Realistic or Modern 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨

[weldherwings]

he can't know anything about what happened between us

it was only a kiss.

it was more than a kiss, asher. and we both know it.

 

[weldherwings]

chapter one. the party

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | don't get mad. don't get mad. don't get mad. just see if she's ok.

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

It was going to be a night to remember. He could just sense it in the air.

The Leader of Kappa Omega, Asher Choi, stood in his bedroom on the second level of the fraternity’s house, gazing down at the party below. Even though the party had only started an hour ago, people were well and truly drunk, and getting lost in the music. Kappa Omega was always known for their parties, and this one was no exception.

It was their annual “back to school” party which they hosted every year, a week before school was due to start. These parties were legendary. All the classic party tales that went down with the university history books all took place at Kappa Omega. And the best ones were at the back to school parties. Like the year they managed to end up with three goats the next morning. He could remember that one because he had been a pledge when that happened and it was one of his responsibilities during the hazing to relocate those said goats with the other pledges.

But now, this was his second year of being the leader of Kappa Omega. Last year, he had managed to create an unforgettable annual party by having a rotation of bands play, having a rock-themed night. This year, the theme was ‘House of Fun’ which meant… you guessed it. There was bouncy castles, homemade slides, a room filled with plastic pit balls, and even a bucking bull machine. Like I said – he could sense that tonight was going to be a night to remember. Why not go all out?

Taking hold of a jacket he had come upstairs to obtain, Asher slipped it on before taking hold of his beer, a packet of cigarettes which he shoved into his jacket pocket, and made his way out of the bedroom. One of the other best things about being the leader of Kappa Omega was he was blessed to have his own bedroom. There were only two people who were given these opportunities and that was himself, the leader, and his vice leader, Orson. Everyone else had a roommate which… yeah, it was a bit awkward to hook up in. I suppose that was the blessing of having your own room.

His venture from his bedroom to the backyard where all the action was happening was… well, an adventure, to say. Orson was half-naked and trying to figure out how to fix the slip n slide, Pledge Roberts was trying his first shot ever and forgot to swallow which caused him to spit out all the vodka, and Ted, who had recently upgraded from pledge, was trying not to vomit as he was swung around violently by the bucking bull. Gazing around the backyard, there was at least over a hundred people here – probably even two hundred. Well, I suppose that’s what you should expect when it wasn’t an invite-only party. Then again, who had heard of invite-only parties? Those were lame as hell.

Placing his beer up to his lips, practically inhaling the beverage, Asher released a soft gasp for air as he finished off the bottle. He wasn’t drunk; maybe just a little bit tipsy. After all, this was his third bottle of beer in the last hour. Maybe it was time to get another one? But just as he gazed down at the empty bottle in his hand, he felt something… wet… and… cold? It happened so quickly that it took him a moment or so to realise what had actually happened. From the looks of it, this girl who was now standing before him had bumped or tripped into him and managed to spill her drink all over his clean white shirt.

His mouth hung agape for a moment, unsure of what to say or do in this situation. It was just a bit of spilt alcohol. It never hurt anyone, right? There was no need to get angry over it. Plus, if she tripped or bumped into him, then maybe there wasn’t something right with her? Maybe she was already too drunk and would need someone to walk her home? Or maybe she was feeling sick? Automatically, his hands reached up and landed on her shoulders to try and give the girl some balance back into her step. “Hey, hey, hey,” Asher said, trying to look at her face by tilting his head “You alright?”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | you. fucked. up. thalia.

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

“He isn't worth it at this point, Thalia. He’s a dickhead.” A pause followed these words, a pause which told Thalia that her party companion needed a moment to reflect on that particular statement. “Well, most college guys are dickheads,” a shrug followed the realization, “but those from Alpha Gamma Rho are top-class jerks. And I should know, I dated three of them. Not to mention those I’ve almost dated…”

The brunette that was practically screaming — and rambling about the so-called dickhead, who happened to be Thalia’s boyfriend — in her ear in order to make herself heard over the loud music and the ecstatic crowd was Sara West, the leader of Zeta Tau Alpha, the sorority Thalia had joined one year ago through Jacob’s intervention. While Sara had thought her to be as stuck-up as the one who had introduced them to one another in the first place, she was now serving the role of her sworn protector and friend. In one way, at least; Thalia was the one to keep her and their sorority out of trouble. She would’ve been vice-leader by now, hadn’t she refused the position out of lack of time, but that hadn’t stopped her friend from reaching out to her when a certain situation proved to be worse than she had thought it to be.

However, they were in Sara’s territory right now and her territory implied boy advice and parties. She had been the one to coax Thalia into giving Jacob a taste of his own medicine.

Their fight had started off like usual: she refused him. His family was hosting a party in order to celebrate the new contract they had just signed with another real estate company — their business was expanding outside Miami. He wanted her there, but Thalia had other plans for that particular day. She had been assigned an important campaign by Liquid Creative and the idea that stood at its base was hers. That internship was the biggest reason why she had barely left Gainesville that summer and she couldn’t simply turn them down after she had made a promise.

Jacob got offended. Sentimental accusations turned into straight-up insults. She could take much from him, but when he had begun to call her actions and her job unnecessary and pointless, she had left. When the guilt had kicked in, she had tried to contact him only to be met with silence. He had left the next day. Two days after that, both of them had gone through with their social events. And today, she was at a party — not just any party, but the party —, while Jacob was… still silent. Silent, but active, if his Instagram stories were any proof of that. He had been all over Miami at this point.

He was punishing her, she knew. She also knew that everything would go back to normal when he would come back for the beginning of the school year.

Thalia couldn’t say if it was that one beer and the two questionable shots on the side or Sara’s goading or both that made her think that maybe, just maybe, she didn’t want him to come back. An even bolder thought came to mind — maybe he was done with her. Maybe, at last, she was free.

Her grip on her phone tightened for a moment. She had been checking it constantly for the past few days, waiting to see Jacob’s name pop up. Despite Sara’s advice, she had even sent him a message to let him know that she was going to a party with the girls. She couldn’t not tell him, after all. But there was nothing. Not even a ‘seen’.

When Sara nudged her shoulder, Thalia turned off her phone, sticking it back into her jeans’ pocket. “Dickhead, remember?” she accentuated her point. “You’re better than that.”

Thalia didn’t know if she was tired because of how many times she had heard those words or because of the reason why she had to hear them in the first place. In any case, she didn’t want to hear more of it. “So, are you going to make a move on that guy or what?” The subject was easily changed.

Maybe she was slightly absent conversation-wise, but she wasn’t blind. Sara had been eyeing a guy since the moment they had entered the party. Even now, confused as she was for a moment, Sara’s gaze lingered on him for a spare second before she looked back at Thalia. “Won’t I be a bad friend if I leave you here on your own?”

“No, but I’ll be a bad friend if I continue to hold you back from having fun. We’re at a party, not my relationship’s funeral. Go and enjoy yourself.”

Sara didn’t seem wholly convinced. “Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

It was Thalia’s turn to nudge her lightly, chuckling as she did so. “I'm always alright. You should worry more about yourself — that guy seems like trouble.”

