#the mail pen pal was through a language exchange but i was only in my second year of german so i couldnt write more than a couple short | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

max-is-tired · 6 years ago

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Now My Life Gets Better (Every Letter That You Write Me)

Prompt: “Pen pals! Logince” by @creativity-killed-thekitten

Pairing: Logince

Characters: Roman Sanders, Logan Sanders, Virgil Sanders, Patton Sanders

Words: 2.826

Warnings: Some insecurity, swearing, the rest is basically just fluff

Notes: I HAD THIS FIC IN THE WORKS SINCE FREAKING NOVEMBER CAN YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING-

I swear this fic did not want to work with me. I had to restart it like, five different times? It really did not want to get written lmao. But now here we are! Finally!!

Thanks to @creativity-killed-thekitten for giving me this prompt and not killing me for the long ass wait lmao ily and thanks to my amazing beta @tigertigertigger who makes sure the English language doesn’t kick my ass to the moon and back, you’re the absolute best

Hit me up if you want to be added to the taglist and let me know if you liked this, reblogs, comments and asks are always very welcome and much appreciated!

Read it on AO3!! Buy me a Coffee!!

It all starts in 6th grade, when two kids from two different states stumble upon an initiative about pen pals concerning different school districts scattered all around the country.

Since it’s advised more than once to choose a pen name, Logan decides to go by L –just a letter, but generic enough to pass as a nickname. His introduction is rather plain, almost technical, his handwriting clean and void of errors –but, even if he tries to act indifferent to the whole ordeal, he can’t help the little glimmer of curiosity that sparks in his mind, seeping into his words and phrases without him meaning to.

Roman introduces himself as Prince, his first letter written with every single colored pen he can find. It’s messy, as enthusiastic as a written letter can be, and filled with the occasional grammatical error –he should have proofread it, but his 11-years-old brain was too filled with excitement and anticipation to really care about that.

They’re polar opposites in every aspect of their personality and yet, something between them clicks. They keep exchanging letters through the years, a constant back and forth that accompanies them through their middle school and high school years.

They’re not all happy letters, of course. They fight, they cry, and there are windows of time in which no words are spoken, both parties too proud to admit their wrongs. But they always come back to one another, without fail.

And maybe one would think that exchanging written letters in the 21st century is weird, or a waste of time –technology is so much faster and reliable than a piece of paper or the American mail service- but they don’t care.

Even when they finally exchange email addresses first and telephone numbers later, their back and forth in letters doesn’t stop –it’s a tradition by now, something absolutely theirs none of them wants to give up on just yet. It doesn’t matter that they can now talk on a daily basis, may it be via phone or Skype call.

One thing they do not exchange though is their name. They don’t know why, to be honest. They know each other, they trust each other, and yet none of them knows the other’s real name –they still refer to each other with their pen names, even when they’re looking at each other through their laptops’ screens.

Which is never a big problem for Roman, who’s just a sucker for both pet names and flustering the hell out of his beloved nerd.

“I will tell you my name when we meet in person,” Logan says once, during one of their frequent Skype calls, “but only if you agree to do the same.”

“The I absolutely can’t wait for that day to come, my dear L,” Roman answers, dramatically draping himself over his chair while sending his laptop the sweetest smile he could possibly muster, “I’m sure your name is as beautiful as you are, if not more.”

Logan sputters, glaring at Roman as his cheeks and ears turn bright red, and Roman beams, eyes crinkling in delight at the other’s embarrassment.

“Starlight, is that a blush I see?”

“No it is not, and if you don’t shut up now I will end this call.”

Yup, he really can’t wait.

+++

“Hey Sir-Sing-A-Lot, stop talking to your boyfriend for a second, we need to reach that fucking café and you’re the only one between us who knows where it is.”

Roman looks up for his phone, scowling at his friend. “For the last time Mr. Dark and Gloomy, he’s not my boyfriend.”

“Every time you’re talking to him you get this sappy, stupid smile on your face,” Virgil smirks, clearly amused by Roman constantly denying the obvious, “It makes you look more stupid than usual, and that’s saying something.”

“I absolutely do not!” Roman exclaims, face red and eyes flashing. Virgil just laughs at his reaction, leaving a blushing Roman glaring at him and wanting nothing more than wipe that fucking smirk off his new roommate’s face.

