Chapter Text
Running in the city was never boring. As early as it was, the streets were filled with people. Some walking, some jogging, others sipping coffee from the view of their balconies. Viren had just finished his morning run, and he was shivering from the icy breeze that was starting to cool the sweat on his body. The early jogging had recently become a daily routine after he adopted an extremely high-energy German shepherd. She was only a year old, but definitely a handful. Viren didn’t complain, though, because he had never been more physically fit. At twenty-six years old, he had a steady job, a roomy apartment and a new pup. If only Harrow was still here to share these things with him…
They had broken up just over a month ago. Viren could still remember their fight, the mild conversation that had become the devastating end. After nearly a week of so-called sick days, concerned friends and six-hour naps, his life had started to return to normal. Now, a month later, Viren was almost fully recovered from the effects of the breakup. He hadn’t seen Harrow since their fight, aside from stalking his social media platforms and looking through old photos. Once he was caught, Amaya had forced Viren to unfollow his ex and delete all of their pictures. And there were a lot. After all, they had been together for almost one year. Viren kept a few, as if he was still hoping that things weren’t completely over, as if Harrow was going to come back. He wasn’t sure how his ex was faring, but he assumed it was much better than him. Especially considering that he was the one who dumped Viren, not the other way around. Being dumped hurt a whole lot worse than breaking up with someone.
Viren had adopted the German shepherd two weeks ago. There had been a gaping hole in his heart and the pup had helped to fill it. Viren hadn’t managed to come up with a name for her, though. Nothing seemed right. He settled with addressing her as “girl” for the time being.
The sun was still rising as he finished the final stretch around downtown Seattle. It was April, and Viren had been caught in the spring showers for the last couple of days. Today was different, though, and he was thankful for the clear skies as he rounded the corner at a brisk walk. He was breathing heavily, his heart still racing wildly in his chest. Viren’s dog was tugging at the leash, and he marveled at how, after a forty-five minute jog, she was still excited about being around people.
It was a busy avenue, with multiple shops and restaurants lining the sides. Viren kept a firm hold of the leash and stopped as he checked his watch. It was only 6:23. He still had an hour and a half before work. Plenty of time to go home, shower, get dressed and leave. Glancing across the street, Viren noticed a small coffee place with an eccentric sign that read Future Coffee. The letters were large and loopy, with swirls at the ends of the us and fs. There was a window for ordering, and there didn’t appear to be an indoor room, just a small patio with a few tables. He hadn’t been before, but the place looked fairly new.
Viren looked at his watch once more before sighing. Stopping for coffee wasn’t usually on his daily agenda, but he had plenty of time to grab something before he headed home. The line wasn’t bad, and it was outdoors, so he wouldn’t have to worry about pet policies. Mind made up, Viren looked over to see his dog sniffing a nearby lamppost. “C’mon, girl,” he called as he patted his thigh, which was still aching from the strenuous movement. He took a minute to stretch both legs before making his way to the corner of the walkway.
The street was surprisingly free of cars when Viren moved to cross. He jogged to keep up with his pup as she plowed ahead of him, tail wagging excitedly. He really needed to pick a name. Calling her “girl” was starting to get old.
Thankfully, there were no other dogs in the growing line. Viren stood behind a middle-aged couple as he breathed in the scent of fresh coffee grounds. He was still sweaty from the exercise, but not overly warm. The crisp air was refreshing, and even under his sweatshirt Viren could feel the slight breeze.
His peaceful moment was interrupted by a large dog passing them on the sidewalk. It barely even looked at Viren’s pup, but she immediately strained to follow it, wrapping the leash around his leg in the process. Viren was about to reach down and untangle the cord from his ankle when he felt someone bump his right shoulder. He didn’t look over, opting to ignore the mishap.
“My apologies.”
The voice was male, and incredibly deep. He had never heard anything like it. Intrigued now, Viren turned around abruptly. “It’s o-” The words died in his throat. The man that stood before him was unlike any he’d ever seen.
First, he was an elf. Elves weren’t uncommon, especially in the city, but Viren wasn’t well-acquainted with any. And this elf was different. His skin had a striking indigo tone, and it was covered with stars. They were sprinkled across his cheeks, with larger, more defined markings under his eyes. Viren could see that he only had four fingers, and they too were littered with bright stars. His hair was white and long, disappearing over the elf’s strong shoulders. The most prominent feature was his horns. They were tall and curved, with multiple points. Most of the elves Viren had seen had shorter, simpler horns. These closely resembled a deer’s antlers, only they were a dark purple color.
The elf’s wrists and arms were hidden by his buttoned long sleeve shirt, which was casually thrown open in the front. Viren flushed, staring at his bare chest. There was another mark there, the largest of them all. It was a diamond shape, black with a white outline. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.