Her friend’s lips curved up mischievously at that remark. “Just how I like my men.” She softened as she looked her over though. Her smile was more calming, reassuring, this time. “Find me if something happens, ok? I won’t let him take me to his room straight away.”

Thalia nodded in response. Without another word shared between the two of them, Sara handed her the red plastic cup she had just taken not so long ago from the small ‘bar’ that was inside the fraternity house — the questionable drink was supposed to become her replacement for the night. Great.

As her friend started to make her way through the crowd, Thalia realized that the corner they had chosen as their resting spot had suddenly become too… cold. She was alone or, at least, she felt alone, despite the sea of people that surrounded her. Sighing, she resisted the urge to check her phone for what would be the tenth time that night. She redirected her attention to Sara’s drink or, better said, her drink, instead.

The colour didn’t tell her much about its contents, but the smell… God. That was too strong for her. She needed something else. With that new objective in mind and not wanting to just simply spill the contents of the plastic cup onto the ground, Thalia began to move through the crowd as well, raising her arm up. She held an empty beer bottle in her other hand; she may as well get rid of that once she got inside the house.

While, somehow, she had managed to survive the hell pit that had formed outside by only spilling a few drops of the drink on her hand, her luck would run out. By the time she made it out to an emptier area and her gaze focused on the fraternity house, she had already let her guard down.

And that’s when it happened. A “Watch out!” followed by a “Don’t you dare!” screamed at the top of someone’s lungs made her turn her head to the right, only to get a glimpse of a guy chasing a girl with what seemed to be a… water gun? Before she could fully register what she was witnessing, the impact happened.

She bumped into someone. The unexpected resistance her body was met with made her stumble backwards. If it wasn’t for a pair of hands grabbing her shoulders and steadying her, she would’ve certainly lost her balance. Her own hands shot up instinctively, grabbing the stranger’s arms — leather. She was holding on to the sleeves of a leather jacket.

The beer bottle was on the ground. The plastic cup was also on the ground, which meant…

Fuck.

Her dark eyes travelled from the mess at her feet to the stain that odd liquid had left behind on the guy’s white t-shirt. She had at least realized that she had bumped into a guy. With that information in mind, she could only think of only two possible scenarios: one, the guy was drunk and in a bad mood, and mentally preparing himself for a fight or, two, he was a creep and he would see the situation they found themselves in as an opportunity to flirt with her. Considering her lack of experience with the latter, there was only—

“Hey, hey, hey,” a voice called out to her. “You alright?”

Thalia’s gaze shot up in surprise as the guy tilted his head downwards in order to get a better look at her. She needed a moment to fully grasp the fact that the voice she had heard belonged to him. His tone wasn’t angry, not even remotely flirty, but calm. He was apparently concerned for her well-being. That was the opposite of what she would’ve expected from a guy like him, once she started paying attention to his appearance. He wasn’t the sort she would hang around with. Long hair, earrings, neck tattoo — such details stood out to her.

They all spoke of trouble. A guy like that could’ve reacted any other way.

But he didn’t.

Yet, there was something oddly familiar about him…

“I— yeah, I’m fine,” she answered his question, feeling as if she had already taken too long to speak up in the first place. His approach to the accident helped her relax a bit, but she could feel her face and chest heat up. Fuck. “But I think you’ve seen better days. Or your t-shirt has.”

She tried to remain cool and collected. That was one thing she had learned from managing events all day long: how to react during such tense situations. She wasn’t supposed to be tipsy or spill her drink on people during said-events though.

“I think I have something on me that can help, just—”

Her hands slid down his arms, to his wrists. She applied some pressure, letting him know that he could let go now. She wasn’t going to lose her balance again. And once his hands would leave her, she would start patting her pockets, before reaching into the right one at her back to pull out a small napkin pack. She grabbed some napkins, took a hold of his t-shirt, and began tapping the wet spot. While they wouldn’t really help with the stain itself, the napkins would at least absorb some of the liquid. Her movements were a bit hurried, shaky even.

“I’m really sorry,” she apologized then. The smile that stained her lips was embarrassed. Fuck. “I got distracted by something… my friend gave me that drink. I didn’t even want to drink it. I should’ve just dumped it somewhere.”

But she hadn’t and all she could do now was to handle the consequences. That stain would be a stubborn one. “I can pay for your t-shirt? Or I can get it washed myself?”

What else could she do at this point?

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | who is this goddess?

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

As those brown doe eyes gazed up and connected with his own, it was like time stood still. He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him from just one simple glance. If he was ever to reflect on this moment to other people, he could summarize his feelings in one single word: woah. He wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe it was the somewhat surprised look on her face as she realised that he wasn’t about to yell at her for spilling alcohol all over his shirt. Or maybe it was how she held onto him so tightly with the fear of letting go could possibly mean the downfall of her posture. What ever it was, he didn’t want it to end. He wanted to be stuck still in that moment for the rest of his life.

The girl before him started to speak causing him to break out of this somewhat trance he had been intoxicated in. Wait – what were they doing again? Blinking harshly to ensure that he was brought back down to Earth, he carefully listened to what she had to say. Wait – his shirt? What was she talking about? A confused complexion spread across his face for the moment before looking down at the said shirt she was getting all flustered about. His once white shirt was now decorated with what Asher gathered was vodka and a soda combination. Enough to smell like a drunk and to feel as sticky as a movie theatre floor.

“It’s okay, really-” he began, feeling the girl move her arms down to his wrists and applying the soft pressure. Getting the message, Asher gently released his grasp until he was no longer holding onto her. Something that he almost regretted. However, he watched with both confusion and curiosity as she began to search her pockets by patting them down. Within a few seconds, she was whipping out her napkin from the back pocket and then – wow, grabbing onto his shirt. He felt the subtle wind loaming in the Florida air tickled his bare stomach as the girl was determined to at least make a mark on the new stain on his shirt.

“It’s okay, honestly.” he chuckled, watching her almost frantically attempt to get rid of the stain. It was at this moment that he took more time to drink in the image of the girl before him. Her dark brown hair that pooled past her shoulders that seemed to struggle between straight and wavy. How she had to be at least twenty centimetres shorter than him. She had slight curves to her body, not making her look like a freaking stick. Piercings on both ears, sparkling against the soft light that was above them. Soft, kissable lips. Wait – she was still talking to him?

“Oh-” Wait. A new shirt? “Honestly. It’s okay. It was only a cheap shirt from Wallmart. I have plenty of them” Asher insisted. However, he wouldn’t be able to go walking around the party with a massive stain on his shirt. And he was far too lazy to go back upstairs. Luckily, this was when one of their pledges walked by with their shirt hung over their shoulder and permanent marker all over his body. Obviously he must’ve lost a bet of some sorts. “Sanders –” Asher called, grabbing the young boy’s attention. He didn’t have to stutter. Being the leader of the fraternity house, the pledges often treated him like a King of sorts. Not that he promoted it, but it did come in handy from time to time. Once the boy stood before him, Asher took hold of the button-up shirt that was draped over his shoulder before patting his arm. “On ya boy.”

The pledge known as ‘Sanders’ nodded without even questioning his leader before heading off once again. Right. Time to change. “Here –” he said to the girl before him as he slid off his leather jacket. He held it out for her to hold for him, hoping she would understand his train of thought. “If you could be a lamb and keep this safe for a moment”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | send help.

