#but god imagine roommate ghost & his cropped hair a bit messy

[meowf4ngs]

thinking about roommate!ghost, because I need him to see him slightly happy, and in a nice domestic slice-of-life because he deserves it.

and how he puts up a craigslist ad for a roommate, he's gone too much to actually care for the flat---price put him up to it to get one, the flat not the roommate, because everything be damned if he had one of the other's hear he needs something; someone like that.

he's quick to the point about it--how much the rent will be, their room, the commons room where they'll both reside, how there's only one bathroom, where the kitchen is small.

no pets allowed, no people over without telling him---the whole nine yards, which in his opinion is completely fair.

and lucky him---this pretty little thing shows up at his doorstep.

she's a cute little thing, teetering on their feet as they await for him to open the door, and when it does swing open---he sees how her eyes widen just the slightest amount with how his frame fills in the doorway. he's all but blocking her, and don't forget the fact he's wearing his mask---forgot to take it off, sometimes he's just too comfortable with it.

but she's not even put off by it, just a smile up his way, a cock of her head to the side, adjusting the strap on her back, as she nods at him. "Hi, Simon, right?" and her voice is the sweetest thing he's heard---or maybe he's been with the boys too long, too much of Soap's snoring in his ear.

he grunts, nods his head, "Come in," voice gravel-like, low and sees how she steps in without an ounce of fear in her, slips past him and he could smell the perfume she has---something warm and comforting, his eyes half-lidded watching her back as she's already eyeing the bare living room.

the door shuts with a soft click, already wondering what she'll look like in the morning.

[cellard0ors]

Fic: Movement (4/5)

Still working on this for @peachworthy. Should wrap up sometime this week or next and then the full thing'll get posted to AO3. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 here for now!

They decide to do it on a Saturday night.

Link has the weekend off from work and no classes. Rhett’s schedule is also free. They discuss the matter in terse terms, both seeming nervous about the idea, but neither backing down.

As such, Saturday rolls around with little fanfare until late into the evening. An evening that finds Link sitting on the couch, one of his legs jiggling and bouncing about as he waits for Rhett.

Rhett comes out to the living room holding a pillow and he offers it to Link. Link looks at it with some confusion and his friend clears his throat, eyes darting away, “For your lap.”

“My-?” Link looks down and then to Rhett and then…oh. Link colors, realizing that the pillow is to be used in order to cover any potentially ‘arising’ situation on his part. Feel exposed yet stubborn, he remarks dryly, “Don’t think I’ll need that.”

Rhett lets out a loud laugh and pats him in the chest with it, “Trust me. If I’ve done my job right? You will.”

“…point taken,” Link says softly and he takes the pillow, settling it over his crotch. To be fair, he probably will pop wood. After all, he sometimes pops it when Rhett’s full clothed.

Nude?

Yeah.

Link presses down on the pillow harder, even the errant thought of a nude Rhett causing a stirring. Rhett walks to the television and fiddles with the remote.

An app that Link’s noticed before, but never bothered with, is clicked on. Erotes Plus. The screenshots for the videos that come up are…certainly something. Link looks away, almost overwhelmed by all the bare flesh before him. The titles of the videos are also a bit much. Rhett notices and Link can hear the smirk in his voice as he says, “Prude.”

Link scowls and glares back at him and the screen. He is nota prude. However, titles such as ‘Lonely Housewife Squirts for The First Time’ and ‘He Rides His Daddy Dry’ would take anybody aback. At least Link would like to think so – he supposes some people are more immune than others. After all, his own history with porn is on the small side.

During puberty he’d taken his healthy peeks at nude magazines and a few of his friends had snuck out adult VHS tapes to check out, but for the most part it hadn’t interested him. Granted, this was probably due to his eventual discovery that – while he appreciated the female form – it didn’t draw his interest quite like the male one did.

And finding gay porn? Where he grew up? Yeah, pretty much a completely impossibility. And then – when he’d finally managed to snag some – it had, once more, disappointed. It all just seemed so cold and callous. Like a business transaction with a boatload of grunting. Not at all to his tastes.

