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blue-bujo · 1 year ago

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Bowled Over (Roy Kent x Reader): Chapter Four

You work at a bowling alley and a young girl named Phoebe has a birthday party there. You catch her uncle's eye.

Roy Kent x female reader

Will try to update roughly every two weeks

Chapter Four: Feelings

(2.1k words)

Warnings: Roy Kent-level language (you know what you're in for), discussion of mental health (anxious/insecure thoughts)

Summary: You start to realize that maybe you’ve caught feelings when you can’t stop thinking about Coach Kent.

After the chaotic visit from AFC Richmond, you thankfully had a day off. You stayed in, not leaving your modest little apartment – no, flat, they were called flats here. You stayed in, not leaving your modest little flat and found yourself thinking again about Roy Kent.

How you had managed to touch his hands twice, you would never understand. Only you could be that awkward. But he could have handled it better. Running away like that didn’t fit his dark, moody persona. Even you knew that Roy Kent’s main dynamic when he’d played had been that of unbridled rage.

You randomly flipped your TV to Sky Sports for some background noise while you did a few chores. AFC Richmond was a fan favorite, so coverage often turned to them. In most clips, you could see Coach Kent shouting in the background. He was passionate, you had to give him that. It was interesting…

The comments that the little girl, Phoebe, and Jamie Tartt had made wouldn’t leave your mind. There was no way you could be considered even remotely fit, right? You were a bowler, for crying out loud!

But if there was attraction, it might explain the bizarre reactions. And the fact that he’d come back, yet hesitated to come inside. And the small talk before he left yesterday… Could he be attracted to you?

No. No way.

Something you hadn’t experienced in a long time was bubbling up to your chest. Butterflies. The joy of finally being wanted again. And by a footballer! If it was true, you’d never doubt anything again.

Reality soon crashed back down on you. You were a naturalized citizen working a low-paying job at a bowling alley. He was a high-profile figure with two decades in the sports world. Believing that he fancied you was a sweet daydream, but nothing more. A morning spent googling had shown you what his past experience with women was, and it was nothing like you.

Still, he had come back.

If he came back again, you’d consider the possibility that Roy Kent was interested in you.

The greyhounds were wrapping up another training, and their spirits were sufficiently recovered following their loss at Brighton. Montlaur was back off of the DL, but O’Brian was in for Zoreaux at goal until his sprained wrist healed. With their formation changed, Roy and Nate had been drilling them endlessly. Roy had let Nate lead; he didn’t want to overwhelm O’Brian, who hadn’t had so many minutes in goal for years. His mind was otherwise engaged, anyway.

After the bowling day, Roy Kent had given up on forgetting about Splits and given control to Just Roy. That Roy had been trying to come up with an excuse to go back, but everything seemed too desperate. Which he was, desperate for connection, but he didn’t want it to be so fucking obvious.

Today, though, as he saw one of the boys snapping a selfie halfway through training, inspiration struck. When he had first visited the bowling alley for Phoebe’s birthday, Splits had had to take the photo for the wall. She had been so busy when the whole team had been there that no picture had been taken.

Except Higgins had taken one to send to Ted in America.

Roy almost smiled, but caught himself. If he got the picture from Higgins, he could go back under the pretense of giving it to Splits. He’d wait until training was over, and then pay Higgins a visit. It was a perfect scheme. Fucking perfect.

Higgins, of course, obliged. Roy now had the excuse he needed. Tonight, he would go see Splits.

Two days after the chaotic visit from AFC Richmond, you had another shift at the bowling alley. Lettie, the owner and a woman you adored like a grandmother, was waiting so eagerly for you to clock in that you knew she had gossip, but you hadn’t guessed what it could be when she told you.

“There was somebody here to see you last night!” she practically buzzed. “You didn’t tell me you had a man these days!”

“I didn’t know I had one,” you answered, confused. “Who was he?”

“He said his name, but he sort of mumbled it, so I couldn’t properly hear him. But he specifically asked after you, and he seemed a bit disappointed when I told him you weren’t scheduled. I told him you’d be back today, and he perked up. At least, I think he did; he was so intense!”

You knew you had to interrupt Lettie or she would ramble forever. “What did he look like?”

“Oh, he was a handsome lad, but maybe a bit older? Dark and brooding, but shy; he hid in his eyebrows the whole time he was here. But that body! Built like an athlete, he was!”

“Lettie, stop, you’re married! What would Cecil say?” You laughed, but only partly at the older woman. Partly, it was nervous laughter. It sounded like she was describing Roy Kent. He had come back, and been disappointed when you weren’t there! The butterflies flared to life in your stomach.

“Did he say he was coming back today?” you asked, hoping you sounded casual.