Viren realized he’d been gawking for far too long, and snapped his gaze back up. The elf was smirking, a slight twinkle in his eye. Viren noticed it was a bright golden color, and his scleras were impossibly dark. He shook his head slightly, as if attempting to clear his mind. He had completely forgotten the situation they were currently in.
“I’m sorry for bumping into you,” the elf said in his deep tone.
Viren’s eyes widened. “Ah, yes, right, erm.” He could barely form words, his mouth suddenly dry. “It-it’s alright,” he managed.
The elf gestured to himself elegantly. “I am Aaravos.” The name was as mysterious and unique as the man, perfectly suited. Viren stood there dumbly for a second before realizing that it was his turn to say something.
“Viren,” he croaked, before clearing his throat rather loudly. Aaravos only smiled. His teeth flashed between plump lavender lips. Viren suddenly felt warm, and it wasn’t because of his jogging attire.
“Pleasure to meet you, Viren,” Aaravos purred. Viren had never heard a voice quite like his. It was effortlessly seductive, and the elf was only greeting him. If Aaravos were saying other things… Viren could only imagine how it might sound.
“A pleasure,” Viren repeated quietly. His face grew hot. “I-I mean, nice to meet you,” he stammered. Looking down at his shoes, he realized that the leash was still wrapped around his ankle. Without another thought, Viren took a knee. It was an immense relief, yet agony, for Aaravos to be out of sight, even for just a second. He carefully untangled the thin rope, which caused his dog to immediately run over.
“What brings you here so early?” Aaravos inquired. Glancing up, Viren saw that the elf was watching the pup, a faint smile ghosting over his lips.
“I was out for a run and stopped for coffee. You can pet her if you want, she’ll love it,” Viren added, still unwrapping the leash. He avoided eye contact, hoping to preserve his dignity for another few minutes. “What about you?”
Aaravos crouched down next to him. There went the attempt at looking away. Aaravos’ eyes were just so striking, the yellow orbs staring right into his soul. “Oh, you know, just tired. I didn’t sleep well and figured a large cup of caffeine would do some good.” He offered the dog his four-fingered hand. She sniffed it delicately before nosing him in a forward manner. “Hello, beauty,” he crooned, making Viren smile. “What’s her name?” Aaravos asked.
Viren cringed internally. “Uh, she doesn’t actually have one, well not yet at least,” he finished.
Aaravos didn’t speak, simply tilting his head. His horns gleamed in the morning light. “She’s new,” said Viren, for justification. Task complete, he stood up. Why did he feel the need to explain himself? He didn’t even know this man.
I wish I did, Viren thought.
Aaravos chuckled. “I see.” He stood gracefully, wiping his hands on his dark jeans. The longsleeve shirt was even more open than before, and Aaravos’ six pack was on display for all the world. Viren looked away. He didn’t want to.
“So, are you going to work?” The small talk was becoming increasingly more difficult for Viren.
Aaravos raised one white eyebrow. “In this?” he asked incredulously, gesturing to his very casual clothing. “No, and I’m not usually up early, if you were wondering. Why anyone would be out at this hour is beyond me.” He yawned, almost as confirmation. Viren saw that his tongue was also indigo, a deeper shade than the rest of his mouth. “You certainly don’t seem dressed for the occasion either,” Aaravos smirked, eyes dropping momentarily.
Viren followed his gaze, staring at his grey sweatpants and old hoodie. “No, not yet. Starts in an hour and a half.” The line was moving quicker now, and Viren was next. While talking to the elf, he had forgotten to check the menu.
“Oh, so you chose to wake up before 6 am?” Aaravos exclaimed, though his voice was so deep it didn’t sound at all like an exclamation. Viren rolled his eyes, paying more attention to his surroundings now. “Yes, I don’t have time to go after work, so, here I am.”
It was his turn to order, and he stepped up to the window. His dog strained to go back to Aaravos, but Viren held firm and she eventually gave in, moving to sit next to him at the window. His height made it difficult to see the cashier. It must be even worse for Aaravos. The elf had to be at least six and a half feet tall. He towered easily over Viren’s 6’2.
The cashier was a young woman who looked positively exhausted. Viren did a final once-over of the simple menu. “I’ll just get a regular coffee, please.”
“What size?”
“Uh, medium.”
“That’ll be $2.45. Cash or card?”
Viren felt for his pockets, then remembered he was wearing sweats. His stomach dropped. He didn’t have his wallet, or any of his belongings. How could I have been so stupid? Viren hadn’t even thought about the payment when he considered getting coffee. He sighed, ready to inform the cashier of his embarrassing mistake.
