rye
honest question
the loml
oh no.
rye
what exactly gets a guy hard
the loml
i don't know what i expected but
it certainly wasn't that
do you not know how a boner works
rye
no believe me. i've had my experiences
but i'm going to a dinner with rowan's
parents in an hour so he came over
to pick me up but like i had to finish my
hair so i went upstairs
but i had to ask him something so i turned
around and this man is sitting on my
couch with a pillow on his lap staring up
at me and i just. what the hell
the loml
oh dear
rye
"oH dEaR" I AM HAVING A CRISIS
IS IT MY DRESS?? IS IT MY SHOWER
HAIR??? WILL I EVER KNOW????
the loml
well. i mean. he's probably attracted to
you then. or he saw you and got horny-
rye
WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY
CLAY. BRAD. THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
IM AFRAJD TO GO DOWNSTAIRS
the loml
when do you have to be at the restaurant?
rye
LIKE HALF AN HOUR
IS THAT ENOIGH TIME TO BANG
WAIT THAT CAME OUT WRONG I
DONT WANNA BANG HIM
HOW LONG DID TOU LASR WITH GREG
the loml
i'm not gay, first of all-
second of all- just cuz he got a boner
doesn't mean he'll act on it ya know
rye
you're right
my ego is just through the roof
the loml
DID YOU WANT SOMETHING
TO HAPPEN??
rye
I MEAN
NO?
the loml
RYE????????????
rye
LEAVE ME ALONE IM PANICKING
the loml
do your hair and take a pic and send it
to me i wanna see
rye
THE ONLY REASON YOU WANT TO
SEE IS BECAUSE I GAVE A FUCKING
GUY A FUCKINF BONER AND YOU
WANT TO SEE THE OUTFIT
the loml
:(
rye
i admit that was harsh
but at the same time
no <3
wish me luck they're basically rich
and i'm a broke college student that
barely gets off of rent 🤪
the loml
:((((( but you sent my friend a face pic
rye
oh wow look at the time i gotta go
sheeeeeesh see ya later i guess-
the loml
really
rye
oh no the phone's breaking up i can't hear
you oh no gotta go goodbye
the loml
you're literally an idiot
rye
always <3
/ / / / /
the loml
so how's the date
rye
a) it wasn't a date
b) i don't want to talk about it
the loml
that bad?
rye
both in the sense that it ended badly
and i'm DOWN bad
the loml
what happened now
rye
promise you won't laugh
actually that was stupid you're probably
going to laugh.
hand on leg. under table.
the loml
DOWN BADDDDD
rye
leave me ALONE
THE WORST PART ABOUT THIS IS
THAT THE FUCKER KNEW WHAT HE
WAS DOING AND NOW IM WORRIED
HE KNOWS
the loml
but how did it end badly?
rye
.....
the loml
rye what did you do
rye
ok well like maybe now he knows that
i like him
the loml
you told him? good for you!
rye
well. like. not really.
the loml
what?
rye
didn't say it verbally
the loml
i don't understand
rye
i kissed him, you dumb fuck.
the loml
you did WHAT
rye
CAN YOU READ????????
the loml
GOOD FOR YOU
but was it only a kiss? 😏
rye
only a kiss.
he never wanted to make things complicated
but there's too much tension that it
just kinda happened but clay i don't know
what i'm going to DO now
this man is literally AAAAAAHHHHH
the loml
did he look uncomfortable?
rye
i don't think so?? he drove me
home and he was smiling and
rowan smiling is a rare thing to see
and i mean like he did want to
take me upstairs but it's the whole
thing about how he didn't want
to make things complicated
the loml
you realize what "wanting to
take you upstairs" MEANS right??
rye
clay even if there is a mutual
attraction there, i still don't know if
it's worth risking the
friendship, you know?
the loml
i get it :)
honestly at this point i just say
play it by ear. act like nothing
happened if you're worried
rye
but that was important to me.
that wasn't just "nothing" to me.
the loml
and it might be the same for rowan.
but if you're not sure, just play it by ear.
rye
even if we did try to make it work,
his parents don't like me :/
the loml
why on earth not?
rye
because rowan wanted to help me
financially but they started going on
and on about how i don't work hard
enough and if i actually tried, then
maybe i'd be able to graduate and
basically said no, which is FINE
because i'm not a charity case
but then i got a little pissed and made a
comment like "maybe i'll become a
stripper, they make good bank" and his
BROTHER who's like TWICE my age says
i'm pretty enough to be one but wouldn't
want me slandering his brother's name
and it escalated into this huge argument
so there's that. pretty sure he's off
limits now but whatever. we're fine.
