⫯ general

@－ ❛ ʜ ❜：cassian faye。⁰³ ( H ) he was compelled to lean in again and take all of the air out of his lungs – in a blue segment of shapes and chaos, like kadinsky. and there were curves on his skin, melted in his fabric – and mal was fascinated. perhaps the union made him look at cassian differently, he could not get his eyes off of him and he was uncertain what to do with himself. he touched his face, and drew shapes with his eyes – he felt the explosion of navy blue in his throat, how absolutely intoxicating and beautiful cassian was. how tender, how free – he was an escape, the freedom mal bathed in. and everything else. perhaps he was the universe, or an explosion of colours amongst planets – he should be a planet himself. every little thing he did drove mal to another galaxy. and every single gesture felt like a play in four acts.

act one – mal’s lips would capture his again, and give him the yellows of an untitled artwork, give him the geometrical shapes of a disoriented painting. act two, their lips would melt together for longer, until colour would fall out of their eyes – yellow-red-blue. until it will rest at the corners of their mouths like ink, like poison – they will kill each other with passion, again and again. until they will drop holding each other on a wet surface – maybe under the earth, or in the water. act three – , their breath caught in heavy red, heart beating against its own cage, eyes rolling out of their sockets. and a sweet euphoria, words, notes, a song, cassian. and the final act – a resolution, the starting point of their next play. painted like circles in a circle, all spotlights on him, on his little rhapsody.

a white point around cassian, and mal wanted to take it all in. he leaned closer and was about to kiss him again, but he noticed the sudden discomfort his beloved felt. his eyes widened, and he looked at cassian almost innocently. “hey,” mal touched his face gently trying to comfort him. he saw the metal piece next to cassian’s leg, and looked at it maliciously. he placed one of his hands on cassian’s injured knee and rubbed it gently, then looked at the metal piece and whispered something. “say you are sorry,” his tone was very charming, but serious at the same time. a high pitched voice, that sounded a lot like some metal being scratched, responded with a choked ‘am sorry’. the charm wore off quickly, and mal was glad nobody noticed he did that.

he smiled at cass and leaned in to find the second white, hoping that his lips will take some of the pain away. his mind was racing again, but he found it in himself to make the kiss short and sweet before resting his forehead against cassian’s. he rubbed his knee again, gently and carefully. “should we go to the hospital wing? can you still walk? metal staircases can be a little jealous. especially when they see you kissing me like that,” he moved a bit away just to look at him properly again. mal’s eyes were drowning in adoration, and he could no longer hold back. “I was waiting for you to kiss me, you know. I wanted to do it since day one, but then you annoyed me, therefore, I wanted to punch you more,” mal teased, caressing cassian’s cheek fondly. he was mal’s kaleidoscope – and he will never stop being amazed at his shapes and colours.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：maël clair。⁰² His broken gasp was swallowed by the tide yet the thought of resurfacing did not cross his mind. Not when drowning in Mal felt this divine. He surged for him and it mattered not if he stumbled unceremoniously on the step to get closer to him, hitting his knee on the sharp edge. The waves of longing he had repressed for so long all flooded him at once and he let out a small whimper into the kiss. There was no going back from this, he knew, once their eyes were open his friend would know of the feelings he had kept safe in the drawers of his mind for nearly a year in fear of messing up their friendship. The drawers were all blown open by a strong gust. He wanted to cry and laugh, and maybe he would have, if not for their connected lips and if not for his unwavering desire to make the kiss last an eternity. In the back of his mind, he had prepared himself to be pushed away or if he had been lucky, Mal would brush him off politely and deny Cassian's intuitive thoughts these past weeks of the possibility of them. Together. In any form. The longer the kiss lasted, the more those doubts faded away.

As Cassian drew back, there was hope leaking into his half-lidded eyes. Maybe even some fear, or a mix of two, he could not tell. His eyes drifted to him, he had to see Mal, assess the expression on his beautiful face to assure himself that he was not lucid dreaming. The sun was assaulting them, painting the side of Mal's face in gold and amber and giving him a halo. Cassian’s hands trailed down the side of his face and came to a soft stop by his collarbone, the touch lingering. There were no words forming and speechless, he stared. The second crash of their lips nearly drove him insane. His lips became more desperate and his hands tightened on the collar of Mal’s fancy coat. A coat that would look amazing on him if they were to attend a ball. This he had not told him, nor the fact that he looked like a fairytale. The slide of their lips against each other, made him dream of a fairytale. Theirs. In his imagination, his fingers traced the piano keys of an old, worn-down instrument and without pressing down he could hear the song. He hoped Mal could hear it too, somehow.

It would be a serene melody, a serendipitous harmony to eradicate the torment of their heavy hearts. It will be for him, for them. They deserved the calm after a storm, he thought. He would find a way to orchestrate air for them to breathe, bring to life an endless symphony of wildflower fields under a starry sky that is not out of reach. He would ask Mal to paint this world, in any colors he would like. A dream within reality, a tale in major scale with their steady heartbeats as the sounds of drums. He placed his hand on Mal's chest. Would his heart beat at a different rhythm than his? Could he teleport their souls from the duet bench to another dimension, like how he was now as they kissed? He had set sail on a journey for an island that seemed less out of reach now. He had a melody in his head which he hoped would not go away before he got the chance to sing it for the other. The sound of their lips detaching was obscene in the quiet shop. Hearing it did not help the blush across his cheek, only made it worse. There were some things he wanted to ask, a lot of nonsense other than whether Mal thinks it would be okay to kiss for a little longer. Still, no words. Instead, he bit his lip and adjusted himself to sit correctly, wincing when the pain in his knee finally registered.

@－ ❛ ʜ ❜：cassian faye。⁰³ mal’s answer came in the form of a hum, his eyes were too lost searching for all those colours on cassian’s face to mind words – or anything else but him. he posed for him, always seeking for his eyes even though he should be looking for the lenses. he tried to put a ‘serious’ face on for the sake of a photoshoot, but he could barely contain his smile. his heart felt content, happy – he had no idea that having a date with cassian will make him feel like this. they have spent time together before, of course. but this was different – it felt different, even if mal did not know how to label it or if he should even label it at all. he enjoyed the moment, like he always did – he was someone who lived life by moments, by seconds, sometimes by impulse. and all of them were telling him to move closer, succumb to that sweet melody that cassian wanted him to hear.

was it his heartbeat he caught on his lips, or his winged heart? whatever it was, it was enough to knock the air out of mal’s lungs – drag it out by its feet, by its own wings. and as if debussy released his sweet reverie in his ears, he leaned closer in tune with the known rhythm. until he crashed, like a ship against the currents – in his arms. air did not exist – it was a concept that never existed in paintings, less viewers were to find it. all that colour and beauty did not need something as mundane as oxygen – because it breathed within itself, with itself, with cassian. and how lovely his lips were – like petals mal wanted on his pillow in the morning, like petals he wanted to paint with. all the rush of emotion, all the colour – mal knew it all dispersed in their union.