“Well, he didn’t say it in so many words, but he nodded, and like I said, he did seem to perk up when I told him you were on today. I’ll be sure to be in the back when he shows up, so you can flirt with him properly.”

You couldn’t hide the blush that was rushing to your cheeks. Lettie was too much; she was always overly invested in everybody’s dating lives, and she’d be the first to admit it. She reached over and patted your shoulder encouragingly before she left with one word of advice.

“Let him pursue you, dearie. Nothing makes a lonely girl feel more valued than being pursued by a man.”

“Thanks, Lettie.”

You had a lot of time before the normal weekday crowd came in to ponder Lettie’s words. It was true that you were lonely, painfully so. You didn’t see yourself as desirable or interesting, and you hadn’t for a while. It was hard to see yourself as anything but bland. But when Roy Kent walked up to the front doors of your bowling alley, where would see him hesitating through the tint of the glass, you started to hope.

He seemed to by talking to himself. Maybe pumping himself up to approach you? That seemed to be the case, because when he stopped, he walked purposefully to the door and stepped inside, directly toward your counter.

“Welcome in!” you called as he approached. “What brings you back?” You hoped your tone was normal, despite the way your heart was currently beating in your throat. He was all in black today with an amazing leather jacket, and it was working for him.

He came straight up to you, as close as the counter and the register would allow. You kept your hands firmly planted on that counter, and like last time, his hands were shoved deep into his pockets.

“I wanted to come back and give you a picture for the wall. You seemed fucking busy the other night and didn’t ask for one, but our team’s operations manager took one, and I have it if you want it.” Roy’s words seemed a bit rehearsed, you noticed.

Smiling, you replied, “You didn’t have to do that, Coach Kent.”

That apparently wasn’t the response he had been expecting, because it took him a moment to form his next sentence. “Of course I did. I didn’t want you to get in trouble for something you had no control over. We were a big enough group to be a proper fucking nuisance; this is the least I can do.”

He was holding back. There was a restlessness in the way he was standing, shifting his weight from side to side. It mirrored the way you were feeling. Behind Roy, you could see Lettie watching through her office window, motioning like she was pushing you or Roy forward. You twisted a ring on your right hand – an anxious habit of yours – and took your figurative step forward.

“I really appreciate the thought,” you said, noticing the way he stood a little straighter as he heard you, “and you will be saving me from a lecture later. Can I see the picture?”

Roy took his phone out of his back pocket and unlocked it for you. It was a different angle than most of the celebrity pictures, shooting across several lane approaches. It layered the team, who were all looking up with impromptu, genuine smiles. It was the best picture you’d seen taken in your bowling alley.

“This is great!” you exclaimed happily. Then, motioning to your manager’s business card by the register, you added, “Can you email it to this address? That way my manager can have the joy of printing it out.”

Roy made a sound that seemed more like the clearing of his throat than one of the grunts you associated with him, and answered slowly. “Not to be too forward, but I was hoping I could text it to you?”

Stunned, you blinked. Had Roy Kent just asked you for your phone number? You heard yourself stammering like an idiot as you told him he could. Roy opened a new contact and held out his phone for you, which you took and tapped in your name and number before handing it back to him. He texted you the photo, and you added his contact to your phone. Then the two of you looked at each other.

The man in front of you was the first to break the silence; you were following Lettie’s advice and letting him do the work. He held your gaze with his dark eyes and didn’t break it.

“Look,” he said, “I really came here because I think you’re fucking fit, and I wanted to get your number so I could talk to you. If you’re not interested, just tell me now and I’ll leave you alone and go be a fucking idiot somewhere else. I’ll honor whatever you decide.”

He finished his speech and dropped eye contact to look down at his shoes. Your heart was beating so hard in your throat that you could barely swallow. You looked over his shoulder at Lettie’s office, where the old woman was giving you two thumbs up, and found your voice.

“I’m interested,” you said. “Really interested. Thank you, Coach Kent.”

Roy transformed in front of you. A massive smile stretched hugely across his face, hiding his eyes and dazzling you. He tried to stop it, but he wasn’t able to. He grinned at you uncontrollably.

“Fuck yeah! I’m so glad. But please, no more of this stuffy ‘Coach Kent’ bullshit. Call me Roy.”

“Okay, Roy,” you said, stuck in your own uncontrollable smile.

Lettie was clapping excitedly in the background, and Roy was oblivious. He finally managed to get some of his self-control back, and was smiling with closed lips, his eyes twinkling now that they were visible. You both looked happily at each other.

“Right, are you free in the next night or two?” he asked.