Rhett, scrolling through the videos, finally finds one titled simply ‘Movement’ and turns to Link with an apprehensive glance, “Still plenty of time to say ‘no’.”

Link’s throat is dry. Unlike some of the other screenshots, this one is vaguer. It’s two forms silhouetted in shadow. One of those forms is Rhett. Link feels numb as he speaks, “I’m good.”

Rhett clicks the video and it begins.

He moves over and sits near Link, lounging against the other side of the couch in an oh-so-casual way. As if an adult video starring him hasn’t just begun to play.

The film opens with a lithe redhead in a yoga outfit doing various poses. While this is being shown the title card appears followed by the starring and since Link highly doubts Rhett goes by ‘Jenessa Star’, he can’t help but chuckle at, “‘Donatello Velvet’?”

“What?” Rhett asks simply and Link gestures to the television, “That’s you, isn’t it?”

“Problem?”

“That’s the screen name you chose?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it, I just don’t see you as a ‘Donatello’,” Link grins at him and Rhett laughs, rubbing one finger along his top lip thoughtfully, “What would you’d’ve gone with then?”

“If I was doing adult film?” Link asks and at Rhett’s nod, he crosses his arms and thinks, “I don’t know…Bevin, maybe?”

Rhett tosses his head back and laughs and Link feels a fissure of delight at that sound, just as he always does. He turns back and the redhead’s poses have become…much more complex. Almost painful looking as she contorts herself to degrees Link wouldn’t think possible and then she rises, stretching out and that’s when Rhett enters.

Or maybe it would be better to think of it as Donatello enters. Yes, it’s a little easier that way and Link does his best to cling to that, to try and stay nonchalant as he offers dryly, “Well, well – there’s a familiar lookin’ fella.”

Rhett just hums and they both watch as he walks up to the woman. He runs his hands along her shoulders and down her arms, whispering into her neck huskily, “Good form.”

Link can’t help but let out a snort. Rhett rolls his eyes, “Okay, okay – I know, I know. Dialogue’s a bit-?”

“Bad?”

“…it could use some improvement.”

“Uh huh,” Link just beams and hey, this isn’t so bad. Cheesy and kind of silly and maybe it will just stay like this. Light and fun. For all Link knows, they won’t even watch the whole thing. Maybe just some of it and then they can turn on something els-!

Rhett begins kissing Jenessa’s neck, white teeth visibly dragging along her skin and Link’s whole body tightens. A phantom sting starts along the same side of his neck that Rhett’s touching on Jenessa. Jenessa’s whole throat arches back, a pleasured moan leaving her and Rhett’s tongue is…very pink.

Link’s Adam’s apple bobs as he says (much huskier than he’d like) “N-Nice camera work…”

Rhett just hums, “Mac’s always had a good eye.”

“Mac?”

“Mackenzie, the director of this one.”

Link just lets out a sound of acknowledgement as he watches Rhett reach around Jenessa and tug at her tank top. Tug until her small, pointed breasts pop free. He cups them in his hands and he has…great hands.

They looks so tan against her skin, palms rough and big, and Jenessa lets out a full throttle moan. Rhett teases the pink tips, fingertips agile as they play along the sensitive flesh, as they circle around her areolas.

She whimpers and turns, kisses him fully, passionately, and it’s…messy. Wet. Link can feel his whole heart thump hard at the sight. Janessa’s hair is shorter than Rhett’s – cropped close to her scalp and Rhett’s hands have abandoned her chest to run through the short strands.

Link barely stops himself from reaching up and touching his own hair, instinctively wanting to mimic how that might feel. To imagine Rhett doing it to him.

He tries not to fidget and talking, talking will help, “Surprised this isn’t more, ah, instant.”

Rhett shrugs, “Foreplay’s a thing, man.”

“No, I know,” Link knows his voice pitches a little high at this, defensive, “Just…figured, mean...’s porn…”

“Some of the earlier videos on here are like that, but when EP got bought out, the new owners took the company in a different direction.”

“EP?”

