apartment complex you lived in were your closest friends.

Fuck, you thought. Tanselle…

Panic flooded your body as you approached the entryway, and right on cue, a knock came from the other side of the door.

Taking a shallow breath, you unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open.

Aerion was standing under the dim hallway light. He was wearing a tight gym shirt, his silver hair slightly messy from the harsh wind of the night.

He wasn’t empty handed. His right hand was carrying a bag that looked to be from a bakery. He saw your gaze switching from his face to the plastic. “You mentioned last week that you were eating cheesecake.”

Your brain refused to believe that Aerion Targaryen was standing at your door with a whole cheesecake because of a passing comment you had made a whole week ago.

The wall you had built felt incredibly fragile right now, but you had to keep your composure. Slowly, you stepped aside, opening the door just wide enough for him to move past.

Aerion walked into the apartment, getting his shoes off by the door. He looked at you, taking in your damp hair and pajamas, then walked to stand near the edge of the kitchen table, setting the bag on the counter.

You stared at him, your mind trying to catch up. The tips of your ears went red at the realization that you were wearing only your pajamas in front of him.

“How do you even know where I live?”

“Tanselle,” he said bluntly. “Don’t start a fight with her, I didn’t give her much of an option.”

“Of course...” You huffed mostly to yourself.

You walked past him to the water dispenser, grabbing a clean glass from the drying rack and filling it with cold water. You set it on the counter near him.

“Thanks.” He picked up the glass. Taking a slow sip, his eyes scanned the living room before settling back on you.

“Look,” he started, voice dropping an octave, sounding rougher in the quiet apartment. “I’ll get to the point. I know you think I'm a piece of shit. It's just that I... didn’t know it was you.” His shoulders shifted slightly as his muscles got less tense.

You raised a brow at that. “So just because you didn't know it was me you treated me like that?”

“No. It sounds terrible I know. I guess I was already comfortable talking to you online that I figured I didn't need to talk to anyone in person,” he explained, his tone stripped of its usual cold edge. “When you started ignoring me, it drove me crazy.”

“At first, I thought you knew the entire time. I assumed the worst, but then I started worrying. And I didn’t wanna stop talking to you.” His voice got quiet toward the end.

You didn’t know what to say. The honesty of his words rang through your mind, effectively breaking down the image you have already built of him in your head.

“...And what about Jess?” You asked after a beat and immediately regretted it.

Aerion’s eyes flickered with genuine disgust and annoyance before he shook his head.

“She’s nothing.” He leaned against the counter. “We used to talk,” he hesitated, “then I stopped but she couldn't accept it. She’s nothing.” He repeated, noticing the fidgeting of your hands.

“Oh,” was all you could say. Aerion seemed to recognize the shift in the air. He finished the rest of the water and set it back on the counter.

“I should let you get some sleep,” he cleared his throat, eyes lingering on your lips.

He walked toward the front door, putting his shoes back on. You opened the door, unsure if you even wanted him to leave.

The curiosity that had been lingering in the back of your mind all week finally slipped out. “Before you go... I wanna know something.”

Aerion paused, an amused spark gleaming in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“What did you think of me at the start? Like after you found out I wasn't Michael.”

He let out a low chuckle, a smirk splaying across his face. “I thought you had a ridiculously sharp mouth. You always called me out on my attitude, it was infruriating. But it was intriguing.”

Aerion then tilted his head, turning the tables. “My turn. Why'd you even reply to an unknown number?”

A smile broke through your expression, you no longer felt the need to put on a mask in front of him. “Mmm... being real I'm pretty sure I was just bored and couldn't sleep. I thought it'd be funny and it absolutely was.”

He laughed softly and paused at the threshold, turning back to look at you. “So you're saying you're glad you replied?”

You pretended to think for a second, looking up. “Maybe,” you teased, the familiar banter coming back.

A tiny smile touched his lips—the first real one you’ve seen from him in person. He let out a hum. “Right. I'll remember that. Go sleep now.” He backed up to the threshold, his eyes only leaving yours as he turned around.

“Goodnight.” You called out to him as you closed the door and locked the deadbolt, hearing the thud of his footsteps slowly fade.

An hour later, you tried to go straight to sleep, but you kept tossing and turning. Giving up, you got out of bed and walked to the kitchen, pulling the box out of the bag. You recognised the logo on the box as you opened the lid, it was from the expensive bakery near campus.

The cheesecake looked so incredible, you didn’t bother with a plate. Grabbing a fork, you stabbed the cake and took a massive bite.