In his hand, his phone keeps vibrating at an alarming frequency –L has probably launched into one of his little rants, so he’s not really concerned. It’s cute, really, how the other gets so fired up sometimes. Roman just needs to rile him up a little, a few choice words thrown into their conversation, and there’s no stopping him. Roman often finds himself looking forward to their little debates, moreover if they’re over face call. That way, he can admire L as his expression gets more and more invested in their argument, blue eyes lighting up with fire as his passions take hold.

It’s an endearing sight, and one Roman feels like he’ll never get tired of. It makes his insides squirm and flip, heart consumed by a flame oh so similar to the one in the other’s eyes, burning in his veins like liquid fire and-

“-rth to Roman! You with me, Lover Boy?” Virgil exclaims, waving a hand right in front of the other’s face. “Stop daydreaming about the love of your life for a second and get us to the cafeteria, would you? Patton is waiting for us, you know.”

“You want to go just because there’s coffee.” Roman grumbles, walking forward to hide his red cheeks from the other.

Virgil smirks, easily falling into step with his friend. “Damn right I do. Also, you did not deny it. You sure there’s no mysterious boyfriend you gotta introduce us to?”

Roman simply shoves him and keeps walking, effectively putting an end to the conversation.

And in the silence that stretches, his mind starts wandering.

It’s not that he’s not interested in L that way. He can’t say he hasn’t thought about it, that’s for sure. How could he have not?

L is downright stunning, with deep, intelligent blue eyes and always-styled brown locks that Roman just wants to sink his hand into. And he’s not only aesthetically pleasing –oh god, he’s starting to sound like him- but his personality is really something else.

L is calm and collected, the voice of reason in the middle of a storm. But he’s also passionate and incredibly clever, armed with a fiery temper and infinite knowledge. He’s not one to back out from a fight, wiping the floor with his opponent with the use of words alone.

He’s like the ocean, calm in appearance and yet hiding an inner strength to rival the strongest of fighters.

… yeah, maybe Roman is a little bit in love with his best friend. He can see where Virgil’s taunts are coming from. And if those lingering looks and quiet, soft smiles L has been gifting him more and more are anything to go by, he has a rising suspicion that his feelings are very much returned.

But Roman is more attentive than most give him credit for, and he hasn’t missed the uncertain look or the flicker of doubt on L’s face every time the other thinks he’s not paying attention. He knows what the other is thinking. How could he not, when he’s probably feeling the exact same thing?

Because for their whole life, their entire relationship has been composed of letters and messages and video calls. They know each other, but at the same time he can’t help but ask himself… do they really?

To be honest, Roman’s scared shitless of the day they’ll meet. He’s afraid –as illogical as it may seem- that the other will just look at him and decide that he’s suddenly too much –too loud, too affectionate, too dramatic, too Roman- and walk away, leaving him behind for good.

It’s nothing he hasn’t heard before, after all. But that doesn’t mean that, when the time comes, it will break his heart any less.

God, he’s not ready for that day to come.

“You sure you know where we’re going, Princey?” Virgil asks, snapping him out of his thoughts, “Patton is starting to get worried and he’s kind of blowing up my phone with messages.”

Roman rolls his eyes, gaze sweeping over their surroundings. Differently from his two friends, who have both moved just recently in the city for college, he’s lived his whole life just a town over and knows these streets like the back of his hand. He could navigate the town with his eyes closed, and the café Patton’s waiting for them at is, coincidentally, one of his favorites.

The boy grins as his eyes land on the coffee shop’s familiar windows, staring back at them from the other side of the road.

“See?” he exclaims, a smug smile appearing on his face as he points to their destination, “told you I could get us there.”

Virgil waves him off with a chuckle, shaking his head as he reads through Patton’s messages on his phone. “Yeah, yeah. Also, apparently Patton has somehow run into our mysterious fourth roommate and convinced him to wait with him for us, so yeah, heads up I guess?”

“The more the merrier.” Roman hums, quickly crossing the street.

“He says the guy’s name is Logan, he’s apparently very passionate about space and I think Patton just adopted him or something,” Virgil adds, clearly amused.

“Sounds like Padre alright,” Roman chuckles, opening the shop’s door, “I wonder what type Logan is?”

“Looks like we’re about to find out,” Virgil says, “There they are.”

