Complete 18+ Private Don't Wanna Be Your Friend

[Yugam]

There were some things in life that you just start doing, and then, half way through, you realize you did not think things through. You're already in too deep and can't back out. So what do you do then? Only thing you can, buckle up and get ready for whatever is coming next.

Ari was somewhere between realization and buckling as he paced around 'his' room doing yet another mental check to confirm that he had done everything he had planned to thus far. Despite the fact that he had indeed done everything possible, the man just couldn't shake the feeling that he'd forgotten something, which would've been pretty par for the course for him. Or that something was going to go terrible wrong. Which would also be pretty par for the course. Eventually though, the man couldn't stall himself out anymore. It was buckling in time. Quite literally, as Valeria would find out in just a few moments.

The soft knock on her door would announce the man's arrival. "Hey. Val?" the man would call through the door, waiting patiently until she opened up. "Hey. Put on something nice, an' meet me in the car." the man said, perhaps a tad quicker than he usually would've. And just like that, Ari had turned around and hurried downstairs without so much as an explanation. If Val chose to try and listen to what the man was doing downstairs, she would just here the fridge opening and closing several times, and perhaps the sound of a glass bottle being set on the counter before the front door opened and shut.

Maybe Ari had finally lost it?

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Despite a few bumps on the road Valeria had to admit that this Hawaii escapade by the group had been a good idea after all. Little by little a sense of normalcy had returned between them and, after the light mix-up on the first day, she had been excited to find out that Nico and Ronja—two friends that she dearly adored—had begun to date.

Today had been spent mostly with the girls, Valeria having just plopped her frame onto the bed she’d been sharing with Nico so far, when a soft knock on the door had caught their attention. "Hey. Val?" The familiar voice calling out her name had gathered a smile onto her lips without the girl even realizing it, quickly shifting out of the bed and bounding towards the door and opening it—but before she could utter any words Ari spoke again. "Hey. Put on something nice, an' meet me in the car." With that he was gone almost as quickly as he’d appeared, causing the blonde to tilt her lightly before her gaze looked at the pink gremlin sitting in the middle of the bed.

Nico must’ve noticed the questioning look on her face, the impish smile on the older girl not missed by Valeria, but any attempt to pry at what the other might’ve known was a futile endeavor.

She had quickly shifted through the clothes chosen to accompany her for the trip, the specifications of ‘something nice’ without any additional context not exactly helping Valeria narrow down her options. Finally she settled on a simple two piece white set, a crop top and skirt combo, that was breezy enough to be comfortable in Hawaii’s weather but also good enough to qualify as something nice. The girl had managed to freshen up and get dressed in record time, not wanting to keep Ari waiting long, before finally heading down the stairs and out the front door.

Her eyes quickly spotted him by the red mustang, a nervous smile playing on her lips as the girl neared the car. "How do I look?" She was thankful that her voice didn’t choose to betray her as she spoke, conscious of the rapid heartbeats within her chest, before the girl gave a little twirl to show off the simple ensemble to the man.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Mathematicians had yet to discover the number that could quanitfy the number of times Ari had checked that he'd packed everything away in the car, or the number of steps he'd taken pacing back and forth, waiting for Valeria. Oh so, so, so many ways this could go wrong. And only one where this went right. Not good odds, by Ari's math. But then again, he was never all that good at math. Only studied engineering, programming, and a few other science and math related subjects. Not good at math, he was probably wrong. The chances of things going well were probably great!

"How do I look?"

The man practically jumped out of his skin, the voice behind him startling him precisely because of who it belonged to. "Oh, goddamn, that was quick," the man said as he turned around, remembering how Val had essentially been in pajamas when he'd come knocking on her door. Now though...the man was left, quite literally speechless. "Uhm, you look...just- wow." Someone help this man scoop his jaw off the floor please.