“Erotes Plus. The platform these films are on,” Rhett explains and then he starts mentioning a few things about different production companies and distributors and the like, but Link is too distracted because Jenessa is now fully naked and Rhett is on his knees between her legs, feasting on her moist lower lips.

The silken tip of his tongue is parting her, dancing along the bundle of nerves that is her clit and her head is tossed back on a loud, wild whine.

Her pale body undulates and she’s gripping his long hair so hard. Link feels as if he’s having an out of body experience. This is his roommate. His friend. The man he’s secretly in love with.

And he’s pleasuring this woman with such…focus. With intensity and finesse and when he rises, his erection is clear, straining at the linen pants that are containing it. Link points to the screen weakly, “Hippie clothes.”

The comment is stupid and unhelpful, but Rhett just laughs, “Yeah – kinda the theme of this series. I’m like, a Yoga Instructor or something? Least that's the way it was explained to me, so – linen pants, cotton top – I mean, we’ve had better costumes, but for this shoot-!”

Rhett is talking some more but, again, Link is barely listening. His eyes are transfixed by what’s taking place on the screen. Janessa easily strips off Rhett’s shirt and then his pants and ��� No. Underwear.

Link is seeing Rhett’s dick. It’s there…thick, but not as big as his own, a visible vein running along one side. Dusky dark and with a blushing pink tip and gently curling hair hiding his full, taunt sack…

“Link? Buddy? You doin’ alright?”

“Fine.”

“Lookin’ like you seen a ghost," Rhett teases, but there’s a breathless quality to his words, “My body all that bad?”

Link just shakes his head and watches as Jenessa strokes Rhett, as his head falls back and he lets out a shuddering gasp that Link feels in his very bones.

Link is suddenly very, very thankful for the pillow that bobs some as it reacts to the situation taking place beneath it. That situation being Link’s own dick perking upwards, making his jeans tight and constrictive.

“You…?” Something Rhett said finally seems to click in Link’s head, “You said this is a series?”

“Yup,” Rhett murmurs and now the film shows him pressing Jenessa against one of the studio walls and she raises one leg high. Insanely high. It’s a very gymnastic level move and Rhett slots his cock up with her opening, sliding hard and deep into her body.

Jenessa lets out a wail of pleasure as he presses in and she holds that leg up – all strength and grace as he begins to move within her at a steady rhythm.

Her hips answer some, but it’s more about how…open she is. And how deep he’s getting. They’re eyes are locked as he picks up his pace, rocketing in and out of her, shaking her whole form with his thrusts, her tiny breasts jiggling with each movement and movement, they call this…

“Got an award for this one.”

Thank God. That one comment draws Link back to some semblance of sanity even as his body quickens with an unspeakable longing, a carnal hunger that aches, “Really?”

“Uh huh,” Rhett says with no small amount of pride, “Best Sex Scene.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I mean, I owe it to her to be honest,” he waves to the screen, “She’s the one turning herself into a pretzel throughout this thing. Same for the rest of ‘em. They kept finding co-stars for me to work with who had had extensive training in this sort of body contortion. It was just my job to, uh, well…”

Rhett waves again and the answer is obvious: to fuck them through it. Link is not at all limber. In fact, he’s kind of a klutz. Nothing to match up with someone like this.

For some reason, this realization leaves him hollow. Cold. His arousal dims some, “Where’d you get the award from?”

“XRCO.”

Link makes some sound that would imply he understands, but he doesn’t. Rhett sighs, “Got nominated for Most Popular Male Performer on Pornhub but lost to Johnny Rockwell. Guy deserved it though. Performance he did that year was nuts.”

Link’s lost in the vocal cacophony that is erupting from the television speakers. Moans, gasps, grunts, cries of sheer ecstasy as Rhett and Janessa really ramp it up.

They’re in a different position now, Jenessa’s body once more arched at a crazy angle and Rhett's just...really getting in there. His hips are pumping double time, like a jackhammer, and she is loving it.