and he repeated, threading all those words that he never spoke with his tongue. and it was a signac again – the port of saint-tropez, heat and pinks, yellows and cassian. reds, cassian, purple – and maybe blue, but always with cassian. until they ascended to the papal place in avignon, darker tones covering their bodies – mal lost himself a little too much, a little too fast. his throat burnt with those three words he wanted to scream out loud, the ones that told cassian everything he needed to know – was he selfish to keep them silent between them? it was the red buoy when mal realised he was out of air – when he realised his lips melted with cassian’s for over three minutes. he realised he did not look at him in a while – but he still saw him, felt him like a dream, like a melody. perhaps he was the wind who will help mal sail farther – until he will hit a tide, and cassian will pull him back with the same sweet promise.

his heart was pounding against his chest – it was like march towards the sunset, towards cassian. mal knew it was heading towards him, it was forceful, it made him stop for a moment. because in the intensity of their union, he forgot he needed air – he still found the concept stupid – but he was drowning in his colour, in his scent, and there was no saying when he will drop again. perhaps not lifeless – the opposite of it, more alive than ever. he looked at cassian, lips swollen, face close – he did not want to go into the tide, not just yet. he needed him, because he kept him alive. the silence did not set, because he crashed again – giving his oxygen away once more. until there was nothing left again – and he had to pull back, and prepare for the tide. it was the second time he looked at him, madly lost in the effect of their union – how beautiful the light captured cassian’s features, his lovely face, and gorgeous smile. words escaped mal, he gave them all away with his lips twice – he did not mind staring at cassian for a longer while, smiling like a fool lost at sea and drowned in his arms.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² Finch chuckled out softly and bit down on his bottom lip, letting out a shuddering breath as he pulled the male closer to him, humming out softly. “Well. Then, why don’t you? Why don’t you pin me against a tree and me right then and there? I’m not against public , you know. It could actually be hot too, the thrill of almost getting caught by someone? Perfect. Just fills me with adrenaline, and of course..more desire.” He mumbled and let out another chuckle, tilting his head to the side. Finch sighed out in content as he felt himself getting even more needy than before. He glanced at his shoulder as he watched his jacket sliding off of his shoulder before his attention was back on the male that was pressed closely against him. “Begging, hmm? Begging is something I almost never do. I’m sure you’ll be able to have me for you, but begging? I don’t know about that, Eli. We’ll see if it happens or not. Maybe when I get really . So..you’ll just have to get me even hornier than I am right now. A little tip for you..it’s not really that hard to get me more .” Finch glanced around quickly t osee if there were people around them, luckily the streets were still empty, but he wasn’t sure if the streets would stay empty for long. They most likely needed to find another spot for their “activities”. Finch moved his hand to press against Elias’ chest, his hand slowly moving down to run his fingers over his toned stomach. He must be working out, that’s why everything felt so solid. He wondered if literally EVERYTHING was as solid as his chest. He laughed to himself and moved his hand even more down to gently touch and cup the other’s forming bulge, giving it a gentle squeeze to work him up a little bit more. Finch tilted his head to the side to allow Elias to kiss and nip all over his neck, letting out a sigh in content. “Mmm, let’s do your room. I have like..3 roommates and I don’t think they’ll appreciate it if I have with you in there. Then again..I don’t think they’d mind watching for some reason.” He laughed softly before gently giving Elias a push to get him to back off a bit. “Come on then. Let’s head to your dorm, you have no roommates yet, right? So that means we can get as loud as we want.” He winked and turned around to get back on his bike, although it didn’t go as easy as normally. But then again..he didn’t sit on his bike with a semi hard-on all the time. Finch grabbed his helmet and slipped it on before looking at Elias. “No race this time, I’m way too for that.” Finch laughed at himself before starting up his bike again and already making his way towards the Slytherin dorms. This just showed how needy he was.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² He hummed, half paying attention to Finch clarifying how it wasn't flattery. He had claimed to be an honest guy and had not acted otherwise in the short time they have gotten to know each other, and Elias was never the person to overanalyze things or try to pry until he found a flaw or a lie. If he says it's not flattery, then the slytherin boy will accept it as fascination from the other, simple attraction and infatuation at first sight. That he could relate to, as well. "I could say the same about you. You have just enough crazy in you, makes you more interesting." his eyes turning more fierce at the taunting, flames of seduction visible behind his stare. "I'll show you, alright!" he tsked, "have to first decide whether I rather take these off of you," he tugged on Finch's belt and then the sleeve of his jacket, managing to slide it off of one shoulder. "drag you to the closest tree, pin you to it and have my way with you. Oh but you're so reactive to everything I do, to every little touch," he subconsciously hummed at the contact of the other's tongue against his thumb, his body pressing further against him. "I could have you sprawled out for me, tease you until you're begging and for me with your pretty voice. We'll see then exactly what kind of effect I'll have on you." Admittedly things had escalated so fast to the point that he was actually considering the first option while knowing well it was a bad idea. The other had said they were alone but they could not be so sure that would remain the case for the rest of the night. As much as the feel of Finch's lips distracted him enough from his thoughts to lose himself in the kiss and open his mouth to catch the boy's tongue over his lip, he had enough sense left to decide things would be too rushed out here and he wanted to take his time. His hands had been running up and down Finch's back under the jacket but over the tight and tucked-in shirt that he would rather rip off of him as soon as possible. His mouth left the other's, a string of saliva catching on Elias' lip before it was smeared against Finch's neck, where he had mumbled his next question before his mouth latched onto a new spot. "your room or mine?"