Roman follows Virgil gaze, immediately spotting Patton’s wild caramel curls at one of the tables on the far right of the shop. He looks like he’s giggling at something, hands curled around his cup as he shakes in laughter. The scene brings a little smile on Roman’s face, who still has to get used to how adorable Patton can be –if his heart wasn’t already so set on a certain handsome nerd, he’s pretty sure that boy could have easily stolen it.

Then he looks at the other occupant of the booth and his thoughts loudly screech to a halt.

Roman freezes on the spot, completely ignoring the strange look Virgil is giving him as his heart starts beating wildly in his chest. He’s turned around, face hidden from him, but the slicked-back dark brown hair, the lean, thin frame, and the overall posture are so familiar to Roman he feels like he’s about to burst. And yet, he can’t quite believe it, blinding hope and rational skepticism clashing in his mind –there’s no way that’s who Roman thinks he is, why would he even be here, what even are possibilities that’s really-

“There they are!” Patton calls, waving his hand towards them, and as their mysterious new roommate turns around, every single doubt disappears from Roman’s mind.

Because he knows those deep blue eyes staring back at him, he knows them like he knows his own name and he can’t do anything but stare, completely dumbfounded as the other –it’s L, it’s really him, holy shit this is really happening- slowly stand up from the booth and walk towards him until they’re standing face to face.

L looks at him, cocking his head to the side as he seems to ponder something.

“It appears that you were right, after all,” he finally says.

Roman simply blinks, “W-what?”

“You really are taller than me,” L answers, a little smile appearing on his face, and Roman lets out a laugh, finally snapping out of his shock. He grins, happiness and giddiness pooling in his chest, and before he knows it he’s basically tackling his best friend, spinning him around as L –Logan, Virgil said his name is Logan holy shit he finally knows his best friend’s name- lets out a startled shout.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Roman exclaims as he finally puts the other down, a blinding smile ever-present on his lips.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Logan answers, trying to keep his balance as a wave of dizziness hits him, “was it necessary to spin us around like that?”

“Very much necessary, Specs,” Roman grins, bouncing on his toes, “holy shit you’re really here, this is amazing!”

“Uh,” a voice suddenly pipes up, startling the both of them, “not to interrupt your moment or anything, but what the fuck is going on?”

Roman groans and turns around, sending a weak glare toward Virgil. His roommate simply raises an eyebrow, completely unaffected, while beside him Patton looks three seconds away from bursting into excited squeals.

“Remember the pen pal I told you about?” he says, gesturing to the boy beside him, “Meet the pen pal.”

“More like the guy you’ve talked our ears off about for literal hours, Princey,” Virgil counters, rolling his eyes with a little smirk on his face, “Nice to finally meet you, I guess.”

“OH MY GOD RO THIS IS SO CUTE,” Patton suddenly exclaims, giving everyone else a heart attack as he jumps up and down with literal stars in his eyes.

“Pat, my sweet friend, you know I love you dearly,” Roman wheezes, a hand on his heart, “but please do not do that ever again.”

“Whoops,” Patton giggles, a sheepish smile on his face.

“So,” Logan pipes up, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards, “Ro?”

Roman visibly startles, turning towards him with wide eyes. His surprise disappears quickly though, morphing in a big smile and gleaming eyes.

“Roman Prince, at your service,” he introduces himself with a flourish, complete with a dramatic bow and dazzling grin.

Logan smiles at his antics, rolling his eyes with an amused smile on his face. “My name is Logan Sanders, a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he says, “you used your last name as your pen name?”

“Told you it wasn't just because I am royally handsome,” Roman grins, wiggling his eyebrows.

“A royal annoyance, more like,” Logan shoots back without hesitation, his lips stretching into a smirk of his own.

Roman’s Offended Prince Noises™ are drowned by Virgil’s surprised laugh. “Roman, you didn’t tell us your pen pal was cool!”

“Thank you, I guess?”

“Nerd,” Roman chuckles, shaking his head, “I’ll change your mind, just you wait.”

“Oh, really?” Logan challenges, raising an eyebrow, “I’ve known you since 6th grade, Prince. How exactly are you planning on doing that?”

“How about some take-out dinner at my place tonight?” Roman asks without missing a beat, “we could even watch one of those space-themed documentaries you like so much.”

The other blinks owlishly at him, clearly caught off guard. Silence falls in their little corner of the coffee shop, the only sounds being Logan’s sharp intake of breath and Virgil’s stunned whisper of “holy shit Princey that was smooth as fuck-”.