Her blue eyes are flashing with adoration, her lips curled in that moue that speaks to an almost pleasurable pain and Link can’t help but ask, “Are the others with her?”

Rhett takes a moment to process the question and when he realizes Link is asking about the other films in the series, he shakes his head, “Nah, man. You don’t usually have repeating partners. Like I said, they found other people who could bend in weird ways. The sequel to this sees me with Julian St. Croix. Great guy. Really smart. He’s actually working on another doctorate. Plans on working in the tech field when he retires, which – money he’s making, should be pretty damned soon. You want me to dial that up?”

Link just shakes his head. The idea of watching Rhett doing something like this with yet another person and with a man no less…

He feels crappy for, well, feeling crappy. This is Rhett’s job. He shouldn’t take this personally.

Besides, it’s not like Rhett knows how Link feels about him. To him, they’re just friends and he should play the part of friend – be a friend, a good friend, “I can see why you won the award, Rhett. You’re doing a…a great job. Real good acting.”

The sound of the shocked (yet oddly sharp) laughter that leaves Rhett at that actually causes Link to finally look at him.

Rhett’s face is a ruddy red, like he’s embarrassed or something, and he’s looking at Link with a bit of a wildfire in his eyes, “‘Good acting? Are you serious?”

Link finally shifts about on the couch (which feels fantastic considering his body has been fighting off a plethora of sensations for a while now) as he fully turns to him, pillow still firmly in place, “Of course! I mean, it-it seems like you’re really into this girl,” he gestures to the screen, “when you’re doing this and I imagine that’d take some acting chops.”

He chews on his bottom lip and lowers his gaze, hands ghosting over the pillow as he talks to it more than Rhett, “Un-unless you really are into her.”

“Into her?” Rhett pokes one finger over to the television, “Into Janessa?”

“Yeah, I mean…if-if you two are a couple or-or were one or-?”

“Me and Janessa?” Rhett asks incredulously and some of the heat seems to leave him. Link gets the impression that Rhett had, for a moment, been mad or affronted by Link’s well intentioned compliment, but now is completely changing track. Now Rhett seems charmingly baffled, “You think I’m into Janessa?”

“I-I was just saying if you’re not into her in this,” Link waves to the screen where (seeing as the volume is dying down) it would seem the film is reaching its conclusion, “Then the acting is good and if you are-!”

“I’m not,” Rhett confirms firmly, “I am very much not, nor was I ever, into Janessa. We’re friendly, but we’d never work as a couple, man. She likes cats.”

Rhett says the last as if it’s a blasphemy and Link can’t help but giggle, suddenly feeling bright and light even though he knows better than to do so, “Problem?”

“Not a big fan of lil demons…”

“Noted, “Link sighs and he feels much, much better. The film is finally over, he’s seen some of Rhett’s work, and he can now say the following with sheer confidence, “I’m proud of you.”

And with that, Rhett freezes. He freezes solid, back going ram rod straight, and his eyes – they’re as round as dinner plates.

Big and green and looking at Link like’s a wild anomaly and Link worries that maybe he, somehow, inadvertently offended him with the remark so he’s quick to explain, “I-I mean it, bo. I’m proud of you. Going out there and-and doing something like this. Being so…so exposed and vulnerable and for anyone to see and yeah, sure, I mean, I guess it’s just for people to-to beat off to or whatever, but when you think about it, it’s something that brings people pleasure, which is a lot better than bringing something bad into people's lives and I know some would argue that porn is like, some gateway into violent dark tendencies or whatever, but for the average person it’s a good thing to explore and the fact you can so freely provide that to them and not be ashamed-!”

Link is blathering.

He’s a blathering idiot.

But he feels like if he stops talking, Rhett might snap at him. Or be mad. Or-!

But instead Rhett just shakes his head and whispers, “You’re unbelievable.”

Link’s diatribe cuts off. His blood stops in his veins. He feels completely seized.

“I’ve been trying so hard…fighting with everything in me,” Rhett breathes and he just…eases forward, eases closer. He’s in Link’s personal space and Link wonders if he should back up or something.