After eating a solid half of it directly out of the box, you stared at the remaining mess and pulled your phone out to snap a quick photo.

YOU: [IMAGE ATTACHED]

YOU: I forgot to thank you lol

You didn’t expect him to reply immediately, assuming he was already asleep. But the bubbles popped up almost instantly.

👻: youre welcome

👻: did you save me a bite or are you selfish

YOU: Nope its all for me

👻: next time ill just make you feed it to me

You bit your lip to contain your smile, sliding down onto the living room rug and propping your back on the sofa.

YOU: Hm

YOU: Depends on how well u behave the rest of the week

👻: im always well behaved

Giggling, you quickly texted back.

YOU: Liar

YOU: Anw out of curiosity what do u have me saved as

👻: unknown

👻: until about a day ago

YOU: Huh what is it now

👻: thats for my eyes only

YOU: Oh rly

YOU: Ok then im saving u as row four lol

👻: how creative

YOU: It fits

YOU: Reminds me that ure an arrogant prick everyday

👻: good

👻: think about me everyday

Your heart did a violent flip.

Going to his profile, you debated on actually renaming him as row four, but you decided on Aerion 🎱. The emoji just felt right.

YOU: Just changed it

Aerion 🎱: row four?

YOU: No and im not telling u

YOU: Thats unless u tell me minee?

Aerion 🎱: oh thats how it is

Aerion 🎱: never

YOU: Wow!! Ur impossible im gonna off myself

YOU: Ok im going to sleep before u piss me off more

Aerion 🎱: lmao alright

Aerion 🎱: goodnight dont die

You let out a content huff before getting up and heading back to your bedroom.

YOU: Goodnightt

The next morning, the lecture hall was filled with pre-class chatter. It was history class but your professor fell sick and Professor Davis was there as a substitute.

As usual, you sat beside Tanselle who was vibrating with anxiety, staring at you sideways ever since you arrived.

Leaning in close, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “Okay, you’re scaring me. You haven’t mentioned him once. Are you not going to kill me?”

You let out a small giggle, shaking your head. “Nope. It’s all settled.”

Tanselle clicked her tongue, utterly puzzled. “Wait… really?” So he didn’t actually go to your house then?”

“No, he did,” you corrected smoothly, as if it was completely normal.

A noise of confusion escaped her, her eyes bulging. “What!? He actually came over? And you’re acting like this isn’t wild?”

Just then, the doors swung open, and Aerion walked in. He was late, and Professor Davis didn’t bother calling him out, simply beginning the lesson.

You watched as he walked up the main aisle, expecting him to stop in row four, but he continued walking. He moved past his friends without a second thought.

Then without tilting his head up, his eyes locked onto yours. A warmth instantly bloomed in your chest, a smile growing on your face, and you quickly bit your inner cheek to hide it.

He reached your row and without saying a word, he pulled the chair beside you and slid effortlessly into the seat.

Nudging your chin toward the lower row, you pointed at a few familiar faces who had turned around their chairs to watch him. “Your friends are literally staring at you. They’re waiting for you.”

Aerion followed your glance for a split second before looking back at you. “So?”

Before you could reply, the screech of the microphone caught everyone’s attention. “You two,” Davis barked into the mic, his voice echoing. “If you two have matters that are more pressing to discuss then feel free to take it out of the class.”

The weight of Davis calling you out together made the class go extremely silent, staring back and forth between you and Aerion. You could see Jess staring menacingly from the other side of the room.

Your lips formed into a pout as Davis finally looked away, continuing his talk. Aerion, on the other hand, did not take his eyes off you, his smirk widening slightly at the sudden audience.

He slowly leaned back in his chair and for a moment you thought the distraction was over. But under the desk Aerion shifted. The side of his thigh bumped firmly against yours, deliberately pressing in with lingering heat. A sharp jolt shot straight up your spine.

You shot him a warning glare, but he was already busy on his phone.

A second later, your phone buzzed in your lap.

Aerion 🎱: z

Aerion 🎱: z

Aerion 🎱: z

You hid your hands under the desk, looking down to make sure Professor Davis wasn’t looking.

YOU: Wtf

Aerion 🎱: we cant talk out loud

Aerion 🎱: i have to find other ways to get your attention

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eyes, but his face looked to be absolutely calm and concentrated as he pretended to analyze the projector screen.