Distantly, Roman knows he should be freaking out right now, fears and doubt swirling in the back of his mind like a storm brewing in the distance. Strangely enough, though, he can’t feel even an ounce of panic, a smile on his face and his heart beating wildly in his chest as he takes in his best friend’s reddening cheeks and a very familiar spark of something appearing in his eyes -it’s a special type of glimmer, one Logan gets every time he talks about the stars, the universe, the wonders of this world he oh so loves and admires.

It makes Roman’s heart sing, to be the one at the receiving end of that look.

“I- um-” Logan finally manages to croak out, fixing his tie and clearing his throat to try and get back some of his composure, “Are you- are you asking me out on a date?”

“Yeah, I think I am,” Roman nods, still smiling, “if you want to, that is.”

Logan looks at him, clearly pondering the offer in his head. Then, he lets out a sigh, shaking his head with a smile slowly spreading on his face.

“Leave it to you to ask me out not even ten minutes after we’ve met for the first time in real life,” he chuckles, fondly rolling his eyes, “but I think I’ll accept your offer.”

Roman grin widens even more, not missing a beat as he briefly closes the distance between them and gently lets his hands rest on Logan’s waist.

“I swear you won’t regret it, sweetheart,” he murmurs, before leaning in and finally kissing him.

It’s everything Roman has dreamt it would be and so much more. Logan’s lips are soft, slightly chapped, gentle as they move in unison with his own. Roman can feel the beginning of a smile threatening to form as he sinks into the kiss, his surroundings completely forgotten as his whole world narrows down to Logan, and nothing more -he barely acknowledges Virgil letting out a loud whoop, Patton squealing loudly in the background.

The world could end in this very moment, and Roman wouldn’t care less. Because he’s kissing Logan, his pen pal, his best friend, his crush, the man he fell in love with, and for now, everything is perfect.

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sapphicscholar · 7 years ago

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Summary: I've been sitting on a prompt for a Sanvers slow burn in a long distance relationship for a while now, but I finally roped a co-author (see author notes) into working on it with me. While Maggie is abroad teaching English in Italy on a Fulbright, Alex is in grad school and volunteering with the local Boys and Girls Club on the side. Figuring they may as well set a good example for the students, they begin writing to one another, only to find something more between themselves. Short, frequent updates. (But seriously, it’s one letter per chapter, so the early chapters are very short, though it’ll update quickly for now - first 5 letters are up now!)

A/N: Huge shout out to my wonderful fiancée who let me rope her into this whole fic writing thing with the instructions, "C'mon, it'll be fun! Let's try to make each other fall in love in character through letters!"

Letter 1:

October 8, 2011

Subject: Reaching Out on Behalf of the Peninsula Boys and Girls Club

Dear Ms. Maggie Sawyer,

My name is Alex Danvers. I am a volunteer curriculum coordinator with the Peninsula Boys and Girls Club. This year, as part of our theme “Expanding our Horizons,” I have been asked to help organize an international writing experience for our high school students. My supervisor, Taylor Macintyre (cc’ed), recommended that I reach out to you.

We have 15 students, ages 13-14, of various reading levels who are looking for international pen pals with whom they can exchange letters over the next year. Ideally, we would like students to exchange letters of at least 800 words once a month, but the frequency of letter exchange is negotiable.

I’ve attached a list of readings that we will be doing throughout the school year. We are asking that our students incorporate themes from these works into their letters, but we intend to give them the freedom to decide their topics.

Please let me know if you would be interested in participating in this program.

Thank you very much for your time.

Best,

Alex Danvers

Alex Danvers M.D. Ph.D. Candidate Stanford University, Department of Bioengineering

---

Letter 2

October 9, 2011

Dear Alex,

It’s nice to meet you! I’m not sure how much Taylor mentioned, but I’m currently teaching English with the Fulbright Program in Catania, Sicily, and I’ve been looking for some students in the U.S. to serve as pen-pals for my students. They’re pretty much all 14, so the equivalent of high school freshmen. They’re pretty good with their reading skills, but they could use some practice with native speakers, especially with writing. I can’t promise we’ll get to all of the books on your reading lists, but I could try to teach one or two of them if you have a preference. I’ve attached my class list here to give you an idea for the number of students. Do you want to pair them up, or should we do it together? If you want to do it, I’d just point out that Alessandro is new to English language instruction, so he could use a partner that’s on the patient side and won’t grow frustrated with shorter letters in response. He’s motivated and very sweet, though! Looking forward to writing back and forth with you!