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

“It’s okay, really.”

“It’s okay, honestly.”

There was a contrast between their reactions as they were faced with this unexpected situation, that was rather clear — despite the calmness the male presented in front of her clumsiness, as well as his reassuring words, Thalia continued to be agitated. She didn’t necessarily show it through her speech — her tone was even, though the quickness with which she went from surprise to an apology and then an explanation, only to end it all with an offer, could be considered a dead giveaway —, but through her movements: she was rubbing that wet spot for dear life.

At least that seemed to amuse him. His second reassurance was followed by a low chuckle. Thalia didn’t take it as him laughing at her, but him laughing at both of them and their awkward chance meeting. She wanted to believe that, only so she could join in that feeling. Her shoulders untensed slightly and her own smile widened; humour was a good way to defuse an uncomfortable situation.

“Oh—” he paused then, only to further downplay the accident. “Honestly. It’s okay. It was only a cheap shirt from Walmart. I have plenty of them.”

No matter what he said or did though, she would still feel guilty. She wasn’t the sort to make mistakes, even less accept them. There were some extenuating circumstances, yes… but the fact that she had even let extenuating circumstances come into play made the whole thing even worse.

And it didn’t help that he was a decent human being. “Even if it is okay, I still feel bad,” she returned. “You shouldn’t normalize this anyway or else you’ll run out of t-shirts from Walmart.” That was her attempt at a joke, even if it would prove to be a poor one. It was at that moment that her gaze slid up from his chest to his face — you had to watch someone in the eye when speaking to them, after all —, only to find that he wasn’t really paying attention to what she was doing. He was looking at her instead.

Had he been watching her? Of course he had, her thoughts ran wild, who wouldn't want to get a good look at the girl who had just spilt a death bomb on their shirt? Had she been in his place, she would’ve done the same. Yet, Thalia found herself needing to look down and away from him. Her face burned hotter than before as she watched the stain, her movements coming to a stop. There wasn’t much she could do about it at this point.

But then the guy called out to a certain ‘Sanders’. Thalia took a step back and away from him, focusing her attention on the shirtless guy that stopped in his tracks once he heard his name. You couldn’t really ignore the dark lines on his chest; it was no wonder that the boys from Kappa Omega, as well as those who associated themselves with them, attracted all the attention at all times. They knew how to have fun.

She had never really been to a party of theirs before and you wouldn’t get to see such…. interesting scenes during the parties hosted by her own circle of people. It was no wonder that Sara had dragged here in the first place — all of this screamed Sara. Thalia herself couldn’t say that she disliked the vibe.

The stranger took Sanders’ button-up shirt off his shoulder with ease, a gesture the other male allowed without giving it a second thought as he got lost through the crowd once more. Were they friends? It seemed like it.

And then he took off his jacket.

“If you could be a lamb and keep this safe for a moment…”

Huh?

Thalia only needed to gaze between the clean shirt and the stained one to understand the meaning of his words.

“Oh, sure,” she said without hesitation. Taking the leather jacket from him, she folded her arms in front of her casually as she held on to it.

Now, the question was how would he actually go about the whole situation. Would he just get the button-up on over his t-shirt or would he replace it? Considering that it was still wet and sticky, and might stain the other shirt as well once he put it on… there seemed to be just one way to go.

There was no reason to act all awkward about it. There were already enough shirtless guys at this party; the only difference was that they weren’t actively interacting with her. Just her luck…

Fuck. Could she talk her way through this? “I know you’ve said that it is okay — many times already, actually —, but I still feel like I should make it up to you. Are you sure that I can’t pay? You'll be rid of me in no time that way, I assure you.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | oh she cute

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

This whole situation was just… well, amusing to Asher.

He had been to many parties – not to mention having hosted so many at the house himself – that he knew what it was like. Sometimes you just drink a bit too much and lose your balance. Sometimes you get stuck in the sea of people and bump into people. And sometimes, you just really hate someone and want to throw a drink at them. Whatever the reason and the outcome of it all, Asher was used to it. He was mentally prepared for it all. In hindsight, it was probably a stupid move on his behalf for even thinking about wearing a white shirt to this party. So, as the girl before him began to get flustered over the spill on his shirt, you could not wipe the grin from his face. She was cute.

With his jacket in the girl’s possession, Asher took a moment to look down at himself, pulling the wet spot of his shirt that clung to his abdomen. Well, it had a good run. Of course, one would simply wash the shirt. But Asher, who was already two or three drinks down and far too lazy to walk back upstairs, was calling it quits early in the game. In one swift movement, he slipped the shirt off of his body, revealing the various tattoos upon his toned, tanned skin. A slight frown came across his face as he noticed that the spot on his skin was slightly sticky from the alcohol. Well, that was no problem.

Another pledge was walking by, thankfully, with a bottle of water. Without even hesitating or even speaking, Asher gazed up to look at the pledge; and it seemed like the pair were on the same wavelength. Asher didn’t even need to say anything, and the pledge was handing him over the bottle of water. He then continued to pour a little bit of the water over his abdomen before handing the bottle back and thanking the pledge. Finally, he used the dry, clean part of his shirt to wipe down the area. And that’s when he heard her speak once again.

That grin returned to his face, looking up from his abdomen to the girl who was a riddled mess before him as she tried to make things right. Oh, yes, she was very cute. Biting his lower lip lightly as she continued to talk, Asher dropped his dirty white shirt onto the ground (I mean, it couldn’t be saved. Rest in Peace Wallmart clearance rack shirt) and began to slowly slide on the new button-up attire he had been gifted with moments ago. His eyes were focused on buttoning up the shirt, but his main focus was on the girl before him and something she had just said.

“Why would I want to get rid of you?” he asked, his dark eyes flickering from the buttons in his hands to the female before him. Giving her a -well, flirtatious- smirk and a raised brow, he brought his attention back to his shirt before speaking once again. “I suppose if you really want to make it up to me… You could grab a drink with me. Maybe do a couple of shots?”

As he came to the last button, leaving the top two, Asher rolled the sleeves up to his elbow before looking at the girl once more with that damn grin on his face. “I’m Asher, by the way” he announced to her. “I mean… you’ve already seen my tits. The least I could do is give you my name.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | it's all fine. just one drink. that's all.

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

One thing that Thalia had learned about conversations or any sort of interaction over the years was that it was quite hard — or almost impossible — to focus on someone’s face while they were actively investing their attention in something else. You would feel the need to follow their gaze no matter what.

That was the impulse that she tried her best to hold back from as the guy she had bumped into took off his stained t-shirt. Quick movements came from either side; her eyes travelled from his concentrated gaze to the ruined white fabric and not the naked skin it had left uncovered. When another partygoer wordlessly jumped in to assist him, Thalia couldn’t help but think about who he was and why it was so easy for him to receive whatever he wanted. Yet, in the absence of the male from before, she found it hard to think about anything but the present situation. She was, after all, trying to not follow his gaze, not actually succeeding in doing so.