"Ahem," Ari cleared his throat, coughing into a fist as finally gathered his wits, and more than a little bit of staring. "I was thinking we could take a bit of a drive. If that's...alright with you..." the man said in a halting manner.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

He’d almost jumped right out of his skin, her voice close to giving the man a heart attack, and a hand had risen to her lips to try and suppress the chuckles that escaped her in response. Between the way he’d acted earlier and now, not to mention Nico’s shit eating grin as Val had left their room, the blonde was pretty sure that something was going on—otherwise how else could he miss the sound of the front door opening and closing, or her footsteps as she’d made her way over to the car and him?

"Oh, goddamn, that was quick."
"Didn’t want to keep you waitin’~"

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Ari was nervous over whatever the man had been planning, and that little knowledge helped calm some of her own nerves in response… at least until he’d commented about her appearance. He definitely liked what he was seeing, no doubts about it, and his reaction caused a light blush to spread on her cheeks in response before the girl was tucking some of the loose hair strands behind one of her ears.

"Y-Yeah, a drive sounds fun!" Her voice caught for a moment, causing the blonde to clear her own throat as well. She began stepping towards the passenger side of the Mustang as she spoke, "Bet there’s still a ton of places around here we haven’t seen yet, huh?"

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Ari felt a small amount of tension leave his shoulders as Valeria agreed to allow him to ferry her off on some mystery adventure. "Well, it's not that far really," the man admitted with a small smile as he opened up the driver's side door and slipped into the vehicle. "But, not a lot of people go there. Not exactly a secret, but- eh, I don't wanna spoil it." The engine of the car roared to life as Ari turned the key and the mechanical whirring of the top going down cycled in their ears. "You'll see when we get there."

Pulling out of the drive way, the man stole an expectant glance over at Valeria. She was the passenger, so it so she was the DJ. However, the man's gaze lingered for a moment longer than he'd intended. The sun was getting low in the sky, but between the palm trees and buildings, light still shone through, casting her in an orange glow. The man couldn't help but stare for just a moment longer before setting his eyes to the road so they wouldn't crash.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

She’d slipped into the passenger seat just as Ari settled on the driver’s side, the door closed before the blonde pulled the seatbelt across her and clipped it securely into place. "Well, it's not that far really." Her attention perked up as the man spoke a little bit more of the place he intended to drive them to, wanting to catch any possible details that might clue her into Ari’s plan, but he seemed to catch on pretty quickly as the engine roared to life.

"Fiiine," A mocked indignation settled into her voice as she responded, the blonde sticking out her tongue playfully for extra flavor, before she was unable to keep the act up as a wide smile pulled at her lips. "I’ll trust you to get us there, and in the meantime I’ll be sure to keep the tracks goin’~"

After all it was the universal rule that whoever rode shotgun on the passenger seat was also in charge of the music for the trip, and Valeria had ensured her phone had connected to the Mustang’s radio before Ari had pulled out of the driveway. "Mmm... oh, we can start with this one~" Her first pick for the ride was Sun Goes Down (ft. Jasmine Thompson) , a simple one that gave the girl time to look up additional music and, given the current setting, actually quite fitting too.

As such she was unaware of the eyes that lingered upon her, the warm sunset glow catching the girl’s attention as she looked out the window. The view that met her was stunning as the sun casted out its orange hues onto the sea, a sight that Val hadn’t realized she’d missed since leaving that little island in the Caribbean. Quietly she raised her phone, allowing the device to capture a few moments within its memory.

"Sunsets are pretty magical…"

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Ari's thumb tapped on the wheel of the car to the beat of the music as it began to play. The laid back beat of the song's bass thrummed from the car as Ari heard Valeria's voice. "Sunsets are pretty magical…" she said. The man couldn't help but gently smile, glancing once more at the woman. "Yeah. They sure are," he murmured.

The car turned the corner, putting the sunset behind them and starting to head uphill. Gravity pulled the pair gently against their seats, as they climbed the gently sloping mountain. Ari hadn't lied when he'd said it wasn't a very far drive to their destination, no more than five or ten minutes and it was already in sight, although it was hard to guess at first glance. The hill began to even out, a dirt top upon which an air hangar sat, with a long fence encircling the space, save for the small dirt lot that Ari pulled into. "We're here," the man said.