Best, Maggie

---

Letter 3

October 9, 2011

Re: Reaching Out on Behalf of the Peninsula Boys and Girls Club

Dear Ms. Sawyer,

Thank you for your response. We are very excited that you are willing to participate in our program! I’ve taken the liberty of pairing Alessandro with Chima Chejine. She’s an excellent student who is an Integrated Language Arts tutor and would be well equipped to work with him. The rest of the students have been randomly assigned to pairs (see attached).

Our students will be submitting their first letters to me on Wednesday and they will be dropped in the mail on Friday. For this assignment they have been asked to write a brief bio of themselves and will also include a photo. Is there anything else you would like them to include?

Thank you very much for your time.

Best,

Alex Danvers

Alex Danvers M.D. Ph.D. Candidate Stanford University, Department of Bioengineering

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Letter 4

October 9, 2011

Re: Reaching Out on Behalf of National City Boys and Girls Club

Dear Ms. Sawyer,

Apologies for the follow-up email. I wanted to let you know that my students also asked that you and I exchange letters as a sort of model. Would you be willing to do this? I understand if you do not have time.

Best,

Alex Danvers

Alex Danvers M.D. Ph.D. Candidate Stanford University, Department of Bioengineering

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Letter 5

October 10, 2011

Hey Alex,

Is it alright if I call you Alex? Please, just Maggie is fine. Maybe the southern Italian atmosphere has gotten to me, but the Dear Almost Dr. Danvers seemed a bit formal. I’m happy to exchange letters! I’ll get to working on mine now. In the interest of not repeating myself, I’ll keep this email short and let my own “about me” be a fun surprise.

Til next time, Danvers! Maggie

P.S. Thanks for looking out for Alessandro. He’s a good kid, and he’ll appreciate having someone who doesn’t tease him or anything.

#fanfic #ao3feed #sapphicscholar and sapphicstatistician teaming up #sanvers #long distance relationship au #letter fic #new fic #supergirl #alex x maggie #alex danvers #maggie sawyer

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languagethelife-blog · 7 years ago

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Where to Meet Native Speakers

Interacting with native speakers of your target language is legit the KEY to improving your language. This will improve not only your language but also your cultural awareness. You know you’re fluent when you can hang out with native speakers and know what’s going on. So here are some tips to help you get started on hanging out with them! 💬

In Real Life 👯

This one depends on which country you’re from, so let me know what equivalent mediums there are.

Meetup.com: This is a FREE site where you can find groups that share interests and hobbies and hang out and do activities together. PRO: awesome for group activities and meeting a bunch of bunch of new people interested in the same language and culture as you. CON: May not consistently be the same people however this depends on the group.

Gumtree.com: The American equivalent would be Craigslist. Plenty of language exchange ads on here for a variety of languages. PRO: It’s free! A lot of people use it too! I’ve used this and met my language exchange buddy and we’ve hung out for more than a year and a half now! CON: People may not be very responsive and Gumtree.com / Craigslist has a reputation for being a bit dodgy. However, generally you just need to be careful. Most people I’ve met through Gum tree are normal, nice people.

University & College Clubs / Societies / Programs: Most universities and colleges have a large range of extra-curricular clubs, societies that are focused on language and culture. My university even has a special Language Exchange Service where you can volunteer in various roles with International Students and get some credit for it. PRO: People are normally within your life stage and also an awesome way to meet more people on campus. You can even work your way up into a leadership position within the club or society. CON: Not every university has every language or it may not be as focused on language or culture as you would like. If you think there is a serious demand for such a language club, you could even consider starting one or possibly just join one at another university.

Online 💻

Online is also a great way to connect with people if there are not many native speakers of your target language in your area.

Italki: Italki is an online platform that connects language students with professional teachers, community tutors and other fellow students. You can connect through Skype through paid lessons or informal language exchange. I’ve just started using italki and I’m thoroughly enjoying it! PROS: Paid lessons with Professional teachers and Community Tutors are so much cheaper than having lessons in real life and they are tailored to your specific needs and goals. There are also plenty of keen people who want to do language exchange. CONS: You need to pay money for it. Language exchange sometimes may be hard as people can be flakey and you need to look around for a suitable partner sometimes.