Thalia was curious. It was less about the fact that he was half-undressed, and more about the lines that decorated his skin. The dark ink of his neck tattoo trailed down his chest — it represented a flower, though she couldn’t discern its type. There was a quote or a signature on his forearm as well, but its meaning remained hidden.

The spell broke at the moment he put on the button-up shirt, his fingers dexterously buttoning up the buttons. It was then that she noticed the peculiar curve of his lips. He seemed entertained, amused even.

He looked down. A smirk danced on his lips as he raised an eyebrow at her. Thalia felt her face and chest heat up all at once and not out of embarrassment. It was… shyness?

“Why would I want to get rid of you?”

She could think of a few reasons, but the question was why wouldn’t he want to get rid of her? He was teasing her. Of course he was teasing her. Considering how much nonsense and how many apologies she must’ve spewed in his direction during the last few minutes of their interaction, it was no wonder that he wanted to distract her. The solution that he offered to their situation and her insistence was for her to have a drink with him.

And then he introduced himself. Asher. It dawned on her then — this was the reason why those around him were so eager to let him have his way. He was Asher Choi, the leader of Kappa Omega. His name could only remind her of Jacob.

Jacob.

She almost wanted to reach for her phone. Hadn’t it been for the last part of Asher’s introduction, she would’ve done so. “I mean… you’ve already seen my tits. The least I could do is give you my name,” he joked and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly, bowing her head as she did so.

“Yeah, that sounds fair,” she said as her laugh settled into a smile. “I’m Thalia. It’s nice to meet you, despite the circumstances.” Speaking of circumstances… it was at that moment that she was reminded of his leather jacket. “Oh, and this belongs to you,” she quickly added, handing it to him.

“As for that drink you mentioned…”

Jacob. This was Asher Choi, after all. Jacob would never accept the friendliness she displayed towards him. But that's how she had always been. Too nice. Too accepting. And he wasn’t here; he was wherever he wanted with whomever he wanted to be.

“I mean… I’ve made you waste a pretty decent Walmart t-shirt,” she chuckled again as she pushed the fabric at their feet with the tip of her shoe. “The least I could do is grab a drink with you. I was heading inside for another beer when I bumped into you anyway.”

One friendly drink to make up for the mess she had put him through. Just one drink. No shots. One drink and all of this would be over with.

She would let him lead the way as she would remain close to his side, placing her hands inside her pockets, not knowing what to do with them at that point. Even though she imagined that the music would be enough to swallow any existent silence between the two of them, Thalia was aware that a drink implied at least some small talk. She had perfected it by this point — growing up with her parents’ social life and attending as many events as she had, there had been no other way for her.

Looking at Asher from the corner of her eye though, she couldn’t bring herself to believe that small talk would ever be enough for someone like him. “I couldn’t help but notice your tattoos. The one on your neck seems really well done, but I was unable to get a good look of the one on your forearm. Is it a quote of sorts?” She couldn’t really ask him about their meanings, after all. That may be too personal.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | ahhh yeah this girl just wants me to take my shirt off.

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

Asher could feel his cheeks burn ever so slightly as the wide grins and soft chuckles were exchanged between the pair of them. Okay… she was cute. He thanked her as she handed over his jacket, taking it into his hand as he listened to what she had to say about the drink situation. “Well, I’ll lead you in, shall I?” he said with a grin, motioning towards the direction of the kitchen where the alcohol was being served.

With a swift turn, Asher began to lead them into the house and towards the kitchen. The music that was pumping outside was becoming put a vibration against the walls of the house, and the sound of people talking overtook the beats of Kanye West. He was pleasantly surprised that as they entered the kitchen that there were only a handful of people within the room. Then again, he did see some of the boys take out a couple of kegs from the kitchen to the back yard to do keg stands. That would have drawn attention to entertainment and to where most of the beer had been relocated. But still, the kitchen was stocked up to their traditional fraternity party standards of alcohol.

Wait – Thalia said something - Tattoos? Huh? Oh yes! Tattoos! There were days where he completely forgot he had certain tattoos. It was only when he would investigate the mirror to see the ink sketched across his body that he would remember about it. “Ah, yes.” he finally responded, placing his hand upon the side of his neck, as if his tattoo could sense that it was being spoken about. He leant against the countertop of the kitchen, placing his jacket on top and resting up against it as his hands began to work on his buttons. “I mean, are you sure you asking about my tattoos isn’t just some way to get me to take off my shirt again?” he added in with a coy grin, his eyes flickering up to give the girl a mischievous look.

Once he unbuttoned the shirt once more, he slipped his arm out of the long sleeve and displayed it for the girl. After all, it was easier to go ahead this route than trying to roll up his sleeve and pull on the hem of the fabric. “This one on my forearm…” he began, twisting his arm slightly towards the light so they could get a better view in the dimmed light. “Is William Shakespeare’s signature. And then… this one…” he arched his neck towards the right, allowing Thalia to get a better view of the large masterpiece inked on his chest, and chasing up his neck to finish behind his ear. “This is a maehwa flower”

Tilting his head back into its original position (mostly so he wouldn’t be bothered with a sore neck tomorrow morning or something stupid), he began to explain the tattoo a bit more. “I got it for my Umma. Uh… my Mum. When I was young, my Umma would make me Maehwa-cha which is like uh… plum blossom tea… whenever I was nervous or felt sick. It just… it always made me feel better. Maehwa is also the symbol for spring in Korea. My Umma is my spring in my life, you know?” he thoroughly explained to her. Well, did he want to give her while whole life story while he was at it? He wasn’t drunk enough for that. Actually… speaking of being drunk.

“So what concoction are you going to be creating for me, by the way?” he asked her curiously as he slipped his arm back into the sleeve of the long button-up shirt. However, he neglected to button it up. It could have been because he was lazy and didn’t want to put effort into it. Or it could have been the fact that he thought this girl was cute, and she had been asking about his tattoos – so why not let them on display for her to see. After all, she did seem to like them to an extent.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | one. drink.

location | kappa omega's kitchen

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

The atmosphere inside the kitchen was starkly different from the one they had just left behind in the backyard — it was calmer, comfortingly warmer. The fraternity house itself seemed to represent just a stop-and-go and not an actual place of interest. Not for now, anyway. The spirits were still high. The adrenaline that most of those present at the party had succumbed to would boil for a while longer in the alcohol they had just consumed before it would tire them out. There were others in the kitchen though. While a group of guys rummaged through the cupboards in search of that "good bottle", the rest of lost partygoers lingered in the dark corners; they were talking, laughing, and drinking their hearts away.

The two of them would seemingly join them. The dimmed lighted room was a good retreat from the rest of the party, their presence going unnoticed for the most part. It was nice.

"Ah, yes," Asher exclaimed in response to her inquiry. He touched his neck tattoo as if he had just been reminded of its existence. And, once he had settled his leather jacket on the kitchen counter, he began to unbutton his shirt. Right.

Right?

He was unbuttoning his shirt. Thalia's first instinct was to glance around the room — it was in smaller places that you truly became aware of those around you —, but no one seemed to bat an eye at his gesture. No one but she.

That fact threatened to turn into a habit.

"I mean, are you sure you asking about my tattoos isn't just some way to get me to take off my shirt again?" His words were just another tease meant to turn them into accomplices.