YOU: Oh ure a pro

YOU: Wait move ur leg ppl r staring

Aerion 🎱: doesnt matter

Aerion 🎱: if you care move yours then

YOU: Ok nevermind

Aerion 🎱: mhm

Aerion 🎱: what are you doing after class

YOU: Its a free period im probably gonna go to the cafe

Aerion 🎱: wrong

Aerion 🎱: we’re going somewhere

YOU: ??? Hello why wasnt i informed

Aerion 🎱: i just informed you

You almost laughed at that but managed to keep it in, not wanting to draw even more attention from Davis.

YOU: Stop before i get kicked out of the class

YOU: Ok im leaving u bye

Aerion 🎱: stay

Aerion 🎱: hes not gonna see

YOU: If he does im blocking u

Aerion 🎱: i know where you live it doesnt matter

Your lips parted at the sheer audacity of his last message, a rush of heat hitting your cheeks as the memory from last night flashed through your mind.

Aerion was completely integrated into your life. His jackets were a permanent fixture draped over the back of your kitchen chairs, and a spare phone charger that definitely wasn’t yours was always laying by the table in the living room.

You’d find yourself lying in bed late at night, your eyes burning from the glare of the screen in your dark room, staring at his face on FaceTime while he complained about a boring lecture or his annoying family.

Whenever he would come over, you two would often argue over what stupid movie to put on just for you both to ignore it.

It was wild how naturally you adapted to being with him in real life. On campus, the shift was just as obvious. It was no longer just you and Tanselle in Davis's class. Aerion would consistently leave his friends baffled as he walked past his usual row just to slide into the seat beside yours.

He’d steal your pens just to draw in the margins of your notebook, his shoulder brushing yours every time he leaned in to whisper a mocking comment about anyone that was bothering him.

He was still the same to everyone else, completely aloof and dismissive, but with you, he was different. He’d steal your drinks without asking, take a sip, and complain it was way too sweet before drinking the entire thing anyway.

When the air conditioning in the class got too cold, he’d blindly throw his jacket over your lap, his arm lingering on the back of your chair.

You grew used to the constant scent of his expensive cologne and the way the side of his thigh always pressed firmly against yours under the desk.

You talked about everything. You knew his habits and he knew yours. You knew his humour and the specific way his jaw set when he was frustrated. You were hanging out constantly, sharing every little detail of your life to one another.

Your chat history was an endless loop filled with a lot of bickering.

Aerion 🎱: where are you

YOU: At the library studying???

YOU: Like i said i would be??

Aerion 🎱: stop studying come out

Aerion 🎱: im by the fountain

YOU: Noo i have a quiz tmrw go away

Aerion 🎱: i brought your usual from the cafe

YOU: Ru srs

Aerion 🎱: im holding it right now

Aerion 🎱: you have 2 minutes before i finish it

YOU: OK CHILL

YOU: Omw dont finish it pls

But through all of it, you never actually talked about what this was. There was no label. You had just slipped into this comfortable routine without a single thought.

Until tuesday night.

You were sitting across from him at a dimly lit pasta place a few blocks away from your apartment. It was a crowded spot, the kind of place where the tables were small and forced you close together.

You were mid laugh, reaching over the table to stab a piece of chicken from his plate with your fork, while he watched you with an amused smirk.

“Hey, sorry to bother you,” a voice suddenly broke your bubble.

You blinked, your fork hovering in the air as a guy from a nearby table stepped up to your booth. He was rubbing the back of his neck, looking a little nervous, oblivious to the way Aerion’s smirk instantly vanished.

The guy looked directly at you. “I just saw you from over there and thought you were really pretty. I was wondering if I could maybe get your number?”

Your fingers froze around your fork. Your brain went blank for a second, and your usual response started sliding out of your mouth before you could even think.

“Oh, no, sorry, I have a–”

The word boyfriend died right in your throat.

A sudden wave of realisation hit you. Did you have a boyfriend? You and Aerion text all day, you call each other every night, you eat dinner together... but he had never actually asked you out properly. He had never said the words.

Technically, you guys weren’t even dating. He wasn’t your boyfriend.

The silence stretched between the three of you, turning incredibly heavy. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Aerion lean back slowly in his seat. His posture went rigid, his jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched violently in his cheek.

Shaking off the sudden thought, you forced a tight, polite smile and shook your head at the guy. “Sorry, I’m just… yeah. But thank you.”

The guy caught the terrifying form radiating from Aerion, and mumbled a quick “oh, okay, my bad,” before bolting back to his friends.

You let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding, your heart doing a weird thud against your ribs. You swallowed hard, slowly lowering your fork back to your plate, trying your best to act normal. But when you finally gathered the courage to look back across the table, Aerion’s eyes were locked dead onto your face.

