🧂 ic inbox.

[considerable]

( TEXT | VOICE | VIDEO | VISIT )

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un: twiggy - christens the inbox with nonsense

[semicharmed]

[ This is supposed to be going to one of Matt's actual partners. For all that Matt's more familiar with Grindr than many other forms of social media, he doesn't actually send unsolicited nudes as a rule.

And this one's pretty tasteful, as these things go: Matt is sprawled on his bed, covers rucked up over his hips. The emerald lotus tattoo over his heart is fully visible, while the half-monkey, half-man figure winding around his right hip vanishes beneath the snowy white duvet. His head is turned away from the camera, a smile on his face that's somewhere between bashful and exhilarated. ]

L'hiver, nous irons dans un petit wagon rose
Avec des coussins bleus.
Nous serons bien. Un nid de baisers fous repose
Dans chaque coin moelleux.

[ The one interesting thing is the overhead angle on this shot. It's surprisingly pro, almost like he got someone else to take the photo. Or maybe has a drone??

(The real answer: levitation spell.) ]

seasons the inbox with even more stupidity

[considerable]

( hao, for all of his bravado and popularity back at home, has — kind of accidentally become a loner in this place. maybe it's the lack of social hierarchy: you're either a balfour, or you're not. either way, hao spends a lot of time dodging some beefy green-haired dude at the gym who lowkey intimidates him with his presence alone, daydreams about murder, ponders the merits of trying to get enough of the weirdos here together for a makeshift baseball game.

it's a pleasant surprise when his ancient brick of an iphone dings with a message — and honestly, he kind of expects it to be koby. it's an even more pleasant surprise when hao opens message and sees a whole lot of tl;dr but also a picture that's pretty, uh ... pretty. )

no comprendo



u look comfy

[semicharmed]

[ Matt grins at the answering ping, relatively confident that his overture will be well received. His smile dims as he reads the message, and it's hard to say what he's more baffled over: no comprendo or the use of u to mean you.

(Listen, between Luci, Louis, Daniel, and Alia, most of the people he texts these days have life experience that puts them over the age of 65.)

His gaze flickers to the user name attached to the text thread. Which is about when puzzlement blanches to pure horror. ]

oh my god

I am so sorry

text; un: koby

[kobes]

[No mistexts this time, just:]

Did the library tell you no again? Because I found something that might work.

[considerable]

fuck the stupid shitty library

( it's a No. ☹️ )

[kobes]

I thought it wouldn't. One of the kitchen staff gave me some sort of dessert powder that apparently dyes hair?

If you wanted to try that.

text: un: koby | after the votes

[kobes]

[He almost texts "are you stupid", but instead:]

Are you okay?

[considerable]

of course im ok
y do u ask
🤭

( stupid!!! )

text — un: EUNYU

[sterilize]

saw you lose really badly to hyunsu in the wrestling match






anyway i'm eunyu

[considerable]

hey fuck u i didnt lose THAT bad!!
i went ez on him lol

im hao hi
u know hyunsu or smth?

Action :: Arcade date

[leavening]

[There's part of Hyunsu that expects Hao to be fucking with him somehow and that this date might really be some elaborate hoax. In fact the only reason he isn't totally convinced of that is the fact that Hao does seem to be genuinely interested in video games as well as highly competitive. He wouldn't actually give up the chance to beat Hyunsu at Street Fighter.

He seems genuinely interested in Hyunsu, too, but Hyunsu is still making sense of that.

In any case, Hyunsu shows up at the arcade right on time with some sodas and bags of Flaming Hot Cheetos and Spicy Nacho Doritos, which Hyunsu is convinced might be the only spicy food the kitchen staff is familiar with. When Hao arrives he will find him leaning against the doorframe of the arcade, wearing something casual and comfortable. Presumably arcade dates aren't the kind you dress up for too much. A t-shirt and jeans seems like it should be all right.]