That too threatened to turn into a habit.

Thalia raised her hands in defence, shaking her head. "There's no foul play here, sir. Just innocent intentions all around, promise." She could not complain about the efficiency of his method though. His tattoos were on display once more and the first to undergo inspections was the one on his forearm. William Shakespeare's signature. She stepped closer to him then, making sure that she didn't position herself in front of the source of light. Bringing her arms down, she tightly clasped her hands at her back to prevent herself from actually touching or — far worse — trying to position his arm differently. It was her a thing, that need to constantly touch, feel, inspect. In truth, it was a fairly childish habit. She needed to form some sort of odd connection with whatever she was supposed to interact with.

But who wouldn't want to touch someone's tattoo? Who hadn't thought about doing it, especially when it came to his larger piece? Thalia raised her gaze from the signature to his chest and up to the back of his ear. It was a flower, a maehwa flower. Plum blossoms. She might've easily mistaken them for cherry blossoms, but the difference stood in their petals, didn't it? And the dark, harsher lines... those must be the branches. The most endearing part of it all, however, was the story behind it. The tattoo represented his mother, his Umma.

She hadn't really expected him to share anything personal with her. "It's nice," she found herself saying as she met his dark eyes. It was really nice. "I mean, it's nice that you thought to honour your mother and what she means to you through a tattoo. I hope she appreciated it — my mother would've killed me." Thalia was certain of it. The meaning wouldn't have mattered and, in truth, she had never really thought about doing something so sentimental and definite for her. Not in a while, no. "But I like it. I really do. Maybe, at one point, I will also get to hear the story behind William Shakespeare's signature."

And then came the talk of drinks. It was at that moment that she took a step back and away from him, not being able to suppress a chuckle. "Ah, I see. I will become your bartender for the night. Fair enough." Her father would probably love to remind her why knowing how to mix a good drink was an essential skill, but the old man had seemingly forgotten that college was less about the presentation and the quality of the drink and more about death bombs in red plastic cups. "Let's see what I can find," she added as she moved around the counter.

Many of the bottles had already been left around the kitchen by others. There was vodka, whiskey, tequila. Once she had opened two or three cupboards, Thalia had also retrieved some unfinished gin. A trip to the fridge later and there was also some orange juice. And, the most important part, the cups. They would also have to serve as shot glasses.

When she turned her attention back to Asher, she shouldn't have been too surprised by the fact that he had left his shirt unbuttoned. She only spared him a glance as she settled the "ingredients" on the counter and joined him once more.

"Before you say anything, I assure you that I can hold my liquor." In small doses and calculated sips, but she could. She had eaten before coming to this party, had some snacks while she was here, drank her water... and, after all, how much had she already drunk? One beer and two shots? That was nothing. She only planned to have one more drink, after all. Maybe two, but that was her maximum. "So," she continued, gazing between Asher and the bottles in front of them, "I," the bartender, of course, "would strongly recommend a mix of vodka and orange juice. It's a classic. You can easily follow up with some tequila. But, if you're feeling fancy and impatient, you can start off with a shot of whisky and gin." Straight alcohol. Nothing on the side.

"Hmm? What do you say?"

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | let's be scientists!

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

“Oh no, she totally beat me up for it” he responded with a soft chuckle. “I mean… Asian mothers. She yelled at me saying I’ll never get a proper interview or job with this big ass tattoo. Even after I told her what it symbolised, she pretended that it gave her chest pains and demanded for me to take it off” Just talking about it made the memories flash before his eyes, causing him to push down the chuckle that was threatening to come out. He just couldn’t help but think how hilarious his mother’s reactions had been purely because they had been so over the top. “I mean… I’ve had it for over a year now. She’s grown to not completely hate it. But she also asks me to wear turtleneck sweaters when I’m home for the holidays so she can try and hook me up with some girls from her church.”

Hearing her mention about wanting to hear the story about his William Shakespeare tattoo in the future, Asher had to push every natural, drunken fibre in his body and resist the urge to say how about tomorrow morning in bed? Geez, that was sleazy as hell. He hated how sleazy his thoughts got sometimes after a couple of drinks. Luckily, he had some brain cells up in there, forcing himself to reconsider his actions and thoughts before going through with them. So, instead, he just offered the girl a soft smile and nodded “I’d like that” he responded, thanking God that something tamed came out of his mouth.

As Thalia began to move her way around the kitchen, Asher decided it would be best to get comfortable. After all, he wasn’t sure how long it would take Thalia to create her masterpieces, nor how long they would be in the kitchen for. So, he pushed himself up onto the countertop and sat down on top, allowing his legs to hang over the side and sway ever so slightly as he watched the girl walk around the room for ingredients.

Once she had returned back to his side, Asher cocked his brows as he curiously looked at the arrangement of items she had picked out. Hearing her mention about ‘holding her liquor’, he wanted to believe her. But there was something in the pits of his stomach that was telling him otherwise and reminding him to keep an eye out for her during the night. “Of course… I’m sure you can.” he said in a teasing tone “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure none of the drunken idiots here will take advantage of you if you do indeed get drunk.”

Now, there were options. The grin on his face grew as he heard the different alcoholic beverages that Thalia had in mind for them. “Honestly, I would’ve been happy with a beer but damn, you really have a PHD in your alcohol, don’t you?” he commented with a chuckle before picking up the bottle of tequila that had been brought over, inspecting the ingredients. “Ahh… tequila. I have not had you since prom. After all, you made me vomit all over my date’s shoes. She was not happy at all.”

With a cheeky grin spread across his face, he turned back to Thalia with excitement in his eyes. “Honestly, I’d like to test your statement. So, the hypothesis is that you believe you can hold your liquor. I think we should test that constructed hypothesis with an experiment, collect the experimental data, and then analyse the data and draw conclusions. Only then we can align with your statement and see the real results.” Ah yes, the playful Asher ramble. Once he was stuck on a theme, it was hard to get him off it. “So, what do you say? Are you up for a science experiment tonight? Or are you just looking to get rid of me so quickly?”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | let's be scientists?

location | kappa omega's kitchen

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

Her affirmation about how well she could hold her liquor was met with scepticism. Thalia could easily pick up on it in his teasing tone, in his words. "Ah, such a gentleman," she returned with ease as Asher offered his assistance. "You must've perfected that side of you in order to make up for the tattoos and," she paused, giving him a once over, "everything else in front of your church girls." Seeing his present state, it was amusing to imagine him otherwise, all straight-backed and covered, attending church alongside his mother. There was at least one perk to having a long-term relationship: it removed the pressure from all sides. Once you won the relationship lottery, it became less about settling down and more about moving towards the next step. She didn't know which was worse.

Asher might be questioning her, but he seemed pleasingly surprised by the variety of alcohol she presented him with. She took pride in that. It was the bottle of tequila that he went for first as he thought back to his prom and his failed date. By this point, Thalia was trying her best to conceal her amusement. "Maybe I am the one that has to watch your back, after all," she pointed out, reaching out for the bottle and taking it out of his grasp. She placed it back on the counter, a little farther from the rest. "My attempt at saving my reputation should involve a little bit more than a beer." These words were followed by a shrug. "My dad likes to believe that he is a connoisseur of alcohol. He wanted to open a bar when he was in college and turn it into a family business, have his children bartender when they were old enough... all that. So you can imagine what he talks about most of the time."