As quickly as you could, you opened the shift schedule on the computer. Roy was leaning on the counter trying to see it. You looked through the week’s calendar and huffed.

“I’m scheduled for the next three afternoon to evening shifts,” you told him. “The first I’m free is four days from now.”

“That’s not fucking ideal, but it’ll do,” the man said gruffly. “It took me almost that long to work out an excuse to come in here and ask you out. I can wait that long. Would you like to go out with me in four days? Just somewhere casual where we can get to know each other?”

You nodded. Roy Kent was asking you out!

He smiled that dazzling smile again. “Cheers! I’ll see you then. Until then, I’ll text you.”

His mission successful, he turned and strode to the doors beaming. Before he exited, he looked once more at you and gave you an awkward little wave, and then he was gone. Lettie immediately rushed out of her office and held you at arm’s length, studying you closely.

“Well?” she demanded.

“I have a date with Roy this week!” you squealed. Then you both hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down in celebration.

Tag list: @preciousbabypeter @harry-bowie-mercury @amieinghigh

#roy kent bowled over #roy kent #roy kent x reader #ted lasso #ted lasso fanfiction #mutual pining #slowish burn #reader is a bowler #because I was a bowler #hence the terrible pun title #my writing

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mariacallous · 6 months ago

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One night this past February, over drinks and moody bar lighting in Brooklyn, Eric Green and his friends were swapping stories of their recent hookups when one mentioned they’d used the app Sniffies to have public sex. A 30-year-old tattoo artist who works in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Green identifies as a bottom, is a frequent user of dating apps, and has an active sex life—only, he’d never heard of Sniffies.

It wasn’t long after that night out, Green was overtaken by “complete and total horniness” while at home, and decided to sign up himself. When he opened the app he was reminded of Google Maps, only instead of restaurants and shopping recommendations, he was inundated with nudes and suggestions for the nearest pump-and-dump. “I expected it to be like Grindr and Jack’d, but after I checked it out I realized it was super accessible,” Green says, referencing two other popular queer hookup platforms. “More accessible than any other app.”

Access is Sniffies’ main selling point. A map-based cruising platform for men of all sexual identifications (gay, bi, DL, and straight-curious—yes, you read that right), Sniffies has become something like an adults-only Disneyland for queer men interested in sex-positive, no-strings-attached casual encounters. “We really focus on in-the-moment connections,” says Eli Martin, the company’s chief marketing officer and creative director. “On other apps, it’s not always clear what people’s intentions are—some people want to find a boyfriend, others just want to look around—but on Sniffies, we try to make it clear that people are fulfilling their sexual desires and fetishes.”

Sniffies is not your typical dating app, or a dating app at all, really. In lieu of the typical song and dance on Tinder or Bumble, where conversations are bogged down in endless chatter that often never materializes into an IRL meeting, on Sniffies you can anonymously browse a map of guys looking for sex with other guys. Along with web-apps BKDR (short for backdoor), Motto, and Doublelist (think a more streamlined Craigslist personals), it has reignited an appeal in cruising culture that for so long had been taboo, even among certain queer circles, for fear of acceptance or health concerns.

“Destigmatizing casual sex has been our biggest hurdle in general,” says Martin. “It’s been ingrained in us to be monogamous, but we should have this sexual freedom. Cruising doesn’t have to be seedy or something that only happens in back alleys.” Thankfully, he says, that’s changing. “In the last couple of years, we’ve been able to enjoy it more without as much judgment, but it was still hard on day one, because I was like, how do we create an app that’s [not only cool] but going to continually push people to engage in?”

Launched in 2018, Sniffies was the brainchild of former Seattle-based architect Blake Gallagher. A problem-solver by nature, Gallagher was fascinated by the way urban environments influence sexual interactions. He wanted to better augment natural human connection in public spaces, and decided to implement a map feature and geolocation technology as the basis for Sniffies—tapping into what author Jack Parlett calls “the democratic potential of cruising.” Gallagher first tested his idea in Seattle and, with the help of his brother Grant, a programmer, slowly built Sniffies into what it is today—a “cruising app for the curious” with an increasing global reach.

“We really push for the physical aspect of getting off your phone and out and about,” Martin says. And it’s paying off. According to data shared with WIRED, the US cities that see the most action—that is, the horniest cities—are Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. (These figures are based on the highest number of sessions within a geographic area.) London saw a 475 percent growth in usership from 2022 to 2023, and Vancouver is Sniffies’ most discreet city.