As the car came to a stop, the pair were greeted to a view high above the little town below. Up here the wind blew freely, cool against their skin. The buildings sprawled out around them, and the ocean's waters shimmered with the light of the slowly setting sun. The sky was painted in pastels, pinks and orange, fading into the deep dark purple of night high above the horizon. Maui's neighboring islands, silhouetted against the colorful sky, perfectly framed the sun as it sank between them. "So, what do you think?" the man asked as he got out of the car. "Not much, but not a bad view, right?"

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Pleased with the first song that she’d found Val decided to allow Spotify to do its thing, figuring that if at any point the music selection wasn’t to their liking she could always intervene and change it. The algorithm pulled out In Your Eyes (ft. Alida) from Robin Schulz discography next and, once that song had run its course, Speechless (ft. Erika Sirola) soon followed it. By the time the last chords of that song were finished Valeria had already tapped the following button for that artist, before Ari’s words caught her attention.

"Already?" There was a hint of surprise as she spoke, not because she hadn't believed the man when he’d said the place wasn’t too far away, but because the car ride had passed in what had felt like the blink of an eye. Her gaze quickly shifted out the window to look at their surroundings once more just as Ari pulled into a small dirt lot. "That’s… that’s a hangar."

It was the first thing that caught her attention as the car came to a stop, before the fluttering breeze called her eyes to the view of the little town below that stretched before them. Her gaze danced from one detail to the next, each one more impressive than the last, before the girl finally took in the full picturesque view—mouth slightly agape, at least until Ari had opened his car door and stepped out of the vehicle.

"Not much? Ari, this place is amazing." Her gaze never drifted away from the scenery even as the blonde followed suit and stepped out of the Mustang as well, her hand quickly bringing her phone up and tapping the screen to capture a short clip. "We got here just in time, too~"

As the the sun descended closer to the horizon, painting the skyline in orange and purple hues, the darker navies and deep blues of the night began to show even as the stars started to shine on the sky above. The phone was quickly pocketed before the girl finally looked towards Ari, a soft smile on her lips as her steps took her closer to the man. "Alright, so where are we Mr. Guide?" There was a playfulness to her words as she stood beside him, her shoulder bumping softly against his before the blonde leaned against the car lightly.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"That's… that's a hangar."
"Yeah, it sure is," the man replied with a laugh as he went over towards the trunk and popped it open. "Been here for as long as I can remember." The old sheet metal building had to be more fifty years old, maybe sixty, but it was in good condition. The salt in the air had yet to start pitting and rusting the paint covered metal, and the fences still looked mostly intact, though those had begun to rust.

"Ari, this place is amazing."
"I'm glad you think so. I'll admit, I wasn't really sure if you'd like it," after all, not everyone liked dusty old hilltops.

"Alright, so where are we Mr. Guide?" Valeria asked as she stowed away her phone and Ari pulled out a couple of beach towels from the trunk.
"A private airport," Ari answered, throwing out the towels and laying them on the sloping edge of the hill, where the dirt became grass. "Or at least it used to be." The man gestured for Valeria to sit while he went back to the trunk again. "It got shut down during the COVID pandemic back in 2020." Ari paused, grunting as he lifted something out of the trunk. "Not enough fliers. Even back then, when we'd drive up here to see the view when I was a kid, I don't think I ever saw a plane take off or land here." At the man rounded the car again, holding a couple of wine glass and wheeling a large cooler. "Now it just sits here, waiting for people like us to come visit."

The man sat down and handed a glass to her. "Red or white?" he asked as he opened the cooler. "Don't bother asking me what they are, I just asked the clerk for suggestions."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

She’d listened as the man began sharing some knowledge of the little private airport alone atop a dusty hill. "Oof, a COVID casualty huh?" Her gaze lingered on the structure once more, drawn to it as Ari spoke of its history, and quietly noticed the good condition it was still in despite the time that had lapsed since its shutdown.

By then a couple of beach towels had been placed on the slightly sloping edge of the hill, atop some of the grass that grew upon it, before the man had gestured for Val to take a seat. She had half a mind to sneak a peek into the trunk instead, curious to see what else Ari had brought along and also inclined to help with it, but she managed to resist the temptation as the blonde sat down instead.