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The background noise of clinking glasses and chatter was drowned out by the heavy atmosphere hanging over your table. Aerion picked up his drink, taking a slow sip, his gaze never once wavering from your face.

“What were you going to tell him?” he asked, his voice dropping into a dangerous tone.

You moved your fork around your plate, trying your best to look unbothered. “What do you mean? I told him no.”

“Before that,” Aerion corrected, “you started saying ‘I have a…’ and then you choked. What was the rest of that sentence?"

A flush of heat crawled up your neck. You couldn't tell if you were embarrassed or just annoyed that he was backing you into a corner. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter,” he countered, a stubborn edge bleeding into his tone. He tilted his head, studying the way you purposely avoided his eyes. “Were you going to say you had a boyfriend?”

You finally snapped your gaze up, meeting his head-on. “Well, I couldn’t exactly say that, could I? Because I don’t.”

Aerion blinked. The bluntness of your response caught him off guard.

“You’ve never actually asked me out,” you pointed out, mumbling slightly. “Technically, I’m single. So I couldn’t use you as an excuse.”

The silence that followed was weighed down by a sudden realisation on his part. Aerion sat back, processing your words.

He was so used to having your undivided attention, so accustomed to the seamless way you had a space in his routine, that he hadn't even realised he left a massive hole for any random guy to step through. And clearly, the mere thought of anyone else having a claim on you made him feel sick.

He licked his lower lip, his expression hardening with profound determination. “Fine.”

“Fine?” you repeated, raising a brow.

“This saturday” he paused, the casual drawl returning to his voice, though his eyes remained focused on yours. “I’m picking you up at eight. We’re going on a proper date.”

You tried to suppress a smile, biting down on your inner cheek. “Are you asking me or ordering me?”

“I’m telling you,” Aerion said, a familiar smirk finally returning to his lips. He reached across the small table, his fingers lightly brushing against your wrist. “Because I’m not dealing with another dumbass trying his luck with you.”

Your heart gave a soft, fluttery jump against your ribs. You looked down at his hand resting against your skin, the warmth of his touch sending a pleasant shiver up your arm. Even when he was being demanding, it was impossible to ignore the warmth hidden beneath his pride.

“Okay,” you murmured, looking back up to meet his gaze, a small smile breaking through. “Eight o’clock. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t be,” he promised.

Saturday arrived, and you spent the entire afternoon vibrating with a mix of excitement and nerves. You had spent way too long picking out a dress, styling your hair perfectly, and checking your reflection in the mirror until you were completely satisfied with your makeup.

By 7:55 PM, you were sitting on your living room sofa, your purse resting on your lap, ready to go.

Right on cue, your phone buzzed in your palm. You scrambled to open it, expecting a text from Aerion saying he was outside, but it was a message from Tanselle.

Tanselle #cantsing#plsstop: let me see the fitttt

You smiled, typing back quickly.

YOU: [IMAGE ATTACHED]

YOU: Waiting for him to get heree

Tanselle #cantsing#plsstop: and just like that im gay

YOU: LMAO pls

Then the clock struck 8:00 PM.

Five minutes passed. You figured he was probably stuck at a red light. You checked your phone, but the screen remained completely blank.

Ten minutes. Sitting back against the cushions, the minutes began to tick away, and the excitement began to fade. You unlocked your phone and opened his chat, typing out a quick message.

YOU: ru here yett?

Twenty minutes. Your text didn’t even get a response. You tried calling him, but it didn’t ring.

A sickening mix of disappointment and fury flared up in your chest. The memory of him sitting in front of you just a week ago, arrogantly demanding to be your boyfriend, suddenly felt like a joke. You had actually trusted him to show up, and he was ghosting you.

“Fuck this,” you muttered to yourself, powering off your phone.

You weren’t going to sit around waiting for him. You were already fully dressed up. You were going to get food, with or without him.

Slamming the apartment door behind you, you walked down the hallway and took the stairs down to the complex parking lot. You did a slow, sweeping scan of the rows, half hoping to spot his car pulling in, but the asphalt was completely empty of any familiar vehicles.

Your jaw clenched. That was the final straw.

Your favourite diner was only about a ten minute walk down the main street, and a giant plate of comfort food sounded infinitely better than dealing with Aerion right now.

The air was cooling down, but your skin was boiling. Every step you took on the sidewalk felt like an exclamation point to your rage. The sheer humiliation of it was what burned the most—you had spent hours getting ready, only to be left sitting on your sofa like you were nothing.