Hellotalk: This is an app which allows you to engage in language exchange through allowing you to chat with speakers of your target language and also people learning your native language. It also has a social media like feature called ‘Moments’ where you can publicly post and people can comment, like and also correct your language. PRO: It’s free! The correction feature is super useful. Depending on the language, people can be quite active on Hellotalk and will engage with your posts and chat to you. CONS: Of the short time I was on Hellotalk, there was an exorbitant amount of guys who wanted to talk to me and frankly was a little creepy. However, I did make some good connections with people on here still.

Pen Pals 🖊️: There are a variety of websites you can find good old-fashioned snail mail pen pal: Interpals and My Language Exchange. They don’t appear to be very updated. But I was able to find a pen pal when I was 15 from Singapore and we chatted for a good year and a half and sent each other gifts etc. PROS: You get to practice your hand writing and it’s always nice to get something in the mail. CONS: It takes time and you may not get to practice as much as you want. It can also be time consuming to hand write. The alternative is to be e-pen pals.

Will be trying out more apps and websites in the future! So far I can vouch for these ones and am enjoying using them. I will be testing: Tandem, HiNative , TripLingo.

#langblr #language #studyblr #study #studyspo #studyspiration #study motivation #english #french #italian #japanese #korean #chinese #polygot #exchange #language exchange

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findteenpenpals · 7 years ago

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Ayeee

Hellooo, my name is Andrea & I'm 17 🎈 I've never had a penpal before, just wanted to put that out there. However, I am very interested in making one 💫 I'd like my pen pal to be between the ages of 16-19 🌟your sex doesn't really matter to me I think it'd be cool to talk to someone from East Asia, or the UK, or Germany, or even as close as someone from Canada. Anyone is welcome though! I am from the USA 🇺🇸 & also happen to be bilingual so I speak both English (obviously) and Spanish (it's actually my native tongue) ☺️✨however, I'm interested in learning more languages - I'm into things considered "creepy" which means I absolutely adore Halloween 🎃🍁(AHS, Stranger Things, and Black Mirror are amazing!) but don't get me wrong I'm a huge fan of Christmas 🎄🎁 - I love drinking tea 🍃(mainly green tea, yeah I'm THAT girl),playing piano (even though I'm quite terrible), attempting to sing (I said attempting for a reason 😂),doodling (I will definitely mail you some if that's alright with you), reading, watching baking shows/cooking shows, i also love watching anime (no I do not consider myself a weeb ahahah), listening to some sweet tunes 🎶, and eating 😋 lol - In the future I'd like to be able to exchange little gifts with my penpal, but only if they are comfortable with it of course ☺️ Ok I wont bore you anymore with all these details, we can get to know each other a little more if I caught your interest through DMs You can contact me @/peachy.andy on instagram (I made a separate account to look for a pen pal for safety reasons of course)

#pen pal #pen pals #penpal #letters #snail mail #friends #multilingual #17 to 18 #submission

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coleymari-blog · 7 years ago

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Cyber Space is Always Sweeter : Chapter 8

Summary: Lucy is a down to Earth, studious, responsible runaway attending Magnolia College. Natsu is a rambunctious, intelligent, pyrophilic fraternity boy going to the same school.

They don’t exactly run in the same circles and they have one hell of a history. What happens when the names and facades disappear and all that’s left are words blinking on a screen? Modern day, College/Pen Pals AU. I’m sorry I suck at intros. Rated M for Language, Adult Situations, and future sexual situations. Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

"Oh, Lu, you are in so much trouble…"

Levy and Lucy were sitting on the blonde's star-streaked bedspread, watching some stupid crime drama in the background, while they talked about their day. After their text message exchange during lab, the older girl had insisted on the two of them going back to Lucy's dorm after their classes let out for some much-needed girl time. Of course, that had consisted of copious amounts of ice cream and gossip.

"Shut up, Lev," the younger girl barked, swallowing a spoonful of Cookie Dough and vanilla. She could feel the blush creeping up on her again and she quickly dropped her gaze. "Every time he looks at me, he sees some poor pathetic freshman. You can see it in his eyes." The blonde purposefully left out the parts about Natsu's gentle tone of voice and the staring matches, fearing more teasing from her best friend. They'd been analyzing her interaction with the grad student for the past hour, practically since Levy arrived. The bluenette shook her head and chuckled softly, placing her carton and spoon on the wire shelf above Lucy's bed.