”Red or white?”
"Mmm... let’s start off with red~"

Her eyes looked over to the cooler the man had wheeled over, its presence now adding context to the odd noises she’d heard in the kitchen shortly after the man had asked Val to get ready. A hand was extended to take the offered wine glass as Ari sat down, before a few giggles escaped the blonde as the man explained how he’d acquired today’s wine options.

"That’s fine, it’s not like I’d know what they are from the name anyways—I’m not a wine connoisseur." A soft smile remained on her lips, her voice light and jovial. "All I know of reds is that I like the taste of Malbecs and Merlots the most, but I don’t think there’s ever been a wine I’ve hated to drink."

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Mmm... let's start off with red~"
Obliging Val her request, the fished out a bottle opener from his pocket and uncorked the bottle before pouring the wine into her glass. "Not gonna lie, these all kinda taste the same to me," the man agreed with a laugh, stopping his pour when Val's glass was full and then starting to fill his own.

"I hope you've been having fun," the man said, recorking the bottle as best he could and depositing it back into the cooler. "To be honest, I was kinda worried that things would be awkward between everyone, but I think the trip's helped us all get closer again." And it had been awkward at first. Seeing everyone in person again had been beyond uncomfortable for the man, but that had only lasted so long. By the time the first day had ended, it was like Lubeck had never happened in the first place, and everything was starting to feel normal again. "I missed seeing you. In person, I mean."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Pretty much," she watched as the pretty red filled her glass, giving the liquid within a few careful swirls once Ari was done pouring with measured flicks of her wrist. "I know some taste sweeter and others taste drier, and a selected few you can sometimes pick up the taste of spices… but I never remember their names, so each bottle is always a new experience."

Not that she had any issues with it, if anything Valeria preferred it—often meant that she could be surprised again, or perhaps slightly disappointed, with every bottle. "Ah, there is a red I do like quite a bit—Del Fin del Mundo—since gramps always liked a glass of it with dinner." No doubt a habit he’d picked up from her nonna, though how he’d come across that particular Argertinian special blend would always be a mystery to the girl.

"I hope you've been having fun." She’d held his glass as the man worked on corking the bottle best as he could, no need to risk spilling wine, before a smile crossed her lips as the blonde nodded. "Absolutely… maybe way too much."

Eventually the glass was handed back to the man once his hands were free. "I’m not gonna lie, I was a bit worried at first." A lot had happened since she first set foot within Lübeck, and events with a certain everwhite had given way to unknown feelings and truths—some completely unexpected—that at first Valeria hadn’t been entirely sure how to process. "I’m glad Dee had this idea though, it certainly helped bring everyone close again." Before she’d realized it they’d all become important people in her day to day life.

"I missed seeing you. In person, I mean."

A rosy hue colored her cheeks upon hearing those words, the proverbial feeling of butterflies fluttering in her stomach causing the girl to smile. She had missed him too, and while the game did offer the pair a way to shorten the distance between them Valeria still preferred being able to spend time together like this—with the real world Ari. Her hand reached over for his, fingers lightly caressing his own.

"I missed you, too."

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"The End of the World?" Ari repeated the brand in English. "Weird name for a wine...but, then again, I guess there's Barefoot, and few other strange ones out there," The man shrugged. "My mom always drank Pinot Noir," he recalled. "Could not tell you the brand name, but every night, a glass of Pinot." Ari had always been more of a soju kind of guy though. So that either meant he was a cray alcoholic, or just really liked those fruity flavors they had in Asian markets. Honestly, either one could have been true.

The man nodded slightly as Val returned his own sentiments about the whole trip. It was pretty safe to say it was a success. Well, for all but one person...But everyone had gotten closer at least, even if they hadn't gotten what they wanted out of it. And Ari got to see Val in person again. Not just see her. Feel her touch. The soft caress of fingers grazing over the back of his hand as he took of sip of wine caused him to lift and curl his index finger, trapping her middle beneath it. "Just not the same in game," the man said with a soft smile, looking at the woman. The soft glow of the setting sun reflected off the surface of her amber eyes.