You had barely made it two blocks from your complex when the distinct, low purr of an engine sounded right behind you.

A sleek car slowly crept up to the curb, matching your exact walking pace. The passenger window rolled down, revealing Aerion gripping the steering wheel.

He called your name out, “get in,” he said, his voice laced with a frantic edge. “Please. Just get in the car.”

You stopped dead in your tracks, turning on your heel to glare at him. “Go away.”

“I’m sorry, just let me explain,” he pleaded, leaning across the center console so his face was closer to the open window, keeping his foot lightly on the brake to match your steps as you started walking again. “Don’t do this. Just hear me out.”

“Hear you out?” you snapped, your voice rising as the frustration boiled over. “You’re twenty minutes late! I sat there like an idiot while you ghosted me. You don’t get to–” you let out a furious exhale. “Just go back home.”

Aerion licked his lips, looking seriously desperate. Because he was driving slowly along the busy street, the cars behind him were struggling to pass through. Within seconds, a line of blinding headlights began to stack up. A loud horn echoed through the street.

Aerion didn’t look back, unbothered by the massive traffic he was single handedly creating.

“Aerion, you’re blocking the road,” you hissed, your cheeks flushing at the mortification as several people on the sidewalk turned to stare at the scene.

“I don’t give a shit,” he shot back, slamming the car into park, completely ignoring a barrage of angry honks. His unyielding eyes locked onto yours. “I’m not moving the car until you get in. Let them honk.”

Realizing his stubbornness was boundless and that your public humiliation was only going to get worse if you stayed on the sidewalk, you let out a livid growl. You tore the passenger door open, slid into the leather seat, and slammed it shut.

“You’re fucking unbelievable,” you muttered, instantly turning your body toward the window, folding your arms tightly over your waist.

Aerion didn’t say a word. He immediately stepped on the gas, turning sharp left into a parking lot a block away. He pulled into a secluded space beneath a large tree.

Before he could even open his mouth, you turned on him, your brows furrowed. “You have a phone, Aerion! It takes exactly two seconds to type a text that says ‘I’m running late.’ But you couldn't even do that. You clearly didn’t–no, don't care about how long I sat there waiting for you.”

“I do care,” he insisted, his voice cracking slightly with raw vulnerability. He held up his phone, tapping the screen before shoving it into your hands. “But my dad called. Look at the screen.”

You looked down at the glowing display. Open on his phone was a text thread from his dad. Your eyes scanned the messages stretching across the last hour.

It was a brutal barrage of stern texts, culminating in a string of missed calls and direct orders demanding Aerion handle his brother Daeron's latest legal mess immediately.

Aerion was stuck on a group call with his father and some legal person all the way from 7:28 to 8:02 PM.

“I couldn’t hang up on him,” Aerion murmured, his eyes searching your face, begging you for forgiveness. “The second he let me off the phone, I didn’t look at my notifications. I just went straight to my car and drove to your place. When I saw you weren’t there, I tried calling back but you didn’t pick up.”

Looking at the undeniable proof on his screen, the knot in your chest slowly began to deflate. He wasn't lying. He looked exhausted and terrified that his family problems had ruined his chances with you.

You slowly handed the phone back to him, letting out a long, shaky breath, though you kept your posture guarded. “I’m sorry your dad’s putting you through this. But I wish you spared at least a second to tell me.”

“I know,” he said softly, leaning in a fraction closer, his gaze fixed entirely on your eyes. “I messed up. I’m sorry.”

You didn’t know what to say. Glancing down at the dashboard clock, it was already creeping past 8:30 PM.

“What about the restaurant?” you asked, shifting in your seat and breaking the quiet. “We’re late. They probably gave our table away to someone else.”

Hearing the softer tone in your voice, Aerion reached forward and turned the ignition on. The engine roared back to life and he shifted the car into drive.

“What about it?” He casted a brief glance your way as he turned the steering wheel to pull out of the lot. “They know my family. That table isn’t going anywhere.”

As it turned out, he wasn’t exaggerating. When the two of you arrived, the hostess didn’t even look at the clock. The moment Aerion stepped in, her eyes widened slightly, and she immediately gathered two menus.

“Right this way, please.”

She led you both past the main dining area to a secluded table in the back, tucked away and bathed in the warm, golden glow of a low hanging chandelier.

But the moment you slid onto the plush velvet seat, Aerion stopped before sitting down across from you. He patted his pocket, his brows drawing together as if he just remembered something urgent.

“Wait,” he murmured, “I have to go back to the car. I left something in the console.”