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² Finch tilted his head up a bit in interest before breaking out into a wide smile at the sound of the other laughing. Somehow, he really enjoyed hearing the other laugh. It was the first time he really heard it, but it was still a sound he quite enjoyed hearing. The other male just looked so calm and collected all the time, so hearing him laugh was something kind of...refreshing? He wasn’t quite sure on what to call it, but it was still a nice sound, nonetheless. Finch slowly moved his hand to run his fingers through his own hair, still staring back at the other. He might make him nervous and all flustered, but he wanted to also show him that he wasn’t someone that backed down easily, even if the person across of him was intimidating. “Oh, I’m aware that flattery can get me anywhere, but this wasn’t even flattery. This was just simply..saying it how it is. You really do interest me, Elias. You’re an interesting one.” He whispered back, his tongue slowly swiping over his lips to wet them while continuing to level the other’s stare. “I haven’t seen anything yet, hmm? Well, then why don’t you show me? Now you’ve managed to make me curious.” He chuckled out softly and bit down on his bottom lip. Finch let out a soft hum and reacted to the other’s fingers gently caressing his face, tracing his jawline slow and carefully before his nimble fingers moved over to touch his lips. “Mm, I guess you have this kind of effect on me, hmm? There hasn’t been many people that have been able to..make me feel like this. Needy. I’d call this feeling foreign if I didn’t know how what it was like to feel needy for someone’s touch. You should be proud that you’re able to bring this side of me out to the world. Or at least..we’re alone now, so..not really to the world.” Finch muttered and watched as Elias started to adjust his position. It must have been a bit of an awkward pose before, but now after having adjusted himself, he was standing even closer to Finch, his arm wrapped around his waist to push him against his body. Finch just looked up at him and listened to him speak. His eyes glanced down at the thumb that was gently tugging on his lower lip and before he knew it, his tongue darted out to over the male’s thumb before his tongue settled back into his mouth. A soft chuckle escaping his mouth at the other’s words. “I was here all along, you just didn’t find me yet, but now that you have, you can get right on track.” Finch bit down on his bottom lip again as his head got tilted up. He already knew what was coming and he was excited for it. He even anticipated it. “Suppose you should.” Was the last thing Finch whispered before his lips came into contact with Elias’ lips. The kiss already turning very deep showed that not only Finch was needy, but Elias was as well. Something about that made pride swell up in Finch’s chest and he quickly threw his arms around Elias’ neck to tug him closer against him, his tongue slipping out to over the other’s bottom lip.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² The smirk he was sporting turned into a grin and that turned into a breathless laugh soon after, the ravenclaw boy was not holding back on flirting with him. Elias did not remember the last time he was this joyful because of interacting with someone, his lack of interest in everything around him made him hard to please, and people were just not trying hard enough. But this! Making a cute boy who has acted so nonchalant and confident chatter on and on nervously was boosting his ego. It made him wonder how Finch would react if he was to shut him up with a kiss mid-sentence. Although he rather liked hearing what was coming out of his mouth. Elias would not admit it outright but he knew he could be arrogant and a little self-centered, which only meant he bathed in all the compliments thrown his way. 'godly' he had said to describe him, making Elias bite the corner of his lower lip, staring right into his eyes. His breathing had gotten heavier. If the intimidation was only turning him on, then Elias had no reason to mask his intensity. "flattery will get you everywhere, little bird." he had whispered in the small space between them, emphasizing the 'you' because Finch was en exception for him too. "darling, you haven't seen anything yet," the slytherin boy watched as he leaned into the touch but his fingers were too restless to stay in one place. It was the not so subtle promises underlying the other's statements and the outright suggestion of making out that had him dragging his fingers down the side of Finch's face, tracing the jawline and feeling the softness of his skin before the reached his lips. "have barely touched you, and you're this needy for me?" he smiled lopsidedly when he was tugged forward, they were in a rather awkward position with Elias leaning over him. So he pressed closer until his thigh was placed between Finch's and his left arm wrapped around the other's waist and pushed him higher up, knowing well that Finch would likely have to hold onto him to not lose balance. "No you wouldn't lie. You don't seem like the type and I like that about you already," his thumb tugged on the plump lip, coaxing Finch's mouth to open slightly. "Have you seen yourself? Lust personified. I absolutely adore this flustered yet determined side of you, you're witty and just as blunt as I am. , where have you been all my life?" his lips were only inches away from kissing him, his fingers coming down to close around Finch's chin, tilting his head up. "I did win the race hm, I should claim my reward." Elias locked lips with him, deepening the kiss right away and tasting the sweetness that had no right coming from such a filthy mouth. It only made him want to take and take, until they were both breathless.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² "Well, the thing is..and I'll be completely honest because..well, when am I not honest? And I don't see any reason to lie to you as you're not putting me in harm's way or endangering me. Well, technically you're endangering me with your hotness. It's illegal to be that hot, you know? Anyway, back to the topic. You're making me so flustered because I have never really felt this around someone else? It's foreign, but at the same time it isn't. It's still very much nice though. I like the feeling that you happen to give me. And like I said before, you're ing hot and it's somewhat intimidating too? But, I like your voice too. It's like..not only do you have the most godly face and posture and everything I have ever seen, but your voice completes it all as well.” Finch was aware that he was somewhat rambling, something he’d do whenever he got a bit flustered or nervous. This was..kind of a good thing for Elias too, because this meant that someone was actually successful in getting him flustered. Meaning Finch must really be quite impressed by the other. "I don't really like beating around the bush either, sometimes it can be fun, but right now..I suppose you could say I'm way too needy to beat around the bush? Do with that what you will, hmm?" Finch chewed on his bottom lip as he watched the other react to his gentle, barely noticeable touch to his chest. Just watching him react to even the slightest touch, made him feel somewhat giddy for some reason. He hummed out softly in response and moved to lean into the other's touch, closing his eyes briefly before reopening them to look back into the other's dark orbs. "I wouldn't lie to you, of course you're my type. Blunt, pretty sarcastic, hot as , a good biker, impeccable body..even though I haven't properly seen it yet, but I'm sure I will soon. Oh, and you're actually pretty funny too. And honestly, if I may be so blunt to say this, but I just want to make out with you. I mean, I'd also gladly keep exchanging compliments, but wouldn't it be better to lock lips instead? Or..or..better yet, exchanging compliments while we make out." Finch laughed softly and reached his hands out to gently hold onto Elias' jacket, tugging him closer against him. He slightly parted his legs to make space for the other to stand in between while he continued leaning back against his bike.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² Picking a better place sounded like a way of asking him on a date, that was what he assumed while keeping in mind that if Finch was not asking him on a date, then he would be the one to ask the ravenclaw out. He might have sounded like a player but in reality, he was no casanova. Finch was fierce, that he had shown that by not backing down from the argument in the text messages, wheres most people would have been intimated or put off by Elias' bluntness and dry humor. Additionally, he was competitive but did not forget to have fun, nice enough to even compliment his opponent after the match. Not to forget he was madly cute in his attractive outfit, standing by his badass bike and looking up at him through long lashes. If he was to go off of the first impression, he was Eli's type. To find out more about his personality, they would have to go out more, maybe to a nicer place as Finch had promised. "even your voice sounds nice too! hm with how much you bickered with me before, I didn't think you would be someone easily flustered." for a second he considered that maybe he should step back and give the other more space, he could not be sure if he was coming off too strongly since Finch sounded somewhat nervous..in the beginning at least. That changed when Finch replied back playfully, even flirting back and touching him. Eli did not always appreciate random touches from strangers but he could not deny that his heart had skipped a beat, his body betraying him by reacting to the touch. He shook his head softly at the question, the corner of his lips turning up into a smirk. "in fact I'm going easy on you, I don't like beating around the bush, you see. and no, I don't just say that to anyone," he brought his hand up to brush away the long strand of hair that had fallen on the side of Finch's face, moving slow enough to let Finch slap his hand away if he did not wish to be touched. "am I really or are you just saying that?" he laughed softly, eyes not leaving the other's.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² He let out a soft chuckle at the cute noises the other was making while he was talking. It was probably some habit, but at least it was a cute one. One that Finch was already kind of used to, even if he didn't do it often. "Yeah, next meet up, for sure. I'll..pick a place, a better place than this..this is not a bad spot, but eh..we could probably do much better, huh?" Finch ooked over the road that they raced on and let out a soft hum, shaking his head before turning to admire the male in front of him again. Hogwarts definitely wasn't a place for bike racing. The only racing there would be going on at Hogwarts is with Quidditch. It wasn't that he had difficulty with flying, but something about bikes just seemed so cool. Mostly because it was also such a muggle thing to do. Which made it pretty cool, because there were not many bike riders in Hogwarts. He was sure there were a few around, but so far Elias is the first bike rider in Hogwarts he knows. Well, besides himself. Finch smiled to himself as he noticed the other's eyes turning into small crescent moons. He was already handsome, but his cute eyesmile made him even more handsome and cute in general. Finch was freaking out from the inside, he just kind of wanted to scream, but he was fairly certain that he'd scare the other away by doing that. Something he didn't want, so he managed to keep himself contained for now. He raised his eyebrows in interest as the other male started to slowly walk towards him. He slightly lifted up his head as he stood closer to him now. He hadn't noticed that the other was quite tall before, but now that he was standing so close to him, he very much noticed so. Finch noticed Elias' eyes scanning his face, probably looking at all the small details on his face. Finch was never really a person that got shy very fast, but with Elias looking at his face from such a close distance, just made him feel odd. And his stomach started doing flips as well. It felt strange, but..definitely not unpleasant. "Drop dead gorgeous? Gosh, you do know what to say to get a guy to start swooning, huh? Hmm, are you this smooth with everyone or did you happen to reserve this for me only? Totally your type as well? Well, what a coincidence, because you happen to be my type as well." He mumbled and leaned back against his bike, his hand reaching out to run a finger down Elias' chest, a small smile on his face as he looked up at him.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² Elias hummed while Finch talked about the race, making small 'aa' and 'mm' noises of confirmation, a swedish habit he had that most students at hogwarts found strange or slightly annoying when they converse him, although some people got used to it after knowing his intention was not to intrupt the person speaking but rather show he cares for what they were saying. "It was a sharp turn yeah, thanks for noticing me showing off," he chuckled, not afraid to poke fun at himself. "Glad there were no gravel on the road otherwise that would have been risky and I'm not that reckless," he nodded toward the heavy motorcycle. "She's a beauty." maybe they could just go for a ride someday without having the pressure of race, that sounded like a nice idea too. Elias had never let anyone ride on his bike, a few girls did try to flirt with him and act cute or overly clingy in hopes of getting free ride. Unlucky for them, Elias had no interest in giving people rides on his bike, nor was he interested in girls in general. which meant he had to politely reject quite a few people, but if Finch was to ask..maybe he would consider it, who knows? The other had suddenly tensed and stopped rocking on his heels, even stuttering his words out. Elias bit his lower lip, not knowing whether revealing who he was had made the other uncomfortble? It made him raise an eyebrow but hearing the other curse under his breath and avoid his eyes made him realise what the matter was. To have someone as handsome as Finch get flustered over seeing him, made Elias smile prettily, eyes crinkling into half moons. He might have muttered a 'cute' quietly. "For sure, you can decide the next meet up yeah?" their eyes met and he was pulled in by those beautiful eyes, throwing self-control out of window he began walking toward the boy that was complimenting his looks. "Oh allow me to be blunt now," he had reached him, leaning in to study his features, taking note of the cute button nose and the long lashes that framed his doe eyes and the cute moles on his cheek that when connected would make the ursa minor constellation. Perhaps he would fit the 'little bear' as a nickname more than 'little bird'. "You are drop dead gorgeous, Fin. Totally my type."