[considerable]

( honestly, hao immediately regrets this whole fucking date thing and/or wants to die the moment he rounds the corner and finds hyunsu looking like a goddamn magazine cover in his fitted t-shirt with his muscled arms lovingly cradling a bunch of shitty, amazing junk food. logically, hao's really not dressed all that differently save for his oversized hoodie over his own t-shirt and jeans, but also. like.

hao hasn't had what he'd consider a crush in a long time — not anything that goes past his usual infatuations, anyway, his obsessions burning hot and fast until he gets what he wants and immediately loses interest, anyway. he's gotten what he's wanted out of hyunsu already (see: otherworld, hao's bruised knees and sore jaw, the taste of hyunsu in his mouth), but he's ... actually kept his attention past that. it's embarrassing, almost, how often hao thinks about hyunsu's hand around his throat, obstructing his airways, fantasizing and imagining what it would be like for that hand to transform into a wing that pierces sloppily through his neck, his chest, blood pouring, maybe his lips against hao's. the whole thing makes hao kind of want to squirm out of his own skin as he approaches his upsettingly handsome date with a broad smile that doesn't dare betray the mess of thoughts racing in his mind. )

Hi. ( his teeth catch at his lower lip, trying to contain the giddy grin that threatens to overwhelm. ) I can't believe you beat me here. You must really be excited about losing.

🎁 delivery, 12/24

[kobes]

[The gift comes wrapped meticulously in paper that, while not strictly holiday-themed is nevertheless very appropriate, considering who it’s from. The gift is inside, nestled in pale blue tissue paper:

An assortment of candied fruit, nuts and chocolates from the faire, for those of his friends who actually eat. For those who don’t, this portion of the gift is replaced with a simple calendar.

A jar of tea courtesy of Sol & Scroll, because everyone needs more relaxing sleep around here.

For Hao, a really hot pair of fingerless gloves.

The note, on thick, cream-colored card stock, is in a somewhat wobbly, but earnest hand:]

Hao -

Don't get frostbite. Or blisters, grabbing more than you can conceivably carry. I mean that metaphorically AND literally.

Merry Christmas.
-Koby
p.s. Your roots are showing again. Tell me when you're free to deal with that.

[Are there also one or two or three polaroids with carefully-chosen angles to provide plausible deniability about who, exactly, is being photographed half-naked? Maybe. Shut up.]

Text: un; MH5 - Christmas Day

[leavening]

[on Christmas morning Hao will relieve a selfie of Hyunsu fresh out of the shower, hair and skin still damp, wearing nothing but a towel that is hanging low on his hips.

This image is followed by a question:]

if you could dress me in anything what would it be?

[considerable]

( UMMMMMMMM?????

hao can be normal about this. hao can be incredibly normal about this. hyunsu's so ... naked ........

merry fucking christmas to him! )

what ur wearing rn is p good tbh
😇

text, un: sandman

[onlyvibes]

[Sometimes u get to a point where u need to ask your chaotic roommate for help, so after Christmas Gideon sends Hao a text:]

I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you could do something for me?

[considerable]

ill think abt it
😌
wut

🎁 speedy delivery (12/25)

[metabolizes]

( in the wee hours of the morning on christmas day, wally leaves a gift wrapped in baseball-themed paper. inside, hao will find a vhs tape with MERRY CUNNILINGMAS written on it in wally's chicken scratch handwriting. attached to the box is a card that reads: )

Hao —

Bet you thought I forgot about this, huh? Let it be known a speedster never forgets. But filming and editing an educational sex tape without reliable equipment and video editing software takes a lot longer than you'd think.

Anyway, this is for your eyes only. I'm not Kim Kardashian, okay? No one needs to keep up with the Allen-Wests.

Hope you get something out of it and also, you know, get off on it.

Merry Christmas and happy eating out!

— Wally

( the tape, once hao finds a vcr to play it on, contains a video of wally and bella in one of the manor's spare rooms, starting with casual foreplay and fingering and eventually leading into wally between bella's legs putting his mouth to good use. bella helpfully offers narration, tips, suggestions, and is generally extremely vocal the entire time. after the video fades out, a message appears on the screen: @VELOCITY @BELLABAXTER FOR A MOUTHS-ON EXPERIENCE. YOU'VE NEVER EATEN THIS GOOD. you're welcome, hao! xoxo )

action → group chat.