"Trust me, girl, there's no way he saw you in that outfit and thought you were anything but hot," Levy teased, earning her a small moon-shaped pillow to the head. Without hesitation, she picked it up and chucked it right back at its sender. "Ah. Proof that you know it's true." Lucy stuck her tongue out childishly before diving back into her ice cream. She felt the blush creeping up her neck and slowly cover her jaw and cheeks as her friend grinned in response.

The freshman sat back against the wall and sighed, leading Levy to believe a change of subject was in order. "Soooo, Lu, have you given any thought about going through Fall Rush?"

Lucy's expression soured slightly and she rolled her eyes. Why would she put herself through that bullshit again? Just so she could be ridiculed and mocked? Told that she wasn't good enough? Put on display for the world to see? "I don't think that's such a good idea…" she replied cooly, shaking her head. "Plus, no one would want me after what happened with those snobs."

"So not true! You could totally join Cait Shelter!" Levy replied excitedly. She looked out through the open door to Lucy's dorm room to see if her roommates were in the shared space before speaking again more quietly. "Millianna and Wendy are both coming to Rush and I know that they have an interest in my Sorority. We both know that you would fit right in with us, Lu."

The younger woman stared back at her friend as if trying to read her. She knew that Levy meant well and that she had a point. Because of Levy she already knew most of the girls in Cait Shelter. She also liked the fact that Levy's sisters stressed the importance of intelligence, strength, and camaraderie. The only downside was the fact that they were very close to the Fairy Tail boys, many of them cycling through each other on a whim. Maybe going through Rush again wouldn't be so bad if it meant being sisters with women like that.

"I don't know Lev, we'll see okay?" Lucy compromised, receiving a beaming smile and a nod from her best friend. At least that meant the end of that conversation for the time being.

Getting up to throw away her empty carton, Levy brushed off her sweater and grabbed her bag from Lucy's desk. "Thank you for acquiescing," the bluenette chirped with a wink. "You know you love me, regardless of how much I harass you. Plus, who are we to say 'No' to Erza?" They both shuddered at the mere thought. With a hug goodbye, Levy took off and left Lucy alone in her dorm.

The blonde sat down at her computer and set to do a bit of writing for her novel. Her mind kept coming back to a certain TA, staring her down from the back of the lab. Her body writhed as she recalled the heat that Natsu's gaze had burned into the back of her neck. Before she could lose herself in her thoughts, the alarm on her e-mail application alerted her to a new message. She couldn't help but smile when she read excitedly.

To: CelestialBeauty42 From: DragonSlayer666 Subj: Bored Bored Bored

Hey Starfire! You there? I'm so bored, will you help entertain me?

-DragonSlayer

"Wait? The same chick that Minerva threw at you?"

Natsu's fist landed a solid hit on Gray's torso, causing the raven-haired man to grunt. They had been going at it in the backyard of the frat house for about forty-five minutes after they'd finished with their lectures for the day and they were both exhausted.

"Aye," the pinket growled, his leg trying to sweep Gray's from under him, only to be blocked and knocked flat onto his back. He picked himself up, his chest heaving, only to have the bout called by his opponent.

Swiping at the sweat that had accumulated all over his naked upper body with a towel from the rack, Gray laughed. "What are you going to do? Avoid her?"

Natsu wiped himself down as well, throwing his towel immediately into the basket by the back door. Honestly, avoiding Lucy had never come to mind. The second he saw her in his lab, all he wanted to do was help her. It was probably due to the fact that he still felt so badly about what had happened over the summer, but it had never occurred to him that he could have made her feel even more uncomfortable.

"Nah, I gave her my card in case she needed help in Chem," Natsu replied, slinging his t-shirt over his chiseled shoulder, the Fairy Tail symbol emblazoned in a fiery red peeking from underneath the black fabric. Gray seemed surprised by Natsu's 'generosity'.

"And she didn't turn you down?" he questioned, opening the door to the house for both of them. They were immediately assaulted by the smell of something delicious and were pleased to find Freed cooking dinner for the brothers. The two of them headed upstairs to get showered and changed so they couldn't possibly be near the back of the line for food.

"Surprisingly, no," Natsu retorted, a sense of pride in his voice. "She took it and smiled. Didn't get to stick around long, I was teaching after all, Ice Princess."