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：maël clair。⁰² The other had a habit of drawing invisible lines with his fingers, of the object he was drawing as if he was memorizing its shape. He had seen him do that when something caught his interest, something that he did not dare touch. Cassian could only smile in response, not knowing what other reaction would be appropriate. He moved his face as little as possible even when he glanced down at his phone. It might have been only a few minutes but it had felt like an eternity for him as he waited patiently, letting Mal map out his features until he seemed satisfied, and in the meantime he followed the outline of the blonde’s face with his eyes, freely staring now that he was given the opportunity. The little sigh made him chuckle, Mal must have missed him to be this sentimental now. “you dream about my songs?” he asked playfully as he leaned back against the white staircase railing, the metal feeling uncomfortable but he focused on capturing the perfect shots of his friend. “look here, handsome.”

Mal looked ethereal. Photos after photos, he looked amazing in every one of them and at some point, Cassian had climbed down one stair to capture him from a different angle. The way he was looking down the camera had made his heart beat faster, even skip a beat or two. In an instant, he was transported to a far far away island, and he was standing in front of a small white cottage by the seashore with the grass beneath his feet, gazing at the vast blue in front of him, it all felt like a dream within a dream. Watching as the sun sank in the horizon, the purples and reds spread through the sky, a colorful visage but the night was inevitable. He brought the phone down and reached for Mal's hand, sitting back on the same stair and not letting go of his hand but instead caressing it. He knew he would regret it if he waited idly by the sea until the darkness engulfed him again.

Glancing at the photo saved in his phone and back at the person sitting beside him, seemingly also far away in his own head, he smiled softly. Cassian kept staring at his lips, the urge to close the distance between them stronger than ever. Not waiting too long for his mind to change, he decided that he will light a beacon and set sail to the other end of the universe, where maybe he will reach Mal’s own island and if the winds were in his favor and the seabed stayed far below, maybe they could set sail together. ‘wouldn’t that be the dream?’ with that thought, he leaned closer and closed his eyes, placing his lips against Mal’s soft pair. His hands did tremble because of nerves and his breath hitched but it was all worth it. It felt right.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² Finch hummed at him in agreement and slowly nodded his head as he glanced back at his bike, smiling down at it. He really did well, at times when he saw that he wasn't going to win in any way, he would just give up already. Most times he would still continue doing his best, but who knew? There could always be a possibility where he'd end up winning. In this case however, that wasn't possible. Maybe only if Elias' bike malfunctioned or something, but then again..they were racing at a pretty high speed, and if it were to malfunction then, it could give him serious injuries. That was something Finch didn't want either. He was honestly happy with the outcome of the race, and maybe..maybe if they were both up for it, they could have another race. Maybe then he'd bring his race bike instead. So that they could seriously compete against each other. "Yeah, you're right. In the beginning, I managed to go quite fast actually, but you caught up with me quite quickly and passed me easily too. Oh, I liked how you turned around that sharp corner. It was pretty cool, and something I unfortunately can't do with my bike. It's too heavy to make those kind of turns. But..I would never trade her for something else." Finch mumbled and looked at him, raising his eyebrows in interest and curiousity as the other took off his helmet. He was still curious what the other looked like. From what he could already see, he had quite a sharp jaw. Finch leaned his body to the side to try and get a better look at his face before standing straight again as he turned around. His breath hitched slightly and he stopped rocking on his heels as he just stared at the other in front of him. He slightly jumped as the other started talking again, quickly rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "U-Uh. Yeah, yeah. We could definitely race again, we should..uh, do this again. Some other day?" He muttered out and bit down on the inside of his cheek, silently cursing himself out for stuttering. He also just knew that he must've been as red as a tomato. People usually didn't catch Finch off-guard like this, but..someone managed to do it after quite some time. Finch met the other's gaze and let out a soft chuckle at the look in his eyes. It was clear that he was interested in him, which was..very good for Finch, considering he was very interested in him too. He managed to quickly check him out before looking back into his eyes. "So. Allow me to be blunt, but..I can't help but notice how handsome you are. Honestly, handsome is an understatement, you're hot."

