wow what a mystery. I have no idea who could have sent this at all! no clue!

anyways college students au as usual. let’s say Eris and Lucien get invited to a swim team party 👀

Within five minutes of being inside the swim team’s party, Eris couldn’t help but start complaining.

“I mean honestly, who runs out of alcohol at an athletic party?” he complained to Lucien. His youngest brother was barely paying attention to what he was saying, clearly looking for his girlfriend within the sea of people.

“Yeah, it’s horrible,” Lucien muttered. He went on his tiptoes to keep looking for tiny Elain. “God, I wish there weren’t so many people in here. Elain’s already short enough.”

Eris rolled his eyes. “Another thing wrong with this thing. Did they just invite everyone?”

He turned to see if his brother was listening but there was no one next to him. Sighing, he decided to make his way to the kitchen to see if he could dredge up something to drink.

“This is just ridiculous,” he grumbled to himself. He didn’t think anyone would be able to hear him over the music but a rather handsome Black guy chuckled from next to him.

“What’s so…” Eris said, but his voice trailed off almost immediately. The guy next to him was absolutely stunning, with silvery curls hanging to his shoulders, a tall, muscled frame, and a perfect smile. “Funny. What’s so funny?”

The guy just tilted his head back and laughed again. “I think you’re pretty funny. What other critiques do you have?”

“Well,” Eris began uncertainly. He found it rather difficult to stay focused when this man’s biceps were so… muscular. “Um. There’s no more alcohol.”

“That is pretty necessary for a party,” the other guy mused. “I’m Tarquin, by the way.”

“Eris.” He was starting to get a little unnerved by all the attention from someone completely out of his league, and his usual snark was suffering. He normally would’ve said he didn’t care, and he definitely wouldn’t have said his name, but there was something about Tarquin that completely eliminated his usual arsenal.

“I like it,” Tarquin said, grinning widely again. Eris felt like his brain was short-circuiting when Tarquin turned that wonderful smile directly on him. “What else have you noticed?”

“Uh…” Eris trailed off for the second time that night. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never been lost for words like this in his life, yet here he was making a fool of himself. He told himself to get it together before he opened his mouth again. “Well, I think there’s way too many people here. I already can’t find my brother and now I’m here talking to a stranger.”

“Well, I don’t think talking to strangers is so bad,” Tarquin replied. “Especially when they’re as handsome as you.”

Eris couldn’t even come up with a reply right away. He just blinked as his brain processed the fact that Tarquin had just called him handsome. A god of a man thought he was handsome.

He knew he was good-looking, but he certainly wasn’t on Tarquin’s level. The man in question chuckled at Eris’ face, which was slowly but surely getting redder the longer he was speechless.

Eris had managed to get his wits about him and was about to say something when a young Black woman with the same silvery curls and dark skin marched her way over to Tarquin. “Varian just got back with more alcohol. Can you come help?”

“Yeah, no problem,” Tarquin said. He looked over at Eris with a rueful smile. “Hosting duty calls.”

Eris had the horrifying realization that he’d just spent the last ten minutes bashing the party to its host. His face was on fire as he tried to stutter out an apology. “I didn’t realize — I’m sorry — I’m such an asshole —”

Tarquin just laughed again. “No, no, don’t apologize. It was really refreshing.”

“Seriously, it’s not okay—” Eris tried again, but Tarquin just waved him off.

“I promise it’s okay,” Tarquin interrupted, smiling again. He leaned in closer and Eris fought hard not to lean into that broad chest. “I’ll take your phone number as an apology.”

Eris almost dropped his phone three times trying to get it out of his pocket, but Tarquin just smiled as if he thought it was the cutest thing in the world. That damned smile was going to be Eris’ ruin if Tarquin kept it up.

“Enjoy the party, Eris,” Tarquin said as he walked away.

“Yeah,” Eris said faintly. “Yeah, I will.”