Green says he uses the app twice a week “if I’m actually going to meet up with somebody, but I will go on there and scroll every so often.” (His last name was changed to protect his privacy.) According to the company, the average Sniffies user identifies as vers (25.6 percent of total users), has a penis size of 6.67 inches, prefers to cruise a park, restroom, or a residential tower of some sort, is into edging and cum play, and is most likely having sex on Mondays. Since joining, Green describes his time on Sniffies as “kinda calm,” compared to his friends. The encounters he has had, he says, have been “from apartment to apartment, nothing outside or in the gym.”

BKDR is another rising player among the burgeoning world of queer cruising apps. Eric Silverberg says users on Scruff and Jack’d—sister apps to BKDR (all three are owned by Perry Street Software)—were identifying “a clear desire for a platform that prioritized sexual expression and sex.” Cruising has occurred for centuries, he says, and an app like BKDR is a “direct, no-nonsense product that allows people to get on and get off in a very literal sense.”

The demand certainly seems to be there—and the potential for such apps is only growing. Although BKDR launched less than a year ago, it has already expanded to Latin America and Europe. “It’s early days for us, but over 1 million people have visited BKDR in the past month,” Silverberg tells me, adding, “We think it will be the biggest product in our portfolio.”

Growth brings its own set of problems, however. A recent Reddit post detailed how a more conservative kind of user now inhabits the Sniffies. “Now that [the app] is getting really popular in some places there are a ton of guys on the map in my area and most of them are just there to waste your time. I'm looking for [a] hookup right now,” user @curiousFriend2 wrote. “Sniffies used to cater to lowkey guys and even some cumdumps and the more sleezy side, but now the Grindr crowd [has] come in and a lot of them are not even into those things and publicly announce it.”

Sniffies took off following the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, and Martin believes the isolation of the pandemic led to users being more open-minded about cruising. “People’s mindset changed to realize that they want to take advantage of the moment,” he says.

That’s mainly what Green is after most days, though he says he tries not to use Sniffies as a crutch. “It’s cool to go on during my downtime—late at night or early in the morning,” he says, “because I actually have stuff to do, and I don’t want to throw my day looking for dudes,” he says, before adding that “if you’re solely looking for fun,” it’s unbeatable.

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reformedfaith · 1 year ago

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Everybody wants to enjoy heaven after they die, but they don't want to be heavenly-minded while they live.

D. L. Moody

#DL Moody #quote

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hymnrevival · 2 months ago

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#moody #DL Moody #do not disturb #hymn revival christian quotes #Peace #Instagram

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fragileizywriting · 3 months ago

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I love the bedroom hierachy in dl of luka>mari>adrien. Mari fighting adrien at every turn and winning but turning into putty for luka is a great dynamic. Could make adrien figure out he's into humilation when he sees how turned on he is when he realizes how mari is louder with luka and how easily luka can make her come undone compared to him maybe mari teasing him on how luka's dick is better or cucking him when he's moody. Also would he enjoy being feminized like making him crossdress?

POOR BABYYYYYY i feel like he’d be so saaaaad, maybe one day he’d love it but right now adrien is so unsure of himself i’m not sure marinette would have the heart to ever make him feel inferior 🥺

there could absolutely be a oneshot somewhere where adrien talks about his inferiority complex. never good for anyone, always told that he’s a mistake and he’s worthless… if marinette ever said that to him or even hinted at it he’d probably break 🥺🥺🥺🥺

i Have written a bunch of scenes with adrien being referred to as a girl though, those are always fun :3 marinette dotes on him a lot. he’s her special little guy. her sweetie man.

#speakizys #demon lovin

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recoveringdreamer · 4 months ago

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TIMING: current LOCATION: mini golf course (probably not haunted?) PARTIES: @debauchfairy & @recoveringdreamer SUMMARY: felix and kieran embark on a minigolf date. the whole 'cursed to speak in rhymes' things threatens to make it go... less than great. CONTENT WARNINGS: none!

When they were a kid, before their father moved them into the woods and the whole world had changed, Felix got it into their head that they wanted to learn how to juggle. They’d gathered all the oranges from the kitchen — their sister wouldn’t let them use her softballs — and began tossing them up into the air, confident that this would be easy for them. And when every single orange dropped to the ground and rolled away, bruised and dirty, they’d realized that ‘catlike reflexes’ might have been just a little overstated.

They’d never gotten much better at juggling. It wasn’t just oranges they struggled with, either; it was kind of everything. Literal juggling, like with the oranges, but metaphorical juggling, too. They struggled to maintain a personal life alongside their ‘career,’ had a hard time remembering to do simple things like respond to messages and make plans. And they were starting to get better at it, they really were… but then they got cursed. With rhymes.

Classic.