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² The match was unfair and he was very well aware that he had the upper hand with having a bike better suited for racing. He could bring his chopper the next time they raced. The black bike was parked in the garage big enough to fit a car but he had asked his dad for bikes instead of a car when his dad had promised he would buy him a car if his scores at the university were high. That was no problem for him, taking into account that he had very few things distracting him from his goals, he aced all of his subjects. He was thankful he could have two shiny brand-new bikes thanks to the riches of his parents, he was aware he would not be able to afford them on his own. Although he was not the type to show off his parents' wealth, he was thankful they had allowed him to follow his passion for riding. The engine of Finch's bike shutting down, brought his attention to the boy again. Smiling at the bow, he clapped even more enthusiastically before grabbing onto his stomach because of how funny this whole race had turned out. He was happy Finch did not react sourly to losing, he was truly the friendly type and that was such a pleasant surprise. "Indeed she did very well, and you almost reached me at one point so I'll give it you, you did pretty well." he took off his helmet and placed it on the seat he was leaning against before glancing back at him. He felt electricity jolt through him strong enough for him to jolt upright, holding his breath until his lungs started to hurt and he exhaled. "yeah," he trailed off, having not expected the other to be so attractive. "you're welcome? I mean.. thank you for the race! I hope we can do this more often? with the same type of motorcycles of course." he raised an eyebrow, waiting patiently for the other to answer which he hoped would be positive. His eyes could not help but follow every move Finch made, every rise and fall of his body as he rocked back and forth on his heels. He knew he was staring but he had never repressed his wants and tonight would not be the first time. His interest was clearly visible.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² Finch revved up his engine a bit, making him go slightly faster, but still not fast enough to pass Elias. He pouted a little bit before letting out a laugh. It was just for fun anyway. And besides, now that he knew what kind of bike Elias was driving around on, he could maybe get one of his other bikes, a more appropriate one that he could actually race him with. That would be interesting and fun. Or they could just go out one day and ride on their bikes together. That could be a fun time as well. Finch raised his eyebrows as he watched Elias taking the sharp turn, slowly nodding his head in approval and momentarily letting go of the grips on the handlebar to applaud for him, letting out yet another laugh. He couldn't remember when the last time was that he laughed and smiled so much, but he really didn't mind. This was actually a good sign for Elias too, because this meant that Finch felt comfortable enough with the other male. While he was riding towards the bridge again, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he thought about their interaction before the race. The messages they sent to each other all sounded vaguely hostile, but now they were laughing and cheering like some old friends who had reunited after years again. Weirdly enough though, it did feel like they were friends, somehow. Despite not even seeing each other's face yet, Finch felt strangely close to him. Probably due to the fact that he had been at Hogwarts for about two years, but he had never met anyone who was into bikes and riding around like he was. People were more interested in Quidditch, which wasn't weird either, but he just liked biking a lot more. Finch noticed they were really nearing the bridge now, and realised that the race was pretty much over. Even though it wasn't a long race, he still had fun riding around, and if it was up to him, they would definitely do more of this, but only if Elias was interested in that too. Somehow, he didn't really doubt that the other was interested in getting more opportunities to ride around on his bike. Finch slowed down as he neared Elias and smiled as the other applauded for him. He moved to get off of his bike and made a bow, nodding his head. "Thank you, thank you. Even though this baby isn't made for racing, she still did her very best." He laughed out softly and turned around to take his helmet off, putting it on the seat of his bike, before turning back around to face the other again. "That was a fun race, thanks for doing this with me." Finch offered a kind smile and slipped his hands into his pockets as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² The idea of having a biker club and holding weekly competition excited him, for him it would surely be preferable to quidditch matches, which never interested him enough to join the team. He did not fear heights but truth be told he was not a fan of flying. Then again, having a racing club meant having to deal with a lot of other students, and Elias was not known for being friendly or outgoing. Maybe he would stick with the 'special' races he would have with Finch. The insinuation of it being special made him smile, it was good to know that Finch thought highly of their shared time. "Cool, yeah I don't mind Eli." it was nice to see that Fin was actually a laid-back guy, contrary to what he had expected from the back and forth banter they had when texting. The difference was quite noticeable and he decided to give the other a chance. With that thought, he took off on his bike, realizing soon that they did not set a finishing point and he wanted to laugh. So caught up with his thoughts and the excitement of riding that he had failed to set the goal. In the end, he stuck to the main road and took only a few turns to not make it more difficult for them. Besides, the road would eventually take a steep turn and come full circle back to the bridge and that seemed like a good ending line anyway. Glancing back, he saw that Finch was closer than expected, having actually tried his best to keep up instead of giving up which Elias respected. The sound of cheers and the pure joy coming from him made Elias laugh loudly too. Taking the sharp turn with ease while leaning his body and the bike toward the ground to allow a smoother turn, he might have done that to show off his skills and earn the other's approval. It was a fun race in total and he genuinely felt refreshed, feeling grateful that he had waited instead of leaving for the dorm earlier. By the time the ending line was close, he felt slight regret for the race being short but Finch had promised more races to come, and perhaps next time he would join the boy with his own black chopper. That sounded like an odd but interesting race. Once he reached the bridge, he slowed down and waited for the other to catch up, he had done pretty well too with only was a short distance behind. He applauded as soon as Finch arrived.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² "We could change that, you know? We could do something like weekly bike races, who knows, maybe people will end up joining us and our little community will grow and grow. Then again, that means this between us won't be special anymore." Finch said to him before laughing out, wanting to run his fingers through his hair, momentarily forgetting that he was wearing a helmet before he opted to pat himself on the head. It must've looked pretty awkward, but he didn't pay any attention to that. "Oh, no no. I actually..kind of like it. You call me Fin and I call you Eli, fair, right? I mean unless you don't like being called Eli. Then I obviously won't do that." He yelled at him over the wind as they were riding around. They didn't even discuss which way they would be going, but he hoped they just somehow had a mutual understanding that they'd both end up back at the bridge where they first started. Finch glanced back to see Elias, already gaining on him. That was, of course because of his bike. Finch's chopper bike wasn't made for racing, it could still go fast but not as fast as a race bike, and he had to be careful of sudden turns, because if he wasn't careful, it could get dangerous and harmful very fast. As he was riding, the adrenaline started making his way into his body, and he slowly started to feel the rush of racing. He knew he wouldn't win, but he was going to try his damn hardest, perhaps he would even gain the other's respect for at least trying his best. Besides..Finch was a sore loser at times, yes..but that didn't mean he was a quitter as well. He shifted the gears with his foot, making him go somewhat faster. He laughed out in pure excitement and pleasure, letting out a loud whoop as well. He noticed a somewhat sharp turn coming up, so he already slowed down, turning the corner safely before gaining some more speed again, glancing back at Elias only to see that he was still following closely. Instead of being upset, he smiled instead and bit his lip to contain the smile from getting any larger before looking forward again, keeping his eyes on the road.