He can feel the heat coming off Rhett’s skin. His breath is bathing Link’s face as he rasps, “But I can’t anymore. You’ll have to forgive me, but…”

Rhett kisses him.

Rhett. Kisses. Him.

Rhett kisses Link.

Their lips meet in the smallest, quickest, sweetest little peck. The sound of it, the quick wet click of their lips…it’s earth shattering, sound-barrier breaking.

And Link feels his whole nervous system lurch at it. And Rhett is still looking at him, searching his eyes wildly. Link blinks and licks his lips and tries to speak, but there’s nothing to say.

Rhett just grins softly, “Bad for business…that’s what you are…”

Link’s gaze dips to Rhett’s mouth. To his lips. Lips that were on his seconds ago. His eyes feel heavy lidded as he gulps and Rhett just huffs as he kisses him again. Again.

Another kiss and this one is more than just a peck. This one? This one is the one Link’s been dreaming of, the one he’s been wishing for.

This kiss is perfect.

[deviantordivine]

part 6

Leila

Leila sat at the edge of a twin bed in a messy room while her new friends grabbed her a drink.

Bianca and Min-Seo had shown up to Cami’s house and whisked her off to the New Olympus Preparatory Academy housing for a “welcoming party”-- whatever that meant.

With barely a word of approval from Cami they rushed off, the tires of the sky-blue jeep squealing.

Leila closed her eyes and tilted her head back, there was a tightness starting to build behind her eyes. She tried to ignore the party music that was blasting from Bianca’s speakers and concentrated on the feeling of the soft glow of the dozens of Edison bulbs that hung down from Bianca’s room.

I just want to sleep.

A thud and a high laugh brought her back to the room.

“Okay, so I don’t know how you feel about vodka, so I only put a couple of shots in it.” She looked down the red coffee mug of pink liquid and then up to Bianca’s smiling face. Bianca held up her own mug with But First, Coffee written on it.

“All my other cups are dirty, someone didn’t do their chores this week.”

Leila gave a soft smile back and clinked her mug then took a sip.

First she tasted sweet pink lemonade and then a chemical like burning taste.

“Ugh,” she grimaced, making Bianca laugh and the blue corkscrew curls fall into her face. She never tasted something so awful, and she could still feel the liquid going down and coiling in her stomach.

Min-Seo walked into the room from their shared kitchen area holding a bottle of vodka by the neck. She winced at Leila in sympathy.

“Yeah I wasn’t a fan when I first tried it either.” She took a pull of the bottle and wiped her mouth with her hoodie sleeve and coughed.

“Oh god, Minnie, no,” Bianca shuddered away, still laughing. “This is just the pregame!”

“I’m trying to get in all the partying I can before school starts, leave me alone.” Minnie replied as she went to Bianca’s desk and changed the song on the speakers. A bass guitar bubbled out and a female voice started to croon.

Leila looked between the two, recalling how she had looked between the tall Bianca and the small Min-Seo as she introduced herself to her and Cami.

“Hi! I’m Bianca,” she threw a skinny arm around the short girl next to her, all smiles and pep. “This is my best friend Min-Seo.” The shorter girl gave a nod, her sharp olive green eyes and a ghost of a smile on her lips made Leila feel like she was being sized up.

“I see, so you’re trying to top Midsummer...or?” Bianca asked, one eyebrow raised.

Min-Seo replied with a thumbs up as she took another swig. Even Leila laughed then.

Best friend.

Leila felt a pang of jealousy, seeing the two roommates so close-- though she didn’t understand how they fit together, they seemed like two pieces from different puzzles. Bianca wore gold and silver jewelry, her makeup perfect. Her lacy white tank top and high-waisted jeans set off her gold brown skin, making her glow. She even wore little red strappy heels. In the car she was bubbly and talked nonstop--about everything and nothing--over Min-Seo’s head-banging loud music.

Min-Seo occasionally stopped drumming on the dashboard to contribute to the conversation, shaking her short cropped onyx hair around to the music. Now she twirled around, her feet half out of her loafers and her brown plaid slacks billowing with the movement. Her tight crop top showed off a twinkle of a belly button piercing.