Before you could even reply, he turned around and disappeared back through the restaurant lobby.

Your stomach instantly dropped, another wave of disappointment washing over you. You sat alone at the table, feeling completely out of place.

You automatically assumed Maekar had called him the second he stepped out of the vehicle, and now Aerion was going to stand in the parking lot for another twenty minutes handling it while you sat here by yourself.

A few minutes passed, each second stretching like an eternity. You were about to go look for him when a shadow fell over the table.

You snapped your head up, about to question him but the words died on your lips.

Aerion was standing there, holding an absurdly large bouquet of fresh white roses mixed with your favorite delicate florals. He looked slightly flushed, a rare hint of self consciousness in his eyes as he carefully placed the massive arrangement on the seat right beside you. The sweet, rich scent of the flowers immediately engulfed your senses.

You were going to speak but he slid into the seat across from you and reached into his pocket, placing a small, sleek black velvet box onto the table. He pushed it forward until it tapped gently against your water glass.

“Did you think I was making another call?” he asked gently as he read the lingering tension on your face. “I had to hide them in the trunk so you wouldn’t see them on the drive over.”

Your heart did a brutal flip against your ribs. You reached out, picked up the box, and opened it. Resting inside was a gorgeous, delicate gold ring, its band intricately designed to perfectly match the silver rings he always wore on his own hands.

“To make it official,” Aerion explained, leaning forward, his gaze locking onto yours intensely, making your breath hitch. “No more confusion. I’m yours, you’re mine.”

A massive, sweet smile broke across your face. You tried your absolute best to bite your lower lip and fight it down, wanting to contain your excitement, but it was pointless.

“A massive bouquet and a ring?” you giggled, lifting the delicate band out of the box and slipping it onto your finger. It fit flawlessly. You held your hand up, admiring the way it caught the warm candlelight before looking back at him.

“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend or trying to marry me, Aerion? You are so extra.” You teased, though your heart was beating with a dizzying speed.

Aerion let out a low laugh, the last of the tension shattering as he reached across the table, wrapping his hand firmly over yours. “It suits you.” He spun the ring around your finger, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction and softness that was reserved just for you.

The drive back to your apartment was filled with anticipation. The sweet scent of the white roses filled the car, resting safely in your lap as you kept twisting the new ring around your finger.

Aerion drove with one hand on the wheel, his other hand resting firmly on the center console, palm up. You slid your fingers into his, and he immediately locked them together, his thumb tracing slow strokes over your skin all the way to your apartment.

When he parked, he didn’t give you a chance to reach for the flowers. He grabbed the massive bouquet himself, keeping his other hand anchored to the small of your back as he guided you up the stairs and down the quiet hallway to your front door.

You unlocked the door, stepping into your apartment. You turned around to finally take the arrangement from him, but Aerion simply bypassed you, setting the heavy bundle down on the table in the living room.

The front door clicked shut behind him, locking you both in.

The atmosphere in the room instantly shifted, thick with magnetic tension that made your pulse hitch.

Aerion stepped right in front of you, crowding you until your back met the cool wood of the door. He rested one hand flat against the wood beside your head, trapping you in.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured, searching your face. His gaze traveled deliberately down your dress before snapping back up to lock onto your eyes. “It took everything in me to sit through dinner without doing this.”

A breathless smile formed on your face, your heart doing a violent thud. “Really? Thought you were just staring at the menu.”

“I wasn’t looking at the menu,” he muttered, a soft gleam in his eyes. His free hand reached up, his fingers sliding into the hair at the nape of your neck, his thumb tilting your chin up.

He leaned down, closing the remaining distance to capture your lips in a deep kiss.

Heat shot through your entire body. Your hands instantly flew up, tangling desperately into his soft hair, pulling him closer. Aerion let out a low groan against your mouth, his hand leaving the door to wrap tightly around your waist.

He pulled you flush, removing any space left between you until you could feel the frantic beat of his heart against your own.

The kiss quickly escalated. His tongue slid past your parted lips, tasting you with a hunger that made your knees weak.

Without breaking contact, his hands slid down to hook firmly under your thighs, effortlessly lifting you up from the floor.

You instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist, clinging to his shoulders as he carried you across the short distance of the room, seamlessly setting you down onto the cushions of the sofa.

He hovered over you, his forearms bracing his weight on either side of your shoulders. The sheer happiness of the night finally overtook you. You let out a muffled giggle against his lips.

Aerion paused, backing up just a fraction. He looked down at you, a massive, soft smile breaking across his own face.