Gray shook his head as they entered their respective rooms to grab their clothes and shower kits, joining his buddy back in the hallway as they made their way to the showers. "Whatever, Lava Breath," he snapped. "Just don't screw it up. You're her TA, man. No need to pull a Laxus, alright?" The grandson of Professor Makarov had almost been expelled from Fairy Tail for sleeping with a student while he was a Teacher's Assistant but luckily the girl, Mirajane, had come to his defense. They were still together if Natsu remembered correctly, not that it mattered to him.

They both entered the shower stalls at the same time but Natsu took a bit longer on purpose. While he was standing in the stream of water, his mind kept drifting to the moment between himself and Lucy at the doorway after class. The way she'd looked at him had sent chills down his spine (in a good way). She wouldn't have looked at him like that if she hated him or something, right? She'd definitely been able to burn through him with her stare before but in that moment? She just looked so...

When he got out of the shower, Natsu made his way to his computer to check his school e-mail. He already had a couple messages from the more over-zealous students looking for advancement opportunities. Nothing that couldn't wait until the next day. Switching over to his personal account, he immediately went to write a new message to his new online friend, Starfire. If he couldn't talk to Lucy, at least he could talk to her.

He received a reply almost immediately, making him smile.

To: DragonSlayer666 From: CelestialBeauty42 Subj: RE: Bored Bored Bored

Might be a bit easier with chat. Add me?

-Starfire

Natsu grinned and jumped at the chance to chat with his mystery online acquaintance, agreeing that it was much easier than email. He clicked onto his messenger list and added the screen name, seeing that she was already online.

DragonSlayer666: Miss me that much, huh? CelestialBeauty42: So much for trying to make it easier.

He laughed when he could practically see her rolling her eyes, whatever they happened to look like. Great, now he was fantasizing about a girl he knew nothing about.

DragonSlayer666: Fine, I'm sorry. Let's talk about something else. How was your day? Did you survive your second day? CelestialBeauty42: Barely. But now I'm home for the night, and I have ice cream. Life could be worse.

Before long, they were at it again, getting lost in conversation with each other. They talked for a couple hours before their chat took a more serious turn.

DragonSlayer666: Are you serious? You told me you were a runaway but you never mentioned any of that. CelestialBeauty42: I lived in an estate up North. It was just me and my dad and he was barely home to begin with. One day during one of his business trips, a few of the household staff helped me gather up some things and a little bit of money in order for me to leave. It's only been a few months, but I love the freedom. I wouldn't give this up for the world. DragonSlayer666: And your dad never noticed? CelestialBeauty42: Haven't heard anything yet, so I'm guessing not.

Just the thought alone broke Natsu's heart a bit. No one deserved to be forgotten by their own father, even a random girl on the internet. His parents had left him but not by choice, getting killed in a car accident when he was just a baby. Luckily he'd been given to Igneel and Grandeena Dragneel to raise and they had done a spectacular job. He'd never felt unloved, not cared for, or forgotten. Poor Starfire...

DragonSlayer666: Well, if it's any consolation, I'll never forget you Starfire. You're way too special. CelestialBeauty42: No one has said something that nice to me in a long time. Thank you, DragonSlayer. DragonSlayer666: Just call me Dragon. I love fire enough to be one anyway. CelestialBeauty42: Haha. Dragon it is. Do you collect treasure and steal young women too? )

Natsu could feel a small blush coming to his cheeks. Was she flirting with him? He was never good at understanding the meaning behind text messages, especially when it came to girls. That was one of the biggest issues Lisanna had with him. But did that mean he should flirt back? How could he even purposefully flirt with her over online chat?

DragonSlayer666: Only when they're reeeeeeally valuable, like something made of starlight. That stuff is hard to come by, you know. CelestialBeauty42: Is that so? Well, in that case, I certainly hope you don't live in some sort of dungeon.

She was flirting with him! Natsu's cheeks glowed bright red as a wide smile came over his face. She hadn't even met him and she was flirting with him. It made him feel good, surprisingly. Granted, Natsu wasn't a stranger to female attention. He wouldn't deny that he was a good looking guy. A lot of the time, it just felt like girls hit on him because he was older, or because he was a TA for their class and they thought he could get them an A. The last girl to be genuinely interested in him as a person was Lisanna.

It wasn't another three hours before they finally signed off and Natsu fell asleep with the same dopey grin on his face that he'd had plastered on all night.

#nalu fanfic #nalu fic #nalu #ft fanfiction #ftfanfics #cyber space is always sweeter #;csias

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