If Bianca was like a head cheerleader, Minnie wasn’t even at the game.

For lack of anything else to do Leila took another gulp of her drink, the burn not as bad as the first time. In fact, it felt almost warm. She took another small sip.

“Do you think you’ll come to New Olympus Prep when school starts next week?” Bianca asked.

Leila took another sip as she thought about it. She grimaced at the taste again.

“I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow, so I guess we’ll see?” She heard Min-Seo chuckle.

“Yeah, no offense, but this is so weird. Usually Vessels are Inducted early, the oldest I’ve heard is twelve--”

“Really?” Min-Seo interjected. “One of the other Athena’s said she remembered hearing someone being Inducted at twenty-two, which I doubt, but--”

“Yeah, ok so you heard someone say maybe they knew someone? I was Inducted when I was seven.”

“I was an early bird: four.”

“So...you’ve lived here ever since?” Leila asked, taken aback. Looking around the dorm room, she couldn’t quite imagine a four-year-old could live here alone and was even more confused by the laws of this city than before.

“No, we didn’t move in until ninth grade! You kind of have to live with your other Vessels when you’re younger. But it’s just more fun to live in Prep Housing now.”

“Yeah and Bianca doesn’t have a stick up her ass, unlike all the Athena’s I’d have to live with,” Min-Seo said. “So much more fun.”

Right, Min-Seo is a Vessel for Athena, and Bianca is a Vessel for Iris. She remembered they said that on the doorstep of Cami’s house.

“Athena...wisdom, right?” Leila said.

“Yeah, and a whole handful of other stuff.”

Leila turned to Bianca.

“And Iris is...sight?” She guessed.

Bianca gave a chuckle.

“Not quite.”

She tipped her head back and raised her hands. The large bulbs that hung from the ceiling like clusters of grapes flared, gold light turning white and brightening every corner of the room. The light got brighter and brighter, causing Leila to squint, but suddenly the white light was gone, replaced by arcs of rainbows, drenching the room in a kaleidoscope of color. Leila gasped.

“Wow,” she breathed.

Bianca opened her eyes and as soon as she did the lights dimmed back down to it’s foggy yellow. She could still see the rainbows, like a dying echo.

“This is crazy. I’m still not really used to…” she wanted to say the word magic but she felt silly. The two girls looked at her expectantly. “This is all so much to process.”

She frowned down at her near empty mug. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked at Bianca.

“I get it-- we get it.” Her smile was softer, like the comforting glow of the bulbs ahead. “This is weird and hard to get your head around. Believe me, I’m still surprised by the gift, the Myth. But as much as it is weird, it is also wonderful.”

She felt the bed sink slightly on her other side and Min-Seo looked at her with her unnaturally bright green eyes.

“And besides, doesn’t a part of you feel so right in the middle of all of this?”

Leila could help but smile in agreement because a part of her-- a growing, climbing, blooming part of her-- did feel right in all of this.

This magic.

***

The closer they got to the common area where the party was, the louder the music became. At first it was a hum and then she could feel the faint pounding of the beat through the walls.

Leila bit her lip, then immediately regretted it as she momentarily forgot she was wearing bright red lipstick. Bianca had offered it and catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she was surprised by how much she loved how the red complimented her olive skin and brown eyes. The fiery color made her feel ready to go to the party.

That and the second mug of vodka and lemonade.

The dormitories were separated by grades, as Bianca explained on the way up, with the upperclassmen housed in the building they were in.

“I think the underclassmen are going to try to sneak in anyway,” Min-Seo added.

They took the stairs rather than the elevator to avoid the crowd. There were people in the brightly lit stairwell, small groups chatting--they would stop talking and stare at her when she passed by, making her bristle with the attention-- except the couple they passed making out, leaning against the railing, seemingly without a care to who saw.

The three girls looked at each other and cracked up, immediately lifting the uneasy feeling Leila felt. Her stomach was full of butterflies and she didn’t know if it was from the alcohol or the nerves.