“What?” he whispered, his chest heaving as he laughed softly against your mouth, his nose playfully nuzzling yours. “What's so funny?”

“Nothing,” you gasped out, laughing properly now as you wrapped your arms securely around his neck, pulling him down a little closer.

He chuckled warmly as he leaned down to kiss you again.

This time, it was different. It was sweet and messy. You both kept laughing in between kisses, your lips bumping together clumsily as Aerion peppered them all over your face.

“Stop, I can’t breathe,” you giggled, pressing your hands flat on his chest, though your fingers were still gripping his shirt.

You don’t even realize you’ve hung up your phone call mid-sentence. You just turn on your heel and march back toward your office, ever the avoidant.

He comes knocking an hour later.

Your door’s half-closed, but he doesn’t bother knocking, of course. Just pokes his head in.

“Hey, corporate—”

You don’t look up from your screen. “I’m busy.”

There’s a beat. You can practically feel him staring at you.

“…O-kay,” he says slowly. “I just—”

“Busy.”

Another pause. Then you hear the door close again.

The next day, you find a sticky note on your monitor:

“Lunch? Or you still mad?” — Mr. Corporate

You crumple it and toss it into your trash can.

By Thursday, he’s had enough. He corners you at the elevator bank, stepping in front of the doors just as they’re opening.

“Okay, what the hell,” he says.

“Move, Rafe.”

“Not ‘til you tell me why you’re actin’ like I keyed your car.”

You lift your chin. “I’m not acting like anything.”

He folds his arms, towering over you. “Bullshit.”

You refuse to look at him. The elevator doors slide shut again behind him.

He lowers his voice. “Is this about Chloe?”

“Why would it be?” you snap. “You can flirt with whoever you want.”

His brows shoot up. “So that’s what this is.”

You glare at him. “I don’t care what you do. It’s none of my business.”

“Oh, see, that’s funny.” He steps closer, voice dropping. “’Cause you sure look like you care.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

He studies you for a long moment. The playful glint is gone. When he speaks again, it’s softer, but still intense enough to pin you in place.

“I was messin’ around. I don’t give a shit about Chloe.”

“Seemed like you were having fun.”

“She’s nineteen, corporate. I was tryin’ not to be an asshole. That’s it.”

You fold your arms tighter. “I’m sure she’d love to hear that.”

Rafe sighs. “Jesus. You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?” you snap.

He hesitates. Just a second. Like he’s deciding something. Then his jaw firms.

“That I don’t come all the way across town in the middle of my workday to see anybody else.”

Your heart stutters. You try not to let it show.

“That I don’t bring sandwiches to girls I don’t give a shit about.” He tilts his head, eyes blazing. “That I’m not interested in anyone else but you.”

Your mouth opens. Closes.

He exhales. “You drive me fuckin’ crazy, you know that?”

You swallow hard. “Then why…why flirt with her?”

“’Cause I was tryin’ to prove I can hang in your world. And I screwed it up. Happy?”

You blink. “Why would you have to prove anything?”

“Because you’re…” He gestures vaguely at your suit, your heels, your entire immaculate presence. “This. And I’m…not.”

You hesitate. A long beat of silence stretches between you. Then you say, softer than intended: “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

He searches your eyes. “Then why’d you freeze me out?”

You glance away. “I didn’t like it.”

Rafe grins, slow and a little wicked. “Didn’t like me flirtin’ with someone else, huh?”

You scowl. “Shut up.”

He takes another step closer, invading your personal space completely. “So what you’re tellin’ me…is you’re jealous.”

“I am not—”

But he cuts you off, mouth brushing your ear. “God, you’re cute when you’re mad.”

Your entire body locks up.

“Tell you what,” he murmurs. “Why don’t you let me make it up to you tonight?”

You shove his chest lightly. “Rafe—”

But he’s already smirking. “I’ll pick you up at eight, corporate.”

And then he’s gone, sauntering away like he hasn’t just shattered your defenses completely, leaving you breathless in your power suit and wishing you’d pulled him back instead of pushing him away.

...

You’re back at the garage on a Friday afternoon, wearing a silk blouse and dark jeans instead of your usual suit, casual for you, though you still look wildly out of place among the oil stains and rattling pneumatic tools.

Rafe’s truck is nowhere in sight.

Which is unfortunate, because your car is definitely making a noise this time.

A real one.

Like a metallic screech that sends a jolt straight through your bones every time you brake. So you pull in, pop the hood, and hover beside your car, arms folded, trying not to look helpless.

