Complete 18+ Private Untouched

[Yugam]

"I'm glad you're the one that knocked my favorite ice cream to the ground yesterday~"
Ari felt his chest tighten as he heard the words. Not in a bad way, the way one's chest tightened when they felt grief, or sorrow. It tightened in the way that someone wanted, yearned for more. The kind that said 'I want to hear those words every day for the last of my life.' "Me too," the man replied smiling softly at Valeria, the soft pressure of her hand squeezing his, magenta eyes vibrantly staring back at him.

There were plenty of places Ari wanted to see if he was to be honest. Japan, France, Australia, South America, anywhere, so long as it was new, different. It seemed he wasn't alone in this sentiment either, Valeria apparently having her own sense of exploration. "Food is culture, after all," Ari agreed with the girl, sticking to the topic of Rome for now. "Besides, nothing in the US can really compare to a country's own cooking. Same goes for hotels. The little holes in the wall, where its always packed, but you think you might get food poisoning," the man laughed, "that's where the good shit is."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

”Me too.”

They were just two simple words, and yet Valeria couldn’t begin to describe the elation they caused within her upon hearing them. It caused her to momentarily look away, taking another sip from her tea bottle as the pair reached the necessary crosswalk. She was the closest to the button then, using the bottle to press it lightly, before the pair waited until it’d be safe enough for them to cross and finally reach the park.

"Mhmm, nothing better than culture you can sink your teeth in~" Moreso when said food was absolutely delicious, and Valeria couldn’t help but chuckle softly as Ari described something she had experience with. "Definitely, that happens a lot in the island too—sometimes the most run down and sketchy looking place will have the best food you’ve ever tried up until that point of your life."

Finally the light turned and, after taking a second to make sure no idiot would barrel through regardless of traffic laws, the pair continued on their way as they finally entered Central Park. The final bits of her tea were finished before the blonde dropped the bottle inside a trash can along their path, before her free hand moved to pull the phone out of her pocket.

"Let’s see, I think KOHH is playing on the center stage today…?"

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Ari laughed at Valeria's pun, eyes full of amusement as they came to a light and finally approached the park. "The locals know best, no doubt about that," Ari agreed with a lingering chuckle. "When I was in Korea, we found this little hole in the wall place, not a single English word or letter in the whole place, we had to point to the pictures to order. They served us a bunch of the meat raw, and we were so confused. The staff just kinda looked at us and laughed and tried to show us what to do, we definitely looked like idiots to them," Ari said, chuckling quietly at the memory. "But man, that was some of the best food we had the whole trip."

The light turned, and the pair crossed the road, still in each other's arms. They threw out the rest of their trash in the garbage, as Valeria pulled out her phone. "Let's see, I think KOHH is playing on the center stage today…?" the girl reported.
"Alright then, let's head over that way," the man said with a nod, before turning them in the vague direction of the stage.
"Excited?" the man asked, figuring the girl was more interested in the artist than he was. He'd heard a few songs from KOHH, but he'd never gotten as into him as some other artists.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Oooh, what was the dish then? It sounds quite interesting."

They had remained hand-in-hand ever since leaving the bagel shop, and the blonde had little intention of letting go of Ari’s hand any time soon. She was aware that this was probably not the best decision, that she’d only be setting herself up for massive heartache later… but one look at the smile on his face instantly made the blonde decide it was all worth it.

She’d deal with the consequences of her actions later, for now all Val wanted was to enjoy the present and the time spent with the man besides her.

"Excited?"
"Mhmm, I’ve never had the chance to see him live before~"

Their steps took them close to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, the large body of water serving as a backdrop for the erected stage nearby. Already a nice crowd had begun to gather, the blonde letting out a surprised whistle as they came closer.

"Wow, that’s a lot of people…"

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"I have no fucking clue," Ari answered with a laugh. "It was like, these really thin pieces of meat, a bowl of rice in a hot stone pot with some veggies, a raw egg, and a bowl of some kinda hot broth." Ari's memory of the dish was foggy at best, but the man described it as best he could. "I thought it bibimbap at first, but by the time it landed on our table I wasn't so sure. We had to cook the meat in the broth, and the egg in the rice. Tasted good, all in all." Of course, they could've had the whole cooking process wrong, but in any case, it was a comforting, filling meal.