Still, they were determined not to break the plans they’d made with Kieran, because they liked Kieran. He was cool and fun and confident, and sometimes hanging out with him made Felix feel cool and fun and confident, too. They just had to hope he wouldn’t notice the whole rhyming thing. Maybe it wasn’t as noticeable as they thought it was! Maybe they could keep it on the DL. Maybe.

“Hey, Kieran,” they greeted with a smile as he approached. “How have you been, man?”

—

Mini golf was a first. Kieran didn’t mind - for someone who had already blown through a lot of different firsts, it was always a nice change. Sure, maybe not the thrilling environment he was used to but the weather wasn’t too shabby and there was a general sense of enjoyment at this place. Pure and innocent, sure, but invigorating all the same. And turning down Felix’s idea while trying to build a rapport was definitely the wrong way to go. Why exactly that was his mission, to get to know someone who held back on their whims (well, mostly) and had the self-esteem of an orange, Kieran wasn’t quite sure. There was something there, buried deeper, maybe.

And besides, why did anyone do anything? For the hell of it felt like a good enough reason.

He’d dressed down for today, as much as he could anyway, well aware that the tight black pants flattered him. Plus, it was sunny out so no one could blame him for leaving a few buttons open on the soft lemon striped shirt. With the watch and shoes that could probably pay this place’s entire salary for a week, Kieran didn’t exactly fit in but that was never the intention. Standing out was so much better.

Felix trotted inside, already looking much less nervous than last time, and Kieran returned the smile - even if a quirked eyebrow accompanied it at the greeting. “Hey yourself… dude,” he replied, a slight chuckle in his voice. Not exactly a greeting fit for someone who had done the things Kieran had done to Felix last time, but he digressed. “Fair warning, I have never done this before and if I don’t instantly excel at it, I might get a bit moody.”

—

Kieran looked nice, and Felix was beginning to get the impression that he just kind of always did. Felix felt underdressed by comparison, their rumpled button-up and black jeans having felt appropriate when they’d dressed in the corner of the boiler room but a little less than what they probably should have gone with. They almost apologized, but they stopped themself. Kieran, they thought, didn’t want that from them. That was part of what they liked about Kieran. He just wanted them to be comfortable.

Which… Felix rarely was, these days. Or any days, really, but especially these ones. Between the boiler room and the whole rhyme curse hanging over his head, comfort was pretty far in the rear view mirror. This seemed proven when Kieran responded to their greeting with a similarly strange one, and Felix shifted their weight.

“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to make things weird,” they said, smiling and rubbing awkwardly at the back of their neck. “I just started talking, and all my thoughts kind of… disappeared. That happens a lot. Smooth, I am not.” Aaaand now they were talking like Yoda! This definitely proved the ‘not smooth’ point. They didn’t even think they could blame it on the curse — Felix was just like this. Awkward. Uncomfortable. Bad at conversation.

But, hey, things moved forward. Kieran had never played mini golf and Felix had, and maybe that meant they’d be on something resembling equal footing here. “I could teach you how to play,” they offered. “I mean, you probably know, but — god, I have no idea what I’m trying to say. I’m sorry, I guess we both know I’m not great at… this. The whole thing’s kind of hit or miss.”

—

Compared to their last meeting, Felix instantly seemed more vocal. A sign of decreased tension, sure, except… Kieran’s head was cocked, an expression of mixed amusement and confusion on his face. There hadn’t been that much rhyming last time, that much he was sure of. Shit, not any rhyming once you discounted the singing. If this was a way to stave off nerves which honestly, who got more nervous after they’d been intimate - it was indeed a weird one. In their defense, the faun was a force to be reckoned with and stranger behavior had occurred. Kieran didn’t mind oddballs, at least they were interesting but he did wonder how long it would take for the rhyming to get old. Maybe they’d simmer down once the initial nerves wore off. One way to find out.

“I can be smooth enough for the both of us,” Kieran decided, slinging an arm around Felix’s waist to lead them inside. At least he wasn’t bored. Yet. This was an… interesting place for a second date, Kieran thought as a depressed looking teenager handed over some clubs and very colorful golf balls, seeming about as confused about their presence here as the faun was. Holding out the golf balls for Felix to pick a color, Kieran swung the flimsy club lazily as they walked towards the first hole pointed out to them. A child holding an ice cream currently fighting for its life, half of it spread over the child’s fingers and face, approached at record speed and he made sure to avoid contact and then some. That was not the kind of sticky he went for.

“Alright, show me how it’s done,” he encouraged with a lazy smile, letting Felix take charge on the first hole, amidst the fake grass and slightly worn down wooden decorations.