He hadn't done it though. There was no bar; there were just many bottles, many books about bar management, and many friends to serve at this house. He had compromised just like everybody else. "Believe me, though, if he were to see these brands and hear the mixes that came out of my mouth, he would throw a fit."

Maybe not when it came to the whiskey and gin mix, but vodka and orange juice with tequila? God forbid.

She got herself a stool then, drawing it closer to the spot where Asher had perched himself up on the counter with her foot. He had barely begun his proposal at that point. Arranging the cups in front of the two of them, Thalia listened to him go off about an existing hypothesis in her assumption, experimental data that needed to be analyzed in order to reach a favourable conclusion. She quirked an eyebrow at him, intrigued by all the fancy talk revolving around an experiment.

And that experiment involved her.

"So, what do you say?" He turned her own question against her. "Are you up for a science experiment tonight? Or are you just looking to get rid of me so quickly?" He resembled a child then — he was expectant, excited, and, worst of it all, mischievous.

She watched him. What he proposed involved more than the two drinks she had had in mind. Many more. The chuckle that followed his question expressed doubt. "I don't know how ethical the scientific methods involved would be, considering that both the lab mouse and the scientist have to directly partake in this experiment. Side by side," she accentuated, pointing between the two of them.

If her alcohol tolerance was to be tested, so would his.

She was aware that she was avoiding a real answer though. Her cheer dimmed as she looked back at the empty cups and the awaiting bottles. Maybe this wasn't as harmless as she believed it to be. The easiness with which they talked, the smiles, the teases... Jacob had said on many occasions that she was too eager to please those around her. Too eager to meet their needs. Always too trusting, too optimistic. More than one interaction had been cut short because of his words. She could do the same to Asher; she could cut it short. She could tell him that she wanted to just have one drink with him in order to pay for his t-shirt and then call it a night, couldn't she? She could easily go back to her dorm.

Was it that bad that she didn't want to do that? Was it that bad that she liked getting someone excited about something? Was it that bad that she dreaded being alone in that dorm room?

It was too lonely there when everyone else was out and about. Too quiet.

Thalia wordlessly reached for the bottles of whisky and gin. Opening up the former, she poured some into the cups, eye-balling the quantity necessary for a shot. Then she added the gin. It was more whisky than gin though; straight alcohol. "Could someone get rid of you?" It was supposed to be a rhetorical question. Her tone was softer as she tried to build back up her courage.

She raised her eyes to him as she picked up the cup. "I imagine that this experiment of yours also comes with a prediction. Any scientist has an outcome in mind when he begins an experiment, even if it ends up being contradicted by the experiment's results, doesn't he? What is yours?"

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | less talking, more drinking!

location | kappa omega's backyard

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

A soft smirk formed on his face as he heard Thalia’s question, asking if someone could get rid of him. “Of course not. I’m like a venereal disease.” Asher responded with a soft chuckle before mentally kicking himself. Why the hell did he just say that? “I mean… I don’t have any venereal diseases. I mean… not that I’m aware of.” – Wait, what? – “I mean! I’m defiantly aware of not having any venereal diseases. I’ve been a good Christian son. No sex for three months. And… You really didn’t need to know that and I should shut up now, right?”

Oh, thank God Thalia had just finished creating the drinks. Perfect timing. If he was allowed to keep up with his ranting habits, he would’ve exposed to her how he got lice from his last girlfriend which… she really didn’t need to know. Without hesitation, he brought up the cup to his lips and sipped the concoction the girl before him had created. Pressing his lips together firmly and squinting his eyes, he tried to come up with words on how he felt about the beverage. “This is… interesting… Different. I have to say that.” he commented before going in to take another sip “Your Dad taught you well”

Thank God the conversation was brought back to the science of the night. He didn’t think he could make an even bigger fool of himself. However, the night was still young and there was plenty of alcohol to be consumed. “Well…” he sighed softly as he took hold of the cup that was next to him. Asher crossed his arm over as he held his cup in a philosophical manner. “As stated before, your firm belief is that you can hold your liquor. My hypothesis is that I can hold it longer than you can. Which, my dear, as we have discussed previously about the whiskey incident is… well, not a lot. Therefore, the experiment would have to have the pair of us drinking the same amount of alcohol over a certain period of time. And whoever taps out first – like if they vomit or fall over – is clearly drunk. That will be the outcome of this scientific research.”

It was the truth. The poor boy was quite a lightweight. After all, the drink that was currently in his hands would make it the fourth drink of the night. Although to the untrained eye, he may have seemed quite stable, Asher knew that it was not the fact. Actually, he could feel that his head getting quite lightheaded, and he knew that he was on the tipsy train. Was he going to tell Thalia that she was already dealing with someone who was a passenger on a vehicle already on it’s way to drunk town? Well, did he really have to? Let the girl think that he was always this confident and willing to walk around with his shirt off of him.

“I will warn you now though… I am a lightweight. I know, I know. Shocking, right? A man who can’t really hold his own drinks? Pathetic. But it really does help when I want to get drunk fast and with little money.” he teased her with a cocky grin “Now… I’m not going to tell you how many drinks I’ve already had tonight. In fact, I’m not going to tell you if I’ve had any drinks tonight. After all, you did spill my last drink all over me before. I didn’t even get the chance to indulge in it at all.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | can't stay...

location | kappa omega's kitchen

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

“Of course not. I’m like a venereal disease.”

Yeah, of course no— what? Thalia didn’t even get to fully wrap her head around the unfortunate comparison Asher made before he went right into retreat mode. Seeing how animated he became in his attempt at explaining himself, she couldn’t help but tug at her lower lip with her teeth, her shoulders lightly shaking from the pent-up amusement. She shouldn’t laugh. She wouldn’t allow herself to laugh at him. He was proving to be all too terribly endearing, all too quick to open up, all too honest. He was foolishly funny.

It was nice; refreshing, even. Thalia would not allow herself to dwell on those thoughts, but, out of the odd sense of camaraderie that had formed between them, she did feel the need to step up and defend her own sex life in return. Her reasoning would be more along the lines of ‘I’ve been in a committed relationship for all my life.’ and not ‘I’m a good Christian daughter.’

Not like he was a terribly good Christian son, either, from the sound of it. She refrained from making any sort of comment about it, though, just for the sake of his dignity… or whatever was left of it, at least. “Too much information is never enough information when alcohol is involved. Oversharing with strangers that have just spilt their dubious drink on you is part of the college experience. I think I saw that written in a pamphlet,” she joked offhandedly, instead, raising her red cup in the air as a reminder.

And, as he brought his own cup to his lips, so did she. Thalia closed her eyes then, allowing the pleasant, but biting, taste to serve as a distraction. The subject of their conversation was hurriedly switched from Asher Choi’s sex life to the drink she had prepared for the both of them. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze easily found Asher studying the concoction intently.

“This is… interesting… Different. I have to say that,” he mused out loud.