"Oh my fuckin' God," the man chuckled. "How did I never notice you were wearing contacts in New York?" the man laughed, finally noticing the slight difference. "Shit, have you not been wearing them the whole trip?"

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"The End of the World?"
"Close, but not quite... ‘From the End of the World’ would be the accurate translation."

The solid badge on the bottle had been the first thing to catch Valeria’s attention shortly after she’d moved in with them, perhaps that’s why the brand name had actually stuck to her unlike with many others. "It’s a blend of Malbec, Merlot and… I think Cabernet Sauvignon?" It had been a while since she’d enjoyed a bottle, having avoided it since his death, so the details were a bit fuzzy now.

His hand shifted at her touch, his index finger trapping her middle one and earning a soft giggle before the girl took a sip of her wine. "Mhmm... even if they’re very nice in-game, in the end they’re still just that. Pixels." Granted, the game did a very good job of blurring the lines between fantasy and reality—but if there was only one choice she’d prefer to spend her time with Ari like this.

Val had been taking a second sip when a chuckled curse escaped the man’s lips, one eyebrow carefully arching questioningly at first—until she finally understood what had surprised him. "Y-Yeah…" The coloring on her cheeks depend, and her first reaction would’ve been to comb her fingers through her hair… had one hand not been holding a glass of wine, and the other willingly trapped by Ari right now.

"It’s not like you’re meant to swim with them… and, well, I kinda f-forgot them."

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Mm, ok," Ari muttered with a nod as Val corrected the man's rough translation. "Sounds like an interesting blend." What in the hell it might taste like, the man had no idea. Wine. Just a lot of wine. Probably. Yes.

The woman cocked an brow at Ari as he finally noticed the change in eye color. "Y-Yeah…" she stuttered, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. It had been a long time since Ari had seen those rosy cheeks, a small smile finding it's way on to his face. "It's not like you're meant to swim with them… and, well, I kinda f-forgot them."
"You look good without them," the man said, still smiling. "You have very pretty eyes." The man turned and took another sip of his wine before handing it over to Val to open the cooler again. The man rummaged around for a couple moments as he searched for something. Having found what he was looking for, the man sat back down with a couple of items in his hand.

Two metallic bento boxes. Ari handed one over to Valeria, alongside a pair of chopsticks. "I've uh...never made these before, so let me know if you like them." When Valeria would finally open up the little box, she'd find it was filled with sushi of different kinds. Rolls, nigiri, sashimi. Some seaweed salad on the side as well as a more traditional one, and kimchi. It was a modest meal, but hopefully it would taste good.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"You look good without them," He said, with that disarmingly small smile that she’d come to know very well in New York. "You have very pretty eyes."

She took a long sip of her wine, the blonde trying to hide her face from the man as she felt the heat rise to the surface of her skin. She was blushing quite a bit, and it was still too soon to blame it on the red within her glass. It was then that Ari handed her his own glass as he freed her finger—a small pout crossing her lips instinctively, though it was soon forgotten as she peered curiously when the man opened the cooler once more.

He’d definitely put thought into all of these preparations, not to mention time… and it finally dawned on the blonde why she’d seen so little of him throughout the day. No wonder our sweet pink gremlin was demanding so much attention today. The thought alone earned a faint chuckle from the girl, before she spotted the metallic bento boxes that Ari pulled out at last.

"Please, all the food you’ve made so far on this trip has been amazing." She managed to find a safe enough spot to place both wine glasses down, taking the offered bento and pair of chopsticks. ”Dee and you have been spoiling my taste buds so much… I’m gonna be depressed when I get back home."

The girl carefully opened her bento, a gasp escaping her lips when her eyes spotted the various sushi options, along with the little side dishes that the man had prepared to accompany them. "Sushiii~" The delight in her voice was almost palpable, a gleeful smile now on the girl’s lips after she popped one of the sashimi slices into her mouth.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Please, all the food you've made so far on this trip has been amazing. Dee and you have been spoiling my taste buds so much… I'm gonna be depressed when I get back home."
The man chuckled lightly upon hearing the words. "Yeah, well, tell that to Nico. The girl doesn't know how good she's got it," the man said with a humorous smile. Sure, Ari wasn't a classically trained chef working in a Michelin star restaurant, but his food was still good. You'd think it'd hurt her to show a little appreciation with the way Nico avoided it like the plague.