—

Kieran didn’t call out the strange verbal tick, and Felix was glad for it. They were nervous enough without having to explain the stupidity with which they’d gotten themself cursed by buying an ugly orange egg. They didn’t think Kieran would laugh in their face or anything — they liked to think he’d proven himself to be too kind for something like that — but they were a little worried he might think they were stupid. Not loudly, not in a cruel way, but in the privacy of his own mind. It wouldn’t be a terrible thing to think, Felix thought. It was mostly true, anyway.

They smiled, a little of that relief shining through, as Kieran announced that he’d handle the ‘smooth’ part of the evening. “Well, that’s a relief,” Felix chuckled, some of the tension falling out of their shoulders. “Otherwise, this would probably be brief.” They collected the clubs from the bored employee, flashing a small, grateful smile. As Kieran held out the balls, Felix picked the blue one and made their way towards the first hole.

They’d read online that mini golf was a good ‘activity date.’ According to the internet, ‘activity dates’ were the best kind for two people only just beginning to get to know one another. Dinner could be filled with too many awkward silences, while movies had the opposite problem of limited communication. Activity dates, according to the article Felix pored over at two in the morning half-panicked, allowed you to both avoid awkward silences and still carry on a conversation.

Felix had not been cursed with rhymes when they’d decided that carrying on a conversation was important. Maybe if they had been, they’d have gone with the movie.

“Okay!” Felix came to a stop at the tee-off point, holding their club a little too tightly. “Let’s play! So, um, you want to hold your club just like this.” He demonstrated, loosening the grip a little and standing carefully. It should be noted, perhaps, that while Felix had played mini golf before, it had been a while. They weren’t really an expert, even if they knew more than Kieran did. Still, they’d watched a dozen YouTube videos in the hours leading up to the agreed upon time to meet Kieran, so they thought they would be fine. “And it’s okay if you miss! You might not hit it every time, and that’s totally fine.” They reared back carefully, then moved their club forward to hit the ball and send it rolling in a straight line towards the hole. It circled the hole, but didn’t go in. Felix was a little disappointed. They liked to think Kieran would have been impressed with a hole-in-one.

“So, that’s how you start,” they announced. “And I… don’t really have any more wisdom to impart. So, um, it’s your turn! I guess… you can show me how well you learn.” The small smile that accompanied the poor attempt at flirting might have been more charming, Felix thought, without the rhyming curse.

Ah, well. So it went.

—

They really were precious. The thought was somewhere between genuinely appreciative and a bit patronizing, the smile on his face mirroring that. Kieran couldn’t imagine going through life with the confidence of a dirty rug but there was something interesting about simply… observing it. Curiosity had brought him back, too - part of him wanted to understand why Felix was that way, not to mention if it had anything to do with the scars his fingers had traced along last time. All of that was irrespective of the feeding. Felix was an easy feed but then again, so were a lot of other people. Whatever, he didn’t care to look much deeper into it, much too focused on Felix explaining the concept of golf to him like he was a small child. Again, precious. And a solid distraction from the rhyming still taking place.

“I’m usually more of a teacher,” Kieran replied without missing a beat, smile much brighter than Felix’s and accompanied with a wink. He took his position, glancing over at Felix with an expression of ‘I’m honestly not sure why I’m here but I guess I’m amused by it’, before taking his shot. The ball veered, bonking straight into one of the wooden blocks successfully acting as a barrier, and rolled back to about a single foot from where it had started. He cocked an eyebrow, turning back to his date with a look of bemused offense. “Think I need some more hands-on tutoring.”

—

This was actually going really, really well, Felix thought. Kieran hadn’t mentioned the rhyming curse at all. It was like he didn’t even notice! The relief was just a little overwhelming, to the point that it almost certainly showed in the balam’s bright grin. But, they thought, Kieran probably wouldn’t care much about that, either. Kieran was laid back and cool, two things which Felix was decidedly not. It added a certain layer of comfort to the whole exchange, made it a little easier for Felix to relax.

They let out a little laugh at Kieran’s wink, ears burning just a little. But, whereas that feeling usually came with the mocking jeers of the handlers at the Grit Pit, today’s variety was more of a pleasant thing. Felix didn’t mind it much. Watching Kieran’s ball go wide, Felix tried not to laugh. “Okay, so maybe it’s a little harder than it looks,” they allowed. “But, hey, as far as first tries go, I think that’s one for the books! I could… give you a little more help, if that’s okay? Uh, you know, stand behind you and guide your arms like… a total cliche.”

—

Felix was enjoying themselves, obviously, Kieran was a delight but… the faun wasn’t hating this, either. Sure, this was much more toned down than his usual scene and filled with rhyming and he was definitely wondering if this place was too family friendly to serve some cocktails. But it wasn’t the worst. Felix was cute and happy and would provide for a decent snack later on but for now, Kieran would be damned if he was going to suck at something as simple as mini golf.