It was a lacking – and, perhaps, quite questionable – way of describing anything, really, but it was also… well, fitting. ‘This is interesting, maybe,’ she unwillingly thought, imaginarily pointing between the two of them again. ‘Different.’ What she did outwardly, though, was to silently nod in gratitude, beaming just a little.

Yet, her expression turned thoughtful as Asher expanded on the experiment, adopting a stance that Sara had named the notorious-college-guy-bullshitting-stance – the crossed arms, the philosophical way of tilting the cheapest sort of cups filled with alcohol that was close to qualifying as motor oil. Thalia was familiar with the sight even in her own circle, the only difference being that Jacob and his friends wore their daddies’ fancy suits, clinked crystal glasses and bulshitted away about cryptocurrency. With that image stuck in her mind, she couldn’t help but suddenly be fond of this warm, sticky kitchen that she was in, all dressed down and cosy, feeling a familiar heat bloom in her chest from the alcohol.

For his notorious-college-guy-bullshitting-stance, Asher was still all too easy to take to. It was the subtle teases and the cocky curve of his lips that made him unnerving. “Ah, so you’re telling me that you’re usually this peacock-y? Without the slightest hint of alcohol in your system?” Thalia couldn’t help but inquire teasingly, trying to drown the quiet voice that told her that she wasn’t supposed to be here. She nudged his thigh with her elbow, propped up on the counter as he was, and looked up at him, amused.

And then she leaned in as if they were in the middle of the interrogation and the detective had happened upon a great detail of interest.

As if they were conspirators on the point of sharing a secret.

“If you asked me, I’d say that you are withholding crucial information from this experiment. Not knowing the other’s present alcohol intake up may significantly alter the results – one of us may inevitably end up having an unknown advantage. But I’ll let it pass just this once because you’re a lightweight and I wouldn’t want to put you on the spot.”

Not that she wasn't a lightweight. She was. This was the reason why she needed to take extra precautions whenever she went out drinking.

This was the reason why the quiet voice would always win. Why, despite not wanting to return back to her empty dorm, the dread of not returning there when she should would guilt trip her into leaving. Thalia pulled slightly back and away from him, a painted nail scratching at the surface of the cup. “The thing is... I can’t really afford to get drunk to the point of vomiting or falling over. Not like I would get to that point," she defended herself, "I can hold my liquor, as I've already said," when she had control over how much she would drink, "but I have to return to my dorm once this is over, on my own. My girl friends will be fairly… preoccupied by then.”

It was pretty self-explanatory. They would be busy. Creatively busy.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | no the pretty girl can’t leave!

location | kappa omega's kitchen

outfit | leather jacket, white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

A collection of snorts escaped, catching him off guard for a moment and causing him to cover is mouth and nose in a rather graceful attempt to cover the sound that was leaking in the air attached to his soft, drunken chuckle. The image of himself walking around like a peacock just entered his sloppy mind for a split second, bringing much enjoyment to the thought of it all. “I like to think of myself more of a sea lion,” Asher finally responded, removing his hand once he was sure his snorting attack caused by the messy chuckle had finished. “You know… I can be trained very well. Very entertaining too. But once you get onto my bad side, I will take you down. Have you seen those mother fuckers in action? They’re scary as hell.”

What happened next, however, caught him more off guard than the snorting attack. The subtle nudge to the thigh followed by the lean in. It wasn’t much of a lean in, but then again…there wasn’t that much distance between them either. Sure, there were words coming from her mouth right now – he could clearly see that as he was mesmerised by her moving lips – but the words just weren’t making complete sense right now. For right now, as he looked down at the leaning girl, he wasn’t just seeing her. He was saying some sort of fabricated future that his tipsy brain was trying to convince him could happen. I suppose it was one of Asher’s negative traits; when he fell for someone, it was often quick, hard and even somewhat painful.

This fabricated vision that flew through his brain wasn’t just thinking about what will happen for the rest of the night. Oh, no. The vision showed him glimpses of them going to the movies together, holding hands, stealing kisses while swimming at the beach during summer, and cuddled up on the couch, attempting to run away from winter’s coldness tapping at their windows. Sure, you could say it was lust. He was already half way to being completely smashed off of his face, so there is no doubt he was probably thinking with his crotch right now. But this semi-drunk boy was trying to convince himself that it was much more than wanting someone to hold at night; that this was destiny.

As she pulled back, Asher finally came crashing back into reality. Well, that was painful to return back to. Where the heck were they? He was going to have to pretend that he was listening for the whole time. Okay, time to concentrate. Listening intensely (well, as intensely as a developing drunken person could), his brain began to decode everything that she was saying. Not getting drunk like her friends because… she had to go back to her dorm alone?. Wait. She was here alone. Well, she was here with friends. But, essentially, alone. That meant – no boyfriend? Before he could even stop himself, a string of word vomit slipped past his sealed lips.

“You can stay here!” he said with a bit too much excitement “I mean – like, if you really want? I have my own bedroom here with a lock – one of the perks of being the president here. You can take my bed if you want and I’ll just sleep on the couch in the living room. It pulls out into a bed. That or I’ll just sleep in one of the pledges beds and they can sleep on the couch. Either way, what I’m trying to say is that like… I think you should stay.” With a swift movement, Asher slunk off the counter top and onto his feet (not without a slight sway to show just how strong that last concoction she had created was on his body). Turning around to Thalia, he took hold of one of her hands with his own and began to swing it side to side in a playful manner. “Pweasseee,” he pouted at her, flashing his eyelashes in her direction “The night is young, and I do have a beer pong game I have to attend to tonight – I think I could benefit having someone on my team who can hold their liquor. I’m shit at throwing even when I’m sober.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Asteria]

thalia dimou

mood | fuck me indeed

location | kappa omega's kitchen

outfit | black crop-top, ripped boyfriend jeans, and converse shoes + sunglasses

tag | weldherwings

There was always a certain scene in the romance movies that Thalia and her girl friends from Zeta Tau Alpha would watch as part of their regular sisterhood activities that made her scoff in her drink under Sarah’s critical gaze. That scene would go something like this: the main character would stare at their love interest with this dumbfounded look plastered on their face while they were doing the most insipid thing and the camera would zoom in on them, and the scene would start playing in slow-motion, and, then, in the background, there would be the ominous voice of the main character saying something along the lines of "And my heart skipped a beat." It was stupid, wasn’t it? It was stupid because, under the kitchen’s dimmed lights and in the strong smell of cheap alcohol and the hum of a dubious remix that was playing outside these walls, the world was not slowing down, it was not waiting for her to catch up, and Thalia’s heart was racing, every beat becoming harsh and thunderous.

It was in part the alcohol. It had always made her a little antsy, put her on the edge. But the real reason, just as in all those romance movies, was the snippets of Asher’s personality that shone through the haziness of everything else. The quickness with which he endearingly snorted, his excitement, his eagerness, his willingness to accommodate her.

Her.

There was some sort of pride at the thought that she could have such an effect on someone. Maybe, it was selfishness, too, for she found herself enjoying his attention. Asher Choi wasn’t, by any means, supposed to play the role her love interest in this movie. He wasn’t supposed to be anything to her. The plot of her romantic life had been written long ago, in an expensive Miami restaurant, and it revolved around the name of Jacob Palmer and, yet—

“Either way, what I’m trying to say is that like… I think you should stay.”