Viren felt a large hand grip his shoulder. Aaravos leaned down beside him, placing a ten dollar bill on the counter.
“I’ve got it.” Aaravos half-whispered. His voice was right in Viren’s ear.
“No, wait, you don’t have to-” He was blatantly ignored as Aaravos continued speaking, this time to the cashier.
“And can you add an extra large cinnamon latte with a triple shot of espresso?”
The woman nodded quickly, face red. She pulled the bill through, punching buttons on the register. “You said a triple shot?” Aaravos nodded once in confirmation. “And what’s the name?” Aaravos slid his hand down onto Viren’s bicep, making him shift uncomfortably. “Viren.” Aaravos decided. He was smirking, chest and tight abdomen bared proudly. It was no surprise why the cashier was flustered.
Aaravos’ hand never left Viren’s arm as they finished up the order, steering him over to the side to wait for their drinks. Viren shrugged him off as soon as they stopped walking. “Aaravos, you really shouldn’t have-” he faltered as the elf raised a palm to silence him. “Relax, I’m loaded.”
“But-” he protested weakly.
“Viren, it’s fine. You can make it up to me some other time.” Aaravos insisted. There was a strange look in his eye, and Viren almost didn’t like it. It made him strangely uncomfortable. But in a good way, somehow.
“Some other time…?” He wondered where this was going. Surely he wouldn’t see Aaravos again. No, he wouldn't. Right?.
The elf smiled, almost genuinely this time. “Yes, let's keep in touch. It’s always refreshing to meet someone new.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a rectangular piece of paper. Aaravos held it between two fingers with a flourish, pointing towards Viren casually. “Here’s my card, the number is written on the back.”
Viren took it carefully. “U-uh, thanks,” he stammered. Staring down at the small paper, he read the name printed at the top. Aaravos Xadia. It was quite a mouthful. He didn’t know what to say, so he leaned down pet his dog awkwardly while they waited. Aaravos looked around, yawning and running his hands through his white locks. Now that the elf was facing the other way, Viren could see that Aaravos’ hair was longer than he’d previously thought. The white waves hung down past his slim waist, nearly dazzling in the light. Viren absent-mindedly wondered if it was soft to the touch. He wanted so badly to reach out and curl his fingers in Aaravos’ hair, to tug at the silky locks. They swayed as the elf turned, and Viren stared before realizing that his gaze was much too low to be polite.
He stood quickly, embarrassed, which earned him a quiet whine from his pup. Aaravos glanced down with a frown before taking Viren’s place, petting her enthusiastically. Even kneeling, Aaravos’ horns reached Viren’s midsection. He looked down at the elf, allowing his mind to wander once again. This time, Aaravos was kneeling for an entirely different reason.
Viren dragged a hand over his mouth, willing his body not to react to the situation. It would be too mortifying to fathom. Luckily, a sharp voice called Viren’s name from the window, placing two drinks on the counter. Aaravos resumed standing and didn’t hesitate to walk over and swipe the drinks for them both.
Viren was confused. He had just met this man, this elf, and he was already having inappropriate thoughts about him. Not only that, but Aaravos had paid for his drink and was now carrying it back to him, something a stranger would certainly not do. The elf had also given him his number. And said that they should “keep in touch”, whatever that meant.
Viren groaned internally. He really needed to pull himself together. It was nothing, he thought, knowing it was a lie.
Aaravos returned, and handed the coffee to Viren, who took it with unsteady hands. The elf sipped his ridiculously large drink, maintaining eye contact with him. Then, he ran his purple tongue over the lid, catching a few spilled drops of coffee. Viren nearly choked on his own spit, blushing furiously. It was so suggestive, there was no way Aaravos didn’t know what he was doing. But the elf only wiped his mouth and smiled at him innocently.
Viren shifted uncomfortably. He checked his watch. “Well, I should be going,” He didn’t really want to leave, but he feared he would lose the small shred of self-control he had left if he didn’t remove himself from the situation now.
Aaravos’ mouth turned down just the slightest before resuming a neutral expression. “Yes, as should I. Good to meet you, Viren,” the elf dipped his head. He turned and sauntered down the sidewalk. People turned as he passed, staring at him unabashedly. Viren watched him go with a pang of regret, then remembered the card. He pulled it out and looked it over before glancing back up to see Aaravos watching him. Viren hid his hands behind his back as the elf lifted a hand in farewell.
“Call me!” Aaravos winked, two fingers up by his temple in salute. With that, he turned and continued down the street. Viren watched him, only remembering to close his mouth when the elf faded from view. He was left with a cold cup of coffee and an impatient dog, wondering what in hell’s name had just happened.
Viren shook his head in disbelief. He turned and walked in the opposite direction, toward home. The sun had risen, and the light never felt so warm.