“I don’t mind a cliche if it comes with physical contact,” Kieran hummed with a grin, reaching down to reset the colorful ball before gesturing for Felix to make good on their suggestion. “You know,” he started as the other got into position, letting them rearrange his grip on the comically small golf club. “I am going to have to ask about the rhyming at some point. Much too curious not to.” It felt safer to ask while there was no eye contact, while Felix wasn’t being scrutinized by what some people had described as an intimidating gaze. Kieran couldn’t help that he had gorgeous yet intense eyes.

—

Sliding up behind Kieran, Felix tried to pretend that they were… smooth and unflappable instead of themself. But Kieran had made it clear that he didn’t mind Felix being themself, and they tried to remind themself of as much as they wrapped their arms around him and placed their hands on top of his. Was this okay, or was it awkward? What was Kieran thinking now? Part of Felix wished they knew, another part was too afraid to ask.

They concentrated on the club, shifting Kieran’s hands into position and gently pulling his arms back to prepare a put. And then, Kieran mentioned the rhyming, and Felix fumbled. They accidentally swung their hands — and Kieran’s by extension — forward a little too hard, sending the ball flying up and out, over the barrier. “I was… kind of hoping you hadn’t noticed it,” they admitted, almost sheepishly. “That was probably kind of stupid on my part, I’ll admit. Um, would you believe me if I said I was cursed? I’m still trying to figure out how to get it reversed.”

—

The ball bounced away pathetically, slowing to a stopway outside of the course. So maybe distracting the supposed teacher was not the way to go if Kieran wanted the stupid ball to go where it was supposed to. “If there’s one thing I do, dear Felix, it’s notice things,” he explained calmly, slipping his hands out from under Felix’s to turn and face them, palms resting on their hips as he cocked his head. A curse? Had some fae with a twisted sense of humor and penchant for literal word games gotten to Felix? Maybe it wasn’t surprising that they would be easily snatched into a bind - Kieran could have wrapped the other up in promise after promise with all the thank yous and less than careful wording. Kieran didn’t because he was nice. Mostly.

“I believe you,” Kieran replied without hesitation, both because it was believable and also since Felix had no reason to lie. He wasn’t even sure they could lie properly and if they could, why lie about this? One hand moved to gently tilt Felix’s chin up, to make that sheepish gaze meet his own. “Do you know how? Or who?” he pushed, wondering if there was someone out there that needed to be told to back off. At least while Kieran was still interested. “It’s impressive, don’t get me wrong, but I definitely liked you better without the rhymes.”

—

Of course Kieran had noticed. It wasn’t as if the rhyming was a subtle thing, though part of Felix wondered if they could have made it more subtle if they were a little smarter. Maybe if they knew more words, if they were more creative, if they weren’t as stupid as they were… Of course, if they weren’t as stupid as they were, they probably wouldn’t have been cursed to begin with, would they? This was the sort of thing that didn’t happen to people with more… awareness. Sure, a few others had been caught up in it, but only because Felix had taken too long to figure out what was causing it, or because Felix hadn’t been able to get a warning out in time to keep them from cursing themselves, too.

At least Kieran didn’t think they were lying about the cause. Relief flooded through them, and they offered him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks,” they murmured, looking him in the eye as he tilted their head up. “I was worried you might think it was a prank.” That wasn’t something they’d do to Kieran, or to anyone, really. Pranks, to Felix, often felt cruel, even when they weren’t intended to be so. “I think it’s less of a who and more of a what. I mean, I guess there could be someone behind it, but…” They trailed off with a shrug. “I bought an… egg thing at a thrift store. Um, I just moved into a new space, and I was trying to brighten it up a little more. But I knew the woman who was running the thrift store, and I guess I panicked? So I grabbed the first thing I saw, paid for it, and vanished. But I guess anyone who touches this egg gets the curse. And, like, it could definitely be worse! Mostly, it’s just annoying. But it’s not like it’s sending me out to do destroying?” That one wasn’t even grammatically correct, was it? Felix winced a little, offering Kieran a smile that, this time, was almost apologetic. “I like me better without the rhyming, too. But I’m glad it doesn’t… bother you.”

—

Felix looked a bit pained at having been caught out, or maybe just to be cursed in the first place, and it really was impossible not to feel some empathy for them. Normally, people made their own messes and Kieran was more than happy to scoff and imagine the situation could have been avoided with some smarter decision making - hypocritical beyond belief, Kieran was not known for his sensible choices. Somehow, Felix managed to inspire just that bit of pity and it was only mildly patronizing. Partly, the faun was curious about this mystery ex who was presumably responsible for all this damage and he wondered how much of it could be undone with the right kind of attention. Humans were mostly disposable, sure, but Kieran couldn’t imagine going out of his way to break one down into the nervous wreck that was Felix. What the hell was there to gain from that?