As the rounded the final steps of stairs, her nerves fully kicked in. Her butterflies became full pterodactyls, clawing at her insides.

I can’t do this, she almost said. She slowed her steps but it was too late; Bianca grabbed the fire escape door and opened it.

The common area was the whole floor.

The large room they were in was large and dark but soon Leila’s eyes adjusted and she could make out the people dancing around and tables set up with food and drinks. She could spot couches farther off and even people playing games of pool and beer pong.

“Let’s get a drink,” Bianca half-yelled over the music. Leila nodded eagerly.

Multi-colored string lights were strung up everywhere, but only added a little light to the dim room.

They made their way to the drink table where a boy with sun-blond hair was getting himself a drink. He looked up and recognized the girls and gave them a toothy grin. He looked like he was in full sun for a moment, like a light was shining on his form alone.

“Mason! Is that for luck?” Min-Seo pointed up to the white sweatband that was around his head. Bianca went ahead and started making them drinks.

He touched it. “No, I don’t need any luck, I’m on a winning streak today.” His eyes flickered to Leila, who stood silently next to them and his grin widened. “Persephone! Gotta say, the Induction was top notch.”

“It’s Leila, Mason,” Bianca chided while handing Leila a drink.

“Right, right my bad.” Mason raised his hands in apology and Leila noticed the freckles scattered on the bridge of his nose also ran down his lightly tan and toned arms. He wasn’t bulky, but Leila believed he was strong enough that he could lift something big and heavy if he ever needed to.

“No worries, I’m getting used to it myself,” she replied with a smile. She took a sip and coughed. “Bianca, this is…”

“Strong?”

“I was going to say foul, but yeah that works.”

Mason cracked up as Bianca blinked at her innocently. She rolled her eyes in good nature, the warmth in her stomach wasn’t just from the alcohol.

“Mason are you scaring off the new Vessel already?” A deep Australian voice called behind them. She turned around to see the source of the voice, but not before seeing Bianca roll her eyes.

Interesting, she noted.

They turned to see a boy walking up to them, his smirk making a dimple on his cheek pop. His shoulder length brown hair was secured in a backwards dad cap. Though he was also tan and muscular like Mason, his muscles weren’t as bulky or defined. He was also  taller than Mason-- than all of them-- and he walked with an almost imperceptible gait. She looked closer and saw that instead of a left leg he had a metal prosthetic leg that disappeared into his shorts.

She looked away from it, but her she felt a soft pang for someone who had lost their leg this early in their life.

He came around the table and slapped Mason’s arm.

“Tell me he isn’t giving you any trouble, darl,” he said with a wink to Leila, making her cheeks flush. She was so unused to the feeling she looked down into her drink.

“Seriously, Elliot? Can you keep it in your pants for one second?” Min-Seo reached over the table to swat Elliot but he dodged her hand neatly.

“Can you?” He retorted then looked at Leila with brows furrowed. “Sorry, I’m Elliot. Sometime I forget my manners in front of such a pretty gal.”

“Does that line actually work?” Leila blurted. She didn’t really know where she was getting this boldness from, especially in such a tight knit looking friend group as this.

Bianca turned to Leila. “No, it doesn’t, and he doesn’t have any manners in any situation.”

“Bianca, you hurt me so.” He feigned being struck in the chest, which she stuck her tongue out at. Even Leila rolled her eyes.  “So Mason, are you coming back to play or what?”

“As a matter of fact Elliot, I was just about to ask Leila to play.”

“Ah, she has a name!”

“She does,” Leila said. “And what are you playing?”

Mason and Elliot looked at each other with eyebrows raised.

“Have you heard of a game called King's Cup?”

***

Leila had not heard about King’s Cup, but she doubted she’d remember the rules anyway-- they were all designed to get her to drink. The five of them and some other friends of the group joined them around a table full of discarded playing cards. She recognizes the lanky Vessel for Zeus, Harvey. He seemed to be more relaxed with all of them, the soft glow of the string lights reflecting off his deep skin and his easy smile--especially when a certain boy showed up halfway through his dark lashes thick Spanish accent a huge contributing factor to Harvey’s losing streak from then on.