Beat.

Beat. Beat. Beat. Beat.

Thalia stared at him, unsure of how to respond, but then he took her by surprise, sliding off the counter and taking hold of her right hand. He began to swing it left and right, as one would with that of a child, and the unexpectancy of the gesture brought on a wave of fondness and amusement that washed over her anxiety. She began to laugh, and there was something childish to its tonality, the sound oddly foreign and familiar at the same time – she was giggling. She was giggling like a drunken teenage girl.

When was the last time that she had done that?

Beat. Beat. Beat. Beat.

Beat.

Turning on the stool to face him, she reached out her other hand for him to take. They were almost the same height now. The realization softened her giggle. “Maybe I see it now. How you could resemble a sea lion, I mean. I saw those baby pictures of them once – they had those gentle eyes. So adorable. And sometimes they seemed grumpy or tired or something in-between and that made them look utterly wasted.” She gave his face a once-over that started and ended with these earthy irises of his. “Yeah, I can see it.”

It was a tease fuelled in part by the detail about the sea lions being scary, but also the light sway of his body that gave away just how drunk he was. But she also knew that this was a distraction. She was putting off answering his silent question in order to make up for some time that she already didn’t have.

Thalia added just a little pressure to her touch, slowing down the swinging of their arms to the point that their hands came to rest on her lap. “It’s only too bad that you are wasting your baby sea lion charms and president of Kappa Omega privileges on someone who has never played beer pong before. We would have lost before we had even started.”

This would have been lost before it had even started.

Nearby muffled steps and laughter grew closer and closer behind her, until they fully filled the kitchen. The sounds drew Thalia’s attention away from Asher bit by bit, but what fully caught it was the salute from one of the guys from the group, “Hey, Asher.”

Thalia let go of his hands then and quickly placed them back on the counter, knocking over one of the bottles in the process. It rolled off the counter and fell, breaking into a million pieces on the kitchen’s tiles. The sound was sharp and loud, and it reverberated through her body as an ominous omen.

For the briefest of moments, Thalia felt painfully aware of everyone around her as if she had just been jolted awake out of a deep, peaceful slumber. “Careful,” she urged the others. She got off the stool, bracing herself against the counter, tip-toeing around the shards of glass.

“Fuck me,” one of the girls exclaimed before bursting into a good-natured, drunken laugh. “There must be some paper towels around here, if these douches have remembered to buy any. Wait,” she offered as a solution, seeing the spilled alcohol spread. She broke away from the group in order to search for them as Thalia crouched down to pick up the shards.

She kept her head down. The chuckle that parted her lips was somewhat bitter, almost resentful. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know to whom was the apology was addressed – Asher, the group or everyone and everything. “I seem to be really stupid tonight.”

The grand Thalia Dimou never made a mess of herself. The Thalia Dimou that the Florida State University prided itself on cleaned everyone else’s mess with the patience and the understanding of a saint instead. So had she learned which situations usually led to disadvantageous outcomes and, still, somehow, she had ended up making all the wrong choices tonight. And the worst of all was the realization that she wouldn’t have knocked over the bottle if she hadn’t become suddenly aware of what it meant to be holding hands with none other than Asher Choi. There was nothing innocent about it. It was wrong.

And it would be wrong to agree to spend the night in his room. It would be wrong to continue drinking with him throughout the night and be on his team during a beer pong game, and be close to him, and laugh with him in front of everyone, and even simply looking at him was wro—

Why didn’t it feel wrong? If it was wrong, why didn’t it feel wrong?

A pang of pain interrupted her trail of thought. Thalia inhaled sharply through her teeth and she dropped the few shards that she had already picked up as she caught sight of the newly-formed, bloody cut on her palm.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[weldherwings]

asher choi

mood | i love playing nurse!

location | kappa omega's kitchen

outfit | white shirt, blue jeans + black boots

tag | Asteria

Her hands were so soft against his rough, slightly calloused fingertips. Asher became hyper-aware of all the creases and lines in Thalia’s palms and fingers as they moulded so perfectly into his own hands. The words falling from her mouth almost didn’t reach his ears as he was so transfixed on her. He was in such a trance that he took no notice of how he edged ever so gracefully to her until he felt his legs brush against her knees. Her rose lips looked plump; inviting and yet a spark of danger drew him in. His hands that were held mutually with Tahlia’s slowly began to mauver and spread; his ultimate goal to entwine their fingers and interlock. To really find out if Tahlia could be the possible puzzle piece missing from his life at this very moment. He was on a mission – and the sounds of nearby friends and pledges were falling on this deaf ears.

One thing he couldn’t ignore was the swift movement of Tahlia’s hands as she tore them away from his own, leaning backwards with them. The glass bottles became victims of their encounter, shattering amongst the ground and causing a bypasser to yell out “Taxi!. The ear-piercing sound was enough to rattle Asher, and to encourage complete hearing to reclaim his ears. “Oh, shit,” he exclaimed in a somewhat calm composure. “Oh, uhhh. Hey, Reeves. Grab the broom and dustpan, will you?”

Crouching down beside Tahlia, Asher began to mirror her actions and pick up the shards of glass that scattered the kitchen floor. Her apology earned her a confused frown and a cocked head turn. “You don’t need to be sorry. Accidents happen. It’s a party after all. I’d be surprised if we went a full night without at least one person breaking something.” Asher smirked, somewhat disheartened by Tahlia’s composure as she kept her head down. And then she put herself down by calling herself stupid? “Naw, you’re not stupid. Do you know what is stupid? People who wear socks and crocs. Those are some stupid people.” Whether she wanted to look up at him or not, Asher still attempted to flash a grin to the girl.

The sharp inhale was enough to wipe the grin right off of his face. “Oh, shit!”” he hissed through his teeth, watching the blood beginning to form in her palm. Okay, don’t panic. This was why you went to first aid training. Every president of the fraternity and sorority houses had to attend first aid training to ensure they could keep their houses safe. It was time to use all that knowledge he had gathered during that seven-hour class and put it to some use! First thing first – he needed to wrap up the cut to stop the bleeding. Just until he could get the first aid kit in the bathroom upstairs.

Asher’s eyes darted around the kitchen, praying for something to jump out to him, smack him in the face, and remind him that it could be used to stop someone from bleeding to death. Despite seeing numerous tea towels, a hand towel and even some kitchen paper, Asher’s brain told him your shirt! Use your shirt!. That was great thinking! Swift hands and fingers located the buttons of his shirt before he slid it off his inked, tanned frame. Once off his body, he took hold of Tahlia’s wrist and began to wrap the shirt around the wound. “You’re in good hands.” He told her with confidence. “Finished my first aid training three months ago. As long as your hand doesn’t fall off, I’ll be able to help you out.” Tying up the sleeves of the shirt in a bow, he could see the blood starting to soak through the fabric. “Come on,” He stood up to his full height, offering to take Tahlia’s other hand to help her up off the floor. “There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom upstairs. We’ll give it a clean and wrap it up properly. Don’t worry about the glass. Pledges will clean it up”

coded by weldherwings.