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@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² "I was assuring you," he said to make it clear. "to be honest, I wouldn't care if we did. It won't be the first time, I can talk myself out of a sticky situation." he glanced at the boy to see his eyes more clearly, well..as clear as the dim light coming from the street lights allowed him to see, it made him lift the back cover glass of his own helmet. It took him a moment too long to voice his next words, having spent too many seconds staring at the other's eyes. "scared to damage your reputation? oh come on, live a little! not like we have bike races that often." he always knew his tongue was sharp and his bluntness could come off as offensive. At least he could pride himself on telling it like it is. Liars had no place in his life. He watched as Finch started up his bike, casually drumming his hands on the handlebar. The mood that he gave off was nonchalant, he observed as he usually did when he took interest in someone, trying to understand them and their intentions better. The way Finch had behaved, sounding excited but not ready to go all-in, made Elias believe this was an excuse for them to meet rather than to race. He could understand that, though it did not mean he would go easy on him intentionally or give him a headstart. He believed that would offend Finch even more. Laughing softly, Elias shrugged. "I could stop if you don't like it. It came out naturally," he froze at the nickname, not quite ready to have the tables turned. Having had no one call him Eli before or any other varied version of his name, and to be called that by this stranger made him confused about what he was feeling, he could not yet say whether he liked it or not. Again he shrugged, excited to ride. His grip around the handlebars tightened and he corrected his posture to lean forward, ready as well. "Ready Finch." the ride started through the empty streets of Hogsmeade.

@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² "We're not getting busted, he says. In case you forgot, we're on bikes. And they are pretty damn loud, if you ask me. But fine. If we get busted, I'll have no other choice than to blame you anyway. Since you said we'd be fine." Finch lifted the glass cover that was covering his eyes to look at him properly, raising his eyebrows before he rolled his eyes and pushed the cover down again, He looked at the other male's bike and made a face behind his helmet, slowly shaking his head. Oh well, he knew he wasn't going to win anyway. At least not with his current bike, but who knows? It might end up being fun after all. Unless the other would start gloating. But Finch knew better than to stay then. He didn't tell anyone, but...he was somewhat of a sore loser at times. That's mostly why he didn't enter competitions and races. If he did something competitive, he wanted to win at it, as well. But that wasn't always possible. Finch hummed out softly and turned around, adjusting something on his bike before he moved to get on again, gently drumming his hands on the handlebar. He glanced at the male and tilted his head to the side at the little nickname. "Fin? Since when are we close enough for you to call me Fin? Hm. I don't really care anyway. Call me Fin, whatever. Yeah, I'm ready. I'll be counting down, Eli." He hummed out, before letting out a soft chuckle at the nickname. "Alright. We ride on go. Three...two...one...GO!" He yelled out the last part, making sure it was loud enough to hear for the both of them before he rested his hands on the handlebar grips, his right hand turning the grip, making him go forward in a fast motion. He knew he wouldn't win, but..at least he was riding around on his bike. He always loved that.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² The possibility of having been stood up by just another guy playing a lame prank on him, made him abandon any prospect of having a good race and with a sigh, he returned to his bike and put on his black helmet, ready to call it a night. However, soon he heard the sounds of another engine which made him stop mid-action to look at the newcomer. To his surprise, a black chopper-style bike pulled up, with neon orange linings in contrast to his own bike painted with neon green design. It was a good-looking bike but not what he had expected to see, under his helmet he was already squinting his eyes, wondering if this was actually Finch. As the other's muffled voice was heard claiming he wanted to start the race, Elias had to look away and up to take a deep breath. A habit of his when he tried to hold back a laugh or his anger, or both. It would have been a mocking sort of laugh if allowed to pass his lips, cruel even. 'he sure has the gall to show up with a chopper bike and sound so cocky as if he stands a chance.' he thought to himself, wondering again if this was a prank before he began speaking. "Hey, you are finally here. no need to worry about getting busted, little bird. We're not getting caught." and with that, he focused on the dark road ahead of them, squeezing and holding the clutch lever down and starting up the engine, automatically smiling as he heard the blissful sound of his motorcycle cranking up. "Ready, Fin?"

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@－ ❛ s ❜：elias hellström。⁰² Finch let out a soft sigh as he drove through narrow alleyways, letting out hums as well. There wasn't really a proper place where they could race, but Elias managed to find a spot. He wondered what the other looked like...-wait. No, why did he even think about that? He's about to race the guy and here he was wondering about whether he was hot or not. Oh, well..couldn't hurt to think about how he could possibly look like. He rested one hand on his thigh as he drove around, slowly inching closer to the bridge as it seemed that someone was standing there, but he wasn't quite sure as he was still a bit too far. Finch squinted his eyes as his mind started wandering somewhere else once again. This time however he started thinking about what the other's bike would look like. His trusty chopper was the only bike he had, it wasn't like he couldn't afford another one, but he just preferred driving on his chopper. It wasn't made for racing, but more for comfortable rides, so he was wondering how this race would end up looking. If Elias also had a chopper, he might have a shot at winning the race. Finch approached the bridge where Elias (he assumed it was Elias, as he was the only person standing at the bridge with a bike) was waiting for him. He took a quick glance at his bike and felt his face slightly fall. He was so happy that he was wearing his helmet, so that the other couldn't see his expression. A race bike. Great. Well, he couldn't have known, but maybe they both needed to specify what kind of bikes they ride before challenging each other to a race. Finch just let out a soft sigh and slowly got off of his bike, leaving the engine running as he leaned back against it. "Hey, sorry I'm late. But I'm here now. How about we get this thing started before anyone busts our asses?" He said nonchalantly, his arms crossed as he looked at Elias, his helmet still on his head. If they were going to race any second, there wasn't any point in taking his helmet off anyway.