She couldn’t figure out if they were good friends or boyfriends for most of the game until Harvey got to dare the quiet boy. He was so tall he stood over him, a big smile on his face.

“Oscar, I dare you to kiss me,” he said before the boy, Oscar, captured his mouth in a long, involved kiss.

Well that settles that question.

“Yes we get it, you guys are cute,” Min-Seo said impatiently. “Can we get back to the game?” She didn’t get an answer from the two boys, who had discarded their cups for each other’s hair.

“I guessed we can call that a draw,” Elliot said slapping his cards down. “Looks like I’m the reigning champ, Minnie.”

“Bite me,” Min-Seo said slapping her own cards down.

“Oh believe, I would, but I respect that you don’t swing that way.”

Mason leaned close to Leila. “They’re both very competitive, and sore losers.”

“You think?” She replied and they both laughed. She was starting to feel weightless and restless, the edges of everything were soft and almost blurry.

I think I might need a break from drinking.

The dj on the far side of the room changed the song and Leila couldn’t help but sway a little. She looked back at the crowd of people dancing on the far side.

“We should go dance,” Leila said to the group.

“I have been waiting for someone to say that all night.” Bianca agreed and started finishing her drink.

“I don’t really dance,” Elliot said pointing down to his prosthetic leg.

Oscar broke off his kiss to look at Leila. “I’m coming with. I love dancing”

“See, now it’s just going to be a big orgy.” Elliott said waving at Harvey and Oscar, who both impressively flipped him off at the same time.

“Like you’d ever say no to a big orgy.” Bianca said slapping her cup down and grabbing Leila’s hand. “C’mon let’s go.”

The rest of the group started to move away from the table, leaving half-empty cups and cards scattered about.

“I guess I’ll just beat you at dancing, like I do everything else.” Min-Seo called over her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see him groan and jog to catch up with them.

Leila lost track of time after that. She didn’t technically know any of the songs, but they all had a fast beat and an easy chorus that everyone was shouting to. They all jumped around, she noticed everyone had their own distinct style. Elliot was more of a nodding off-beat kind of dancer while Mason liked to jump and fist pump; Min-Seo twirled around, letting her hair fall in her face, and Bianca was the most social, grabbing hands and singing into faces. And Leila was doing all she could to try to keep up, a huge smile on her face.

She was twirling around in a sort of jumpy hand hold with Bianca when she felt herself bristle.

Like someone had breathed on the back of her neck.

She stopped dancing but it took a couple moments for her friends to notice she stopped and when they stilled she could barely hear them ask what was wrong. She turned behind her and saw that the previously full wall of people surrounding them, started to part.

A group of Vessels her age started walking towards them. They didn’t look any different than the rest of the other Vessels at the party, around the same age, but there was a vibe about them Leila couldn’t quite figure out.

It’s like everyone knows something bad about this group. That was the only way she could explain it. They’re avoiding them.

She felt Min-Seo and Bianca at either side, both of their hands in hers. She didn’t look at them because she couldn’t look away from the group.

No, not the group, him.

Tall, wearing a suit so black it seemed to swallow the light, with the collar undone and the tie loose. Inky, black curls fell on his forehead messily, his thick eyebrows furrowed. He had deep purple bags under his eyes--

She caught her breath.

His eyes were grey--so dark they could be black--they were looking straight at her.

She didn’t know how long they stared at each other, her heartbeat was hammering too fast in her ears to hear the music.

She opened her mouth to say something--anything-- when a girl with near-white blonde hair and wine red lips who’d been with that group walked forward and intertwined her fingers in his and rested her head on his shoulder.

She looked at Leila incredulously.

“This is supposed to be the new Vessel for Persephone?”

The motion of the girl had torn her eyes from the boy but she looked back at the boy-- his eyes had never left hers. She distantly noted she was holding her breath.

He was silent another long moment, still looking at her. Then, he tilted his head, as if appraising her.

“Apparently.”