That’s when you hear a voice behind you:

“Whoa. Fancy car for a fancy lady.”

You turn.

He’s tall, maybe a couple years younger than Rafe. Dark hair, mechanic’s shirt half unbuttoned, grease on his fingers. He’s wiping his hands on a clean rag, grin firmly in place.

“Hi,” you say cautiously. “Is Rafe around?”

“Nah, he ran to the parts store. I’m Eli. New around here.” He flashes a brilliant smile. “But lucky for you, I know my way around a BMW.”

“Oh…that’s okay. I’ll just wait for—”

But he’s already stepping closer, peering into your engine bay. “Pop the hood the rest of the way for me, sweetheart?”

You bristle faintly at sweetheart, but comply. “I just came in for a noise—”

“Brake noise, right? I heard it when you pulled in.” Eli shoots you a wink. “Bet you didn’t know a pretty car like this could scream so loud.”

You open your mouth, then shut it again.

He leans closer into the hood, arms flexing under the fluorescent lights. “You from around here?”

“Uh…kinda.” You shift awkwardly. “I work downtown.”

He grins. “I knew you were a corporate girl. You’ve got that boss energy.”

Your cheeks warm despite yourself. “I don’t know what that means.”

“Oh, it means you probably scare the hell outta half the guys you meet. But that’s okay.” He glances over his shoulder, eyes gleaming. “Some of us like a woman who knows what she wants.”

You stare at him, thoroughly off-balance.

And that’s precisely when Rafe comes back.

You hear his boots before you see him. The slam of his truck door. The crunch of gravel.

Then his voice, sharp as a blade: “What the fuck’s this?”

You blink up, startled. “Rafe—”

He’s striding across the lot, eyes zeroed in on Eli like a predator who’s spotted something on his territory.

Eli straightens, rag still dangling from one hand. “Hey, man. Just helpin’ her out—”

“Didn’t ask what you were doin’,” Rafe snaps. He plants himself between you and Eli so abruptly you nearly stumble backward. “Back the fuck off her car.”

Eli raises his hands. “Jesus. Chill.”

“Don’t tell me to chill.” Rafe’s jaw is clenched so hard you can practically hear his teeth grinding. “You don’t touch her car. You don’t talk to her like that.”

“Rafe, it’s fine,” you try to cut in, but he ignores you completely.

“You think ‘sweetheart’ is how we talk to customers around here?” Rafe demands, voice low and dangerous.

Eli blinks. “I…I was just being friendly—”

“Yeah? Go be friendly somewhere else.”

Eli glances between you two, looking faintly rattled. Then he mutters, “Whatever, man,” and walks off, tossing the rag onto the nearest tool cart.

The moment he’s gone, Rafe rounds on you, eyes blazing.

“What the hell, corporate?”

Your mouth drops open. “Me? I didn’t do anything!”

“You let him touch your car!”

“I didn’t let—he just started helping!”

Rafe rakes a hand through his hair, leaving a streak of grease at his hairline. “You should’ve waited for me.”

“I was waiting for you!”

He’s breathing hard. His chest is rising and falling like he’s been running.

Then he grabs your wrist, not hard, but firmly, and yanks you away from the car a few steps, out of earshot of the others.

“Do you even realize…?” His voice is hoarse now, lower, ragged. “The way you stand there, all wide-eyed…lettin’ guys lean all over your car, talkin’ to you like you’re somethin’ to win…like you’re—”

“Like I’m what?” you demand, getting ticked off at his tone.

He glares at you, but there’s a wild, almost panicked glint behind it. “Like you’re available.”

You blink, stunned.

“Rafe…” your voice softens. “I didn’t even notice he was flirting.”

He lets out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, well. Every guy within ten feet notices you.”

You scoff, a slow smirk spreading on your lips. “What, are you…jealous?”

He stiffens. “No.”

“Rafe—”

He grips your chin gently, tilting your face up. “You’re mine.”

Your breath catches, and you shouldn't find it attractive but you do.

He blinks, seeming to realize what he’s said. His thumb drifts across your jaw. “Shit. I didn’t—”

But before you can answer, he’s ducking his head and kissing you. It’s not soft, not gentle. It’s rough and urgent and tastes faintly of salt and grease and something purely Rafe.

When he finally pulls back, your pulse is thrumming in your ears.

You whisper, “I was just getting my brakes checked.”

Rafe grins, still breathless. “Not by him, you weren’t.”

And then he tugs you back toward your car, muttering under his breath, “C’mon. Lemme fix it proper.”

A/N: i may be spamming this duo but i just love them

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