the loml
that's...rough
rye
moral of the story: i'll deal with
it tomorrow.
for now i sleep my problems away
and admire how hot i looked today
the loml
you could always just send me a
picture and i can join in on the admiring :)
rye
is this a FLIRTATION?
the loml
LITERALLY SHUT UP I JUST WANNA
SEE YOU
rye
when he tells you to shut up
the loml
DON'T MAKE THIS KINKY
rye
:(
can you call?
the loml
ofc, just give me a couple seconds
rye
:)
* incoming facetime call from the loml *
iris stared at her phone screen in shock and confusion, her brain not knowing what emotion to feel. did he mean to do that? was he ready to show his face? was she even ready to see it? she made sure her face was out of frame when she picked up, opening her mouth to ask why this was a facetime call, but he beat her to it.
"shit, i'm sorry, i clicked the wrong button," he blurted. he was also out of frame, half of his screen dark and the other half showing the light coming off of his computer screen. she made sure her own camera was off, paranoid about anything being shown. they'd exchanged hand pictures and for some reason, it was enough for her.
"you're fine," she said, smiling despite her nervous. "anyways, number boy, what are you up to?"
he snickered at the old nickname. "i was playing a drawing game with a couple of my friends, but they were getting a little...much." he clicked some keys on his keyboard, clearly still playing something.
"oh?" iris was wiping the makeup off of her face as she talked. having already changed into athletic shorts and a cherry-printed cropped shirt, she was practically falling asleep. "which friends?"
"uh..." he trailed off, typing slowing. "george and...a different friend."
"is this one i've met before?" she asked, brushing her hair.
"i'm afraid not. but he really wants to meet you."
she paused her brushing, glancing down at the screen as a smile curved her lips. "someone i haven't met knows i exist?" clay's typing froze. "you know, the other guy i met—i don't know his name—also knew i was 'number girl,' but somehow i never got to ask you about it." he exhaled slowly. "do you talk about me?"
clay hummed, but the sound neither confirmed nor denied her question. "i've mentioned you once or twice. but after the picture you sent him, he seemed keen on bringing you up in lots of conversations."
"and what did he say about me?" she was smiling, enjoying this. "that i'm hot, sexy, and a total catch?"
"honestly? basically." he almost sounded bitter as he added, "he really wanted me to know that you were attractive. and even through texting, he said you sounded hot."
"and do i?"
clay's typing stopped altogether. "why are you asking me this?"
she froze, realizing how bad it sounded. "uh— i mean— well i was wondering if you thought the same but it came out wrong and i just—" she took a breath as he cackled at her stuttering. "leave me alone! do i sound hot or not? because i'm smoking and it's a shame you don't know it."
clay laughed again. "you sure are confident in yourself. and if it's such a shame i don't know it, then maybe you should enlighten me," he said smugly.
"i'm only confident in myself to piss people off," she said, setting the brush down and walking over to her bed, crashing on it and holding the phone next to her face, watching as his computer screen reflected different colors as he continued whatever he was doing. "apparently people get uncomfortable when someone thinks they're the shit, pretending or not." she didn't know why she admitted that she faked her confidence. as soon as she said it, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think of something else to say to distract him from it.
but he didn't pick up on it for some reason. "still, i think you should enlighten me." repeating what she'd said the other day, he added, "be honest."
she frowned. "do you have a type?"
"ah ah ah." he clicked his tongue. "answer the question."
she rolled her eyes, breathing out a laugh. "i'm, uh... much shorter than 6' 3". i think i'm around 5' 6", which is kind of tall for girls i guess. um..." all of a sudden, she felt nervous and a little flustered as she talked about herself and what she looked like, even if it was standard things. "dark brown hair. i like to think i have blue eyes but it honestly depends on the lighting, cuz sometimes they turn green. i have a fleck of gold in my right eye, though."
"pretty," he muttered, but his voice was so quiet, iris barely heard it.
"i— what?"
clay's typing stuttered, but he cleared his throat and covered with, "heterochemia is pretty cool."
iris hummed, as if to say suuuuure. "anyways, number boy, how are you?"
he stifled a laugh at the question. "i'd say i'm doing fine."