"Sushiii~" The little sound of glee made Ari smile again as he opened up his own box and broke apart his chopsticks. "It was the only thing that I could think of that would keep, and still be good cold." The man went to pick up a piece of a roll with his chopsticks before he paused. "Oh right, almost forgot." He opened the cooler up again and pulled out one more item. "Soy sauce," he handed the bottle to Val first. "Wouldn't be the same without it."

After having the bottle returned to him, and pouring a small amount into the empty space in his bento. "So, what do you think?"

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Pfft, Nico’s just a tsun." One thing was definitely true, the girl didn’t know how good she had it—not only did she get to eat delicious food day in and day out, but she was also Ari’s roommate. What the blonde wouldn’t give to have been within the same state as them… "I bet she appreciates it though, just has a funny way of showing it."

"Oh shit, right!" She was already into her second piece of sashimi when Ari remembered something important, the man pulling out a small soy sauce bottle from the cooler before handing it over to the girl. "Totally slipped my mind."

Not that it really needed it, even without the soy sauce the two pieces she’d eaten so far had been delicious, and she was sure the rest of it would be too. Still, it never hurts to have a lil’ bit of soy sauce on the side—Val being careful to pour a small amount onto an available spot in her bento before handing the bottle back to Ari. "But yeah, this was really good thinking." It was simple but delicious, a nice and light meal to go with the equally light and carefree nature of the island. Val was pretty sure there was nothing about this trip that she hadn’t enjoyed, but this moment right now was probably the best one yet.

"Thanks, Ari~"

The words slipped out of her mouth before she'd realized it, a content smile on her lips as she looked at the man. If she could've had one wish it would've been for this vacation to never end... but since that was an impossible thing the blonde would settle for enjoying it to the fullest.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Pfft, Nico's just a tsun."
Ari nearly choked on the piece of sushi in his mouth as soon as he words, unable to hold back the instinctive laugh that came from Valeria's comment. "I bet she appreciates it though, just has a funny way of showing it."
"Yeah, yeah she does," the man said, still laughing, but thankfully not choking. What a shitty way to have died.

"I'm glad you like it," Ari responded with a smile as he leaned back slightly, watching the sunset as he ate his food. It was rare that peaceful moments like this came along, it was made all the richer for the present company.

The man ate silently for a few more moments before Valeria's voice broke through the quiet once more. "Thanks, Ari~"
Ari turned to look at Val, only to find her already staring at him. His heart seemed to skip a beat as he caught sight of her, awash with the fading orange light. The man didn't say anything in response, merely smiling gently and holding her gaze contentedly for a while.

The man went back to his food, a pleasantly warm feeling in his chest that he had not felt in quite a while. He didn't want to ruin the moment. Some things were better left untouched after all.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Soon as that word left her mouth the blonde watched Ari almost choke on his food, a hand raised to her mouth to stifle her own laughter in response. Only when she was certain that the man wasn’t actually in mortal danger did she allow her laughter to mingle with his, a content smile lingering on her lips long after the moment had passed.

Her turn would come soon enough, a light cough escaping her when Valeria ventured out to try a bit of the kimchi—not used to the side dish or the spiciness it carried. It was instantly followed by a piece of sushi and a sip of her wine, the girl doing her best to hide the initial surprise, but after the third bite she had seemingly gotten used to its flavor profile.

His eyes had lingered on her own even as the light continued to fade, causing the rosy hues to color her cheeks again. The smile remained on her lips, even as she could feel the butterflies fluttering inside her chest once more, as the pair enjoyed their food in comfortable silence. A content sigh escaped Val a few moments after when the last piece of sashimi was eaten, carefully placing the chopsticks within the bento box and closing it before setting it beside the cooler.

"This is a really nice spot," Her glass of wine was picked up once more, the contents swirled lightly before she took a sip. "I’m surprised more people aren’t here enjoying the sunset."

@Yugam