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：finch goldhorn。⁰² Elias paced up and down the empty and dark street, his hands clenched in the pockets of his leather jackets. He felt agitated for being out here on the bridge outside Hogwarts, at an unreasonable time and in the stinging cold that rosied his cheeks and nose, in pursuit of once again proving a "wannabe" that his skills and hard work were the reason behind his fame as a biker. He did not appreciate it being questioned or underestimated, nor did he take kindly to people assuming things about him before seeing what he can afford or bring to the table. He kicked a small stray stone away from the road, content that the road was rather clean and not much gravel covered the pavement. That would have been unfortunate for little bird's wings to break in the pathetic attempt to prove himself, he thought, before a huff of annoyance left his mouth. He glanced at his wristwatch, the ravenclaw was running late. Could it be that Finch had realized he was betting on a losing game and that the ridiculosity of his baseless presumption that he could win dawned upon him once he could see clearly? Elias sneered and cracked his knuckles, that idea irritating more, he swore if the ravenclaw had wasted his time just to cower at the last moment, now that would be unacceptable.

@－ ❛ ʜ ❜：cassian faye。⁰³ his mind was in far too many places, racing and struggling to get tied to one place. his voice was like a dream, like a melody – perfectly tuned to follow every beat of his heart. he loved his voice, it was something he told him before, and something he would tell him again. sometimes it was that one thing that guided him in and out of darkness in his nightmares. only merlin knows how many times he had to listen to his sweet voice tell him vicious things too, most of them said in a state of unconsciousness. he tightened his grip, he did not want to lose him. the pain in his chest told him that much – he did not want to open his eyes and not see him. sometimes he felt unreal, like a ghost – a very beautiful one. he would look pretty in a white attire, with a flower crown, and some gold dripping down his hands – because he held a heart made of gold too.

and his mind shifted to a pigmented signac, where pink was cass – and all those little dots represented every single thing he ever said and did. that one moment he first held mal’s hand painted in a pale yellow-pink, the first time mal kissed his cheek in a dark-pink, their first argument in a muddy-pink. and all of them made a port – and the ship was them on a sea of colour, chasing for dawn. and he dared open his eyes when all those colours were still on his face, he looked so much like an oil painting mal wanted to touch desperately but knew he could not. it alerted the artist in him, and he did something he often did when musing. he traced cass’ face with his fingers not touching his skin, following the shape of his cheekbones and jawline – his lips, his nose, his eyes. the little cracks, the little lines that showed worry, he stared for so long he lost track of time again.

realisation hit him, and he forced himself to recover. he felt less dizzy, but still not in shape. he smiled at cass and sighed a bit – a dreamy sigh, one that should transmit the million things that went through his mind in the span of a minute. all that colour, all that beauty – everything that was him. “did you just call your songs y earlier, or did I dream about it?” he honestly could not remember, but it was cute regardless. he chuckled a bit and released cass’ arm, to allow him to move. “you can take pictures of me now, pretty. but expect me to do the same, because you look divine.”

[ apologies for the delay! ]

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：maël clair。⁰² the seriousness took him by surprise as he was used to Mal taunting him or perhaps pushing him further until Cassian gave in and let him take a peek at the lyrics. he listened with an unreadable expression on his face as the other confessed to not ever invading his privacy and even though the sentiment was appreciated, he could not help but be surprised how their friendship had managed to change over the past weeks. They were closer and yet not close enough for his liking. He shook his head, realising he was staring too hard at the beautiful face in front of him. Whether he could handle it or not, things were changing and he was entering new territory and he knew he had to overcome the doubtful thoughts in his head if he was to keep their friendship. His friend was still there, still the same person, yet more caring and trusting, and was this not what Cassian had hoped for all this time? "okay you! don't overreact now. you didn't read my y songs so I don't have any reason to slap your pretty face, we're cool." he huffed out a chuckle and considered nudging Mal to show that he was joking but the other had already moved out of reach to look at the brushes.

Cassian hummed and after observing the other inspect the details of the brushes, he grabbed a box of the brush set, glad to see the smile on the other’s lips over something so small. He would buy the entire store for him to see him happy, the joy was much preferred to the enraged look he gave him whenever they argued. The tug on his arm shocked him as he was about to move to another aisle as he remembered the origami papers he saw the last time he visited. Maybe he would buy that as well and ask Mal if he wanted to make cute origami figures. Turning to face him, his arm automatically circled Mal’s waist and let him lean against him. “you okay?” he did not look so convinced, which made him slowly guide Mal toward the spiral staircase in the back corner of the store, close enough to them. “let’s rest here for a bit until the dizziness goes away.”

He could not help but to brush his hand through the blonde soft strands of the younger’s hair, fingers pressing against the scalp in a soothing manner. ‘it’s early in the day for meds to be wearing off.’ he thought to himself, frowning slightly, he wished he knew what it all was about but they had never talked about it before. “you look very pretty today, mind if I take a few photos of you now?” the white light coming through the window glass was shattering into colors that caught on Mal's hair, on the bridge of his prominent nose, painting the corner of his mouth blue, yellow and red, was there green too? Cassian leaned in to inspect the explosion of pigment across the honey-colored skin. Knowing well that the phone camera would not do the beauty justice, he took the phone out of his pocket anyway.

@－ ❛ ʜ ❜：cassian faye。⁰³ with every touch, his heart skipped another beat. he felt it in his throat, in his lungs – cass was like a toxin, taking him slowly but surely. and if mal found himself dead after a while by cass’ hand, he would not mind it. not one bit. he could not suppress his smile, even if his mind was racing in so many places, even if he seemed a bit distant. he tried to take the thought of kissing cass out of his mind, but the desire was only growing. with his cute smile, cute dimples, cute eyes, cute nose – mal could barely breathe, he found himself reciting all the things he liked (read: loved) about cass. and he adored holding his hand, it felt safe – like a haven he never had, the safety he felt around mint, the cosy feeling he never experienced. he felt like a child sometimes – one that is perpetually loved by everyone and everything around them. it was so much at times, that he had to fight the urge to break down in gratitude. they did not, of course, know why this meant so much for him – and as extroverted as he was, he could not find it in himself to tell them. not even mint. and with cass, he did not have the best start. but he will tell him sometime, mal made that promise to himself.

he found himself pulling cass a little closer, hand still holding his tightly – as if it was the only thing keeping him alive, and it might have been. mal’s smile grew, and faded when he saw cass’ worried expression. he meant it as a joke, and seeing cass even slightly drop his pretty smile made mal’s heart hurt. normally, he would continue to tease – it was their thing. but right now, the only thing he wanted was to see him smile. mal stopped in his tracks, and pulled cass closer, looking at him – ignoring the fact that everyone can see them, he did not care. he cupped cass’ cheeks, he said serious and honest. “I know how much it means to you. and no matter how much you annoy me, I would never invade your privacy like that unless you allow me to. curiosity eats at me, but I would rather have it kill me than lose you,” he had to move away the moment he said that – yes, he was confident, but such a confession made him feel some sort of way. maybe the realisation that he could potentially die without having cass around scared him. sometimes, he was glad he had this mental condition, because it allowed him to blow up in excitement quite unexpectedly.