[considerable]

( it starts off pretty innocuous — dreams of hot, sweaty bodies pressed against his, fingers shoved in his mouth, teeth biting down and sinking into skin, pink hair yanked in response. a cock fucking so hard into him it makes him whine, everything warm and golden and glowy and overwhelming, familiar, no thoughts in his head except chasing his release, desperately fucking forward into the wet heat of the person in front of him, moaning out as he comes —

inside his boxers, face down on the bed, hips bearing down against the mattress as he wakes up panting. ) Shit.

( well, that was a lot. hao scrubs a hand over his face as he rolls over, vision still hazy with sleep as he glances down and sees his boxers still tented. well, fuck. that's new. maybe he's just extra horny since he's been getting laid so much lately. which — speaking of. he reaches for his phone and scrolls through his camera roll until he finds the fucking sexy, wet, post-shower naked picture hyunsu sent him on christmas morning before they fucked for the first time and shoves his hand past his waistband, looking at all those fucking muscles, rivulets of water sliding down his chest, teeth catching his lip and fingers slick with his own cum as he jerks himself off, coming quickly.

he groans as he yanks his hand back out and flops his arms down on the bed, heart beating fast, a little dizzy. heat washes over his cheeks when hao glances back down and realizes — yep. still fucking hard. jesus fucking christ. fine. he picks his phone back up and scrolls again, finding pictures he took of a few scandalous-looking polaroids, pale skin, creamy thighs, a hint of pink — another beloved christmas present. there's another few minutes of jerking himself off, hot cum all over his fist, and he finally kicks off his underwear and yanks off his shirt because he's so fucking hot all of a sudden, sweating, forehead radiating heat. maybe he can just ignore how hard he is still, lay there in his own mess and will his erection away, but there's a wave of need that crashes over him, molten in his belly, and he shudders, dropping his phone so he can paw at the side table next to his bed, eventually finding a bottle of lube in the drawer (thank god hao had a mind to get some to keep around after he and hyunsu started fucking) and slicking up his fingers so he can work himself open, shuddering when his fingers crook just so, sliding in a second finger, a third, with far more ease than he expects. he's drenched in sweat when he comes again, body burning up, trembling, absolutely exhausted when he's done.

except for the fact that he's still painfully hard, need thrumming through his veins, feeling like he might actually explode into a thousand pieces. desperate. he's very desperate. he hates feeling desperate.

hastily, his thumb taps at his screen before hitting send. )

hlep i think im dyeing

[kobes]

You're not dying.

[Which Koby knows for certain because he'd immediately dropped everything and reached out for the crackling, teeming burst of energy that meant Hao to make sure. So sue him, jeez, sorry for caring.

But he's there, invisible fingers drumming in mild annoyance against the oversensitive peaks of aura, huffy, deliberately teasing for a second before he pulls away again.]

I can feel you aren't dying.

delivery.

[suturing]

[ it's not a traditional greeting in any sense, but eunhyuk's taken a long look at the calendar and realised just what day is coming up.

there's no explanation. just a small plate of savory cakes and a gold chocolate coin; hao can figure out the context. there's a small note written on a post-it; ]

happy new year.

text

[greetingsmortals]

[ With absolutely no warning, thanks to Eunhyuk: ]

ATTENTION!

This Is The Curse Of Bloody Mary! You Must Forward This Message To Ten People, Or She Will Come And Find You And Kill You! She Knows Where You Live. She Will Hang Your Corpse For Everyone To See And Laugh At You. She Will Find You!

THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!

text

[considerable]

wut the hell is this

( receiving spam texts while he was dEAD??? )

Text: un; MH5

[leavening]

hey.

there's some sort of party happening at sol + scroll. do you want to come with me?

[considerable]

hi 💕
duh i want 2 go w u

( maybe not so "duh", considering hao's been kind of ... a recluse the past few weeks since his resurrection. well, a recluse to everyone except hyunsu. maybe socializing will be, like.

not horrible. )

wats the vibe dont tell me its fancy
im sick of dressing nice 4 dinner