"did the issue with that twitter person ever get resolved?" she inquired.
he nodded even though she couldn't see. "yeah, thankfully. it's a lot better when you have friends to back you up, so... really thankful for them." he exhaled heavily. "nothing much. been talking to a lot of people, but... i'm honestly kind of tired." he said it quietly—barely over a murmur—and iris noticed how much of a confession it sounded like.
"tired...?" she prompted.
"just tired. point blank." he sighed. "i think i need to catch up on sleep and eat better, but... i don't want to take a break from my friends. i don't want to miss anything."
iris stared at her ceiling, the feeling all too familiar. "i know we're in different situations," she said slowly, "but just a word of unsolicited advice, it's okay to take a step back. keep pushing yourself and you might tip yourself over the edge. i know we're different, so it's just a suggestion," she added quickly. "but i'm sure your friends can make a list of things that happened and send it to you when you're ready." nervously deciding what to say, she slowly admitted, "you sound like you're the life of the party, so... i wouldn't be surprised if not a lot happened because you took some time to yourself."
"life of the party?" he repeated, amused.
iris rolled her eyes, rolling onto her side. "you know what i mean, asshole. you just seem like the 'glue' in the friend group. maybe others need a break, too. it doesn't hurt in just asking or just going off the grid for a couple of days." she blew out a breath, closing her eyes and spreading her arms out like a starfish. "i do that sometimes. go off the grid." she ground her teeth together, embarrassed. "i didn't mean to make it about me. sorry. what's made you tired?"
"iris," he laughed quietly, "you're fine. and it's nothing, really. just a little burnt out. i think a step back is good, but i'm gonna tell my closer friends beforehand..." his voice trailed off. she was about to ask what was wrong, but before she could, he blurted, "do you have glow stars on your ceiling?"
for a split second, her heart dropped to her stomach and her eyes snapped open. on her ceiling were hundreds of glow stars from varying sizes. she rolled over at lightning speed, peering down at the camera before realizing the corner of her forehead was in frame. "oh, SHIT—"
clay started wheezing as she tossed a pillow over her phone, trying to somehow turn the camera off without showing anything. "rye, you're FINE—"
"i didn't mean for that to happen," she said, her cheeks burning. the tips of her ears turned red in embarrassment and she stuffed her head into a pillow, groaning. "in my defense, i had stars in my room back at home, so i wanted to take a piece of home with me no matter how childish—"
"rye, it's not childish." there was still a smile in his voice, but he said the words softly. "i think it's cute."
she rolled her eyes, but her ears turned even more pink. "asshole," she muttered.
clay pretended to sniff. "when she calls you asshole," he whispered wistfully.
"i'm hanging up," she snapped playfully, sliding her phone out from under the pillow so he'd think she would.
"you can, but you'll probably miss me in like, five minutes," he retorted cockily. the sheer arrogance in his voice had her jaw dropping.
she huffed. "fine. i'll just stay on the line so you'll be stuck with me. just for that comment."
"it's still a win to me, though..."
"jackass!" iris dug under her weighted blanket, and reached up to turn off the light, still cautious about her camera. she plugged her phone in and took her meds while clay continued doing whatever he was doing on his computer. the silence was comfortable, though, and iris found that she rather enjoyed his company, even when they were teasing each other or talking about simple nothings.
she crashed into bed again after getting her glass of water and, feeling a bit daring, turned her camera on. the room was pitch black so it wasn't like he could see anything even if she got in the frame. her phone lay flat on the bed. she tugged the covers until they were under her chin, and snuggled into the pillow. "whatcha doing?" she asked quietly, words slurring together.
"just editing something for a friend." she yawned, trying to be quiet, but he heard her anyways and laughed. "you tired?" he teased.
"just a smidge." she sighed heavily, closing her eyes. "what're you editing?"
"a video," he said.
she smiled softly, heart going warm. "wanna tell me about it? i wanna hear it all."
she couldn't see it, but he smiled too. he began explaining the premise around the video without giving too much away—his best friend was a coder and was trying something out with some video games. clay had helped him with the video, which was supposed to be like a simulation within whatever game they were playing, but he needed to cut things out to shorten it. he would laugh occasionally at some of the things his friend said, and iris would laugh with him, but eventually the two fell into a comfortable silence, and iris didn't even realize as exhaustion pulled her away, and she drifted off into a heavy sleep.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
i accidentally fell asleep right after school but instead of doing my homework (which is due TOMORROW) i decided yes let's write fanfic
priorities, man.
anyways hope y'all are doing okay :))
total word count: 2.7k