“oh these are so pretty!” mal said, and picked up the set, inspecting everything about it – maybe in an attempt to distract himself. the sizes, the handles, the bristles – every single thing that would keep his mind away from his desperate ‘I need you, cass’. the colour was pretty, it made him smile unconsciously – or maybe the thought that cass was still there made him smile more. his heart might give out at any moment, he was feeling so lightheaded from the rush of emotion. and he wanted to lay down – with cass next to him. he had to close his eyes, he was feeling a little dizzy. he had to breathe out – oh no. he did the only thing he could think about, and he grabbed a hold of cass’s arm, sticking close to his side and breathing out. he let out a chuckle, this was not the first time this happened. “I think my meds are wearing off, I got quite overwhelmed for a moment,” he opened his eyes and looked at cass with a smile. “I am alright, but let me lean on you for a moment, I am a little dizzy.”

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：maël clair。⁰² 'I also know that you don't go through with what you promise half the time' is perhaps what he wanted to say in reply to that, in hopes to shut Mal's flirtatious nature down. In the end, he grinned widely and let it be, not only because he knew and accepted he could not change the bold and wild nature of Mal, but also because a part of him wanted to keep this thing they had going on between them, just as it was. The pretty compliments he would receive on his appearance, the random moments where they would spend staring at each other, the impromptu hangouts at random times of the day, the bursts of confidence that Cassian got by just spending time with the same person now holding his hand tightly. It was all so addictive. He brushed the back of Mal's hand with his thumb because he felt like it. To be truthful, he thought to himself, even their pointless arguments had not been a strong enough factor to put a rift between them and it rather only accentuated the undeniable tension between them. It was a dangerous game he was playing and sometimes it felt like having to maneuver his way around shards of glass, a wrong move and he would step on one and bleed. He took his chances anyway.

He swung their entwined hands and smiled back, how could he not when the other's happiness was so contagious and as expected his reaction was adorable. "yeah? you like these old rags? I made some effort, no fancy or colorful outfit but," but he had not known how serious the 'date' was. There was no need to justify himself and his attention had already shifted to the art store, the giddiness that the other showed only fueling his own excitement. "yeah so I saw these mint-colo-- what?" he turned his head to stare wide-eyed at Mal while his heart dropped at the thought of Mal going through the lyrics. The peck made him blink multiple times, helping in controlling the sudden rise of anger in him. He kept his expression neutral as his legs carried him into the shop. It was reassuring that Mal admitted to not reading anything but Cassian did stare at him for a bit longer to see if he would trace any sign of dishonesty..but it did not sound like a lie, besides Mal was not a good liar. "ok, good! now..before you gave me a scare I was saying.. I saw these brushes," he linked their arms and brought them further into the store to show him the set of mint-colored brushes. It would make a cute present. "this is what caught my eyes but then you can also pick whatever else you want."

@－ ❛ ʜ ❜：cassian faye。⁰³ maybe he praised himself in being ‘shameless’. he was definitely not afraid to be direct, and rather bold about his wants and needs. he was not sure which one was stronger with cass – there was something about him. he started forgetting about all those times they had pointless arguments, like this, he felt he could not argue with him again. because the next time he does, he will just end up kissing him in frustration. his desire was quite annoying, he had to bite his lower lip to stop himself from pulling cass a little too close. his fingers tightened around cass’ hand, not wanting to let it go – his heartbeat was between their hands. and he could not look at him, not again, not without wanting to take him – then and there, because time would stop. mal knows it would. “thought you knew that about me, cass,” he chuckled, even though he was a bit distant – a bit lost. how much he wanted to just let himself go, to let cass know he wanted more – or that he was craving for his touch. for some odd reasons, he could not do it.

their synergy was undeniable. mal wondered why they argued so much when they worked so well – whenever there was nothing to argue about, they were playing on the same rhythm, with the same passion. but merlin forbid they spark – cass bruised him once, and he was certain he bruised cass too. the thought of it was rather painful, so mal put it away. he smiled at cass, bright enough for his eyes to disappear in half-moons. it was genuine, a little exaggerated – because he could not look him in the eyes, not directly. “I should take pictures of you too, you are very beautiful. not just today,” he almost bit the inside of his cheeks at that, sometimes he wished he would carry a gag around just to stop himself from saying things like that. he acted confidently though, flirting was in his nature.

“oh!” mal’s excitement took over the second he heard about the art store, that was one way to close down the weird side roads in his brain. he was hyper-focused on the activity now, pulling cass closer with a bounce in his step. “actually! I saw these pretty stickers you can put all over your lyrics notebook. the black one you think I do not know exists,” he grinned and leaned in abruptly on purpose. he was very close to cass’ face, but he just smiled. after a moment of staring, he pecked cass’ cheek and pushed the door open, making room for cass to enter. “I did not read it, in case you want to fight me.”

@－ ❛ ʀ ❜：maël clair。⁰² Cassian preened under the attention even though he did not show it, regaining his composure quickly and joining their hands as they walked. Hearing that ‘he’s on a roll’ made him laugh, Cassian found it agreeable and had little to complain about, he wished he would be this cheerful most times, although it sounded unrealistic even to his ears. In the end. By being playful it was easier to ignore the strong desire to make out with Mal, which he would not do in public even if he was given a chance. Too many eyes on him and words thrown in their way, and he would freak out. “you’re so shameless. no, you will not end up doing that..” he withheld a sigh, sometimes he wished for Mal to not open his pretty mouth and say such things that would play over and over again in his head and plague him as he laid down at nights, trying to sleep. Usually this would be enough to provoke him into saying something mean, but today was supposed to be a fun date, which implied no arguing.

Truth was that hanging out with Mal was never boring since he played along with Cassian’s weirdness, if not act ten times worse. “I’m not sure, I would attend if they held fashion shows though. sounds fun! Specially since you’d definitely would be a model on that show. Which reminds me, I should take many photos of you today. You look nice!” as soon as he said that, he feared he has given Mal a reason to be extra again, but it would be ok. He was convinced they would never run out of things to talk about..and if they were to lapse into silence, it would not be awkward either. As the pair walked aimlessly, Cassian thought of where they could go. He suggested the art store, since he wanted to buy something cute but useful for Mal. “I saw these cute set of painting brushes the other day when I was buying black ink. You might like them. Afterwards, we can go anywhere you want.”