“I find it very hard to imagine you pulling a prank,” Kieran mused, making a mental note to have a chat with Felix about the endless thank-yous at a later time. Even though it seemed their current predicament had nothing to do with a fae bind. Kieran’s eyebrows raised at the description of this cursed egg, unable to resist an amused smile. As far as curses went, it definitely could have been worse. “Yes, suppose we should all be grateful that you’re not out doing destroying,” he teased, rolling his eyes at the ridiculous notion that something as trivial as this would be enough to knock Kieran off kilter.

“I can put up with it until you find a way to break the curse,” he assured Felix. “And if it does start to bother me, there are ways to pass the time that don’t involve as much speaking.” With a grin, Kieran ducked his head for a kiss, pulling Felix closer and allowing himself a bit of feeding - like a reward for all the nice and reassuring things he’d blabbered out in the last few minutes. And it was sure to reset Felix’s nerves, too. Aware of a few disapproving stares from frigid parents on other parts of the course, Kieran finally pulled away, grin still firmly in place. “Now, are you going to help me get that ridiculously colorful ball where it belongs?”

—

“If I wanted to, I could definitely pull off a prank,” Felix protested, feeling a little lighter now. It took some time for them to feel secure around a person, but Kieran had done a pretty good job in lowering their defenses. It was easier to be more themself with someone who reassured them that themself wasn’t a bad thing to be. “I bet, if I really wanted to, I could rob a bank. Not that I would. But, you know, I think I could.” They thought of the pixies they’d encountered, the ones that had… attempted to rob the bank with Felix and Van as their witnesses. If nothing else, Felix thought he’d be a lot more successful than they were, even if that wasn’t really saying much.

Of course, they had a few… extras that Kieran was unaware of. If some curse had implored them towards destruction instead of rhyming, Felix knew they were capable of a lot more than it might outwardly seem. The jaguar had proven more than once that he could be a dangerous thing, and control was already harder to manage than Felix would like for it to be. If something took away that control entirely, made it dependent on some outside force… They were lucky, really, that the curse they’d been saddled with was such a silly one. A lot of people were lucky for that.

Their smile softened a little as Kieran reassured them again, claiming that he could handle the rhyming. “If it gets to be too much, I wouldn’t blame you for taking a break,” they said, not wanting him to feel obligated to stick to something they might not really want. “I mean, I know there’s probably only so much a person can take. I thought it was fun at first. But… I’m definitely ready to have it reversed.” They flushed a little at the mention of other things they could be doing, Kieran’s lips pressing quickly against theirs the only thing that prevented another bout of awkward, rhyming rambling. When he pulled away, they grinned, letting out a breathless laugh. “Um, yes!” They agreed. “I think we need to hit it… a little less?” They fetched the ball, bringing it back over and setting it down once more. With a little more confidence than before, they wrapped their arms around Kieran to guide him into a more controlled put.

—

The insistence that they could pull off a prank had Kieran smiling which escalated into a chuckle when prank became bank robbery. “Definitely call me if you decide to rob a bank, then. I would love to see that.” Of course, bank robberies necessitated scaring people, making them uncomfortable and frightened on purpose and that was probably what would hold Felix back more than the whole ‘being illegal’ part of a bank robbery ever would. Kieran couldn’t help but wonder how time consuming it was to go through life constantly wondering how everyone else was feeling. And not even for a less than selfless reason like how Kieran was currently making sure his companion had a nice time.

Which, for anyone wondering, was clearly working if Felix’s flushed face and unguarded grin were anything to go off. Like an eager puppy, Felix bounced off to retrieve the ball, which did seem fair seeing as they had been the one to whack it out of the course. With the whole rhyming debacle put to rest for now, Felix immediately seemed less tense, even managing to guide Kieran into putting the ball to just a few inches away from the hole.

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Kieran cheered, the feeling of accomplishment more prominent than he’d expected since said accomplishment was rolling colorful balls into holes. Yes, he liked to make it known that he could make any situation fun but as Kieran watched Felix make their way down towards the hole to finish their shot, he found that a surprisingly low amount of effort was needed to make this… pleasant. Probably had more to do with the promise of less mundane things later on. Surely. “We still haven’t discussed possible rewards for the winner,” Kieran mused as he joined Felix by the first hole, gently nudging his own ball down it. “I’m feeling like I might have some beginner’s luck after all.”

#debauchfairy #kieran: one faun two faun red faun blue faun #wickedswriting

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