"Mhmm, I've never had the chance to see him live before~"
"Mm, should be fun then," Ari replied with a nod as he gently bumped shoulders with the girl.

"Wow, that's a lot of people…" Valeria whistled as they got closer.
"Yeah, Jesus. Wanna try to make it to the front or watch from the back?" the man asked, looking at the scene before him. With the glistening water behind the stage, neither actually seemed like that bad of an idea to the man. Either one would provide them a good view, although with differing pros. Obviously, being up close to the stage would provide an amazing, if slightly restricted view, of the performance, while sitting near the back would give them a wider field of view.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Oh that sounds really good… like a comfort food of sorts, maybe?"

Then again perhaps the blonde was just biased into thinking that way. She had always loved soups and stews, though having them was a pain when she lived on the island due to the temperatures. Once she’d moved stateside, and discovered the magnificent recipes that her grandpa could make, they had quickly become a comfort source for Valeria—especially during the chiller months of Michigan.

"Mmm..."

She was conflicted as both options were presented to her, giving Ari’s hand a soft squeeze when the man bumped his shoulder against her own.

Granted if it was just for visuals then watching from the back would be the most logical choice, after all the sunlight glistening off the water behind the stage would provide an amazing backdrop and there was never the risk of missing out on the music given the perfect sound system present. Still there was a certain electrifying energy that could only be captured from being closer to the stage, mingling within the rest of the crowd and letting the flow of the music dictate your movements, that would be almost impossible to experience from far away.

"... I dunno which one I’d prefer."

In a perfect world Valeria would love to have both of those experiences… but unfortunately both just didn’t seem like a viable option this time around.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Why don't we try to get to the front?" Ari suggested. There would be few chances for Valeria to see KOHH up close and in person in the future. It would be hot, it would be sweaty, but it'd be worth it, Ari thought.
"You sure…?" she replied.
Ari nodded, a soft hum of affirmation. The man took Valeria's hand and began to walk towards the growing crowd, soon joining them as he navigated their way through the crowd.

It was difficult to navigate, the tightly packed bodies forcing Ari to push people aside as gently as he could. The heat generated by all the people was almost suffocating, but the open air of their 'venue' made it manageable. At the front though, it was far easier to breathe. The metal fencing dividing the crowd and stage was warm to the touch, but not painfully so. Ari pulled Valeria to him with a smile as they finally made it.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Her face had lit up when Ari had suggested getting closer to the front, before she cautiously looked from the large crowd and back to the man. While Valeria herself had little reservations when it came to large crowds such as this one, something she had expected to find in the summer fest given the popularity of the event and the invited artists, she also understood that wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

"You sure…?"

He’d only nodded in reply, a soft humm of affirmation echoing in his throat before the man reached for her hand once more. Before Valeria could second guess the decision Ari was already leading the way towards the front of the stage, the man gently pushing others aside as he opened a path that the blonde could walk through without much issue. She had stayed close to his back, not wishing to make things harder for Ari or risk being separated, and before long they’d both finally stumbled towards the very front.

"Gosh, is that how canned sardines feel?"

She couldn't help the comment as a relieved sigh escaped the girl, the soft breeze carried over from the reservoir behind the stage helping cool them off. "... thanks, Ari." Her fingers interlaced with his before Valeria gave the man’s hand a tight squeeze, a soft smile on her lips even as the girl’s eyes twinkled with anticipation to the show they were about to witness.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Gosh, is that how canned sardines feel?"
"If so, I do not envy them," Ari replied, a slightly uncomfortable look on his face. He didn't like crowds like this. Sweaty people touching him, no matter how much deodorant people put on the collective would eventually begin to reek. But, this was a music festival, and Ari had known exactly what it was that he signed up for.

"...Thanks, Ari." The man felt Valeria tightly squeeze his hand as she looked at him, an excited glint in her eyes as she smiled at him. Ari smiled back, simply staring at her, taking a snapshot in his mind, trying to force his damaged mind to hold onto the image. He leaned in close to her, his head tilting to the side as he kissed her gently. He couldn't deny that this girl made him feel a way he'd never experienced before. Even in this crowded place, his eyes were on her, she captured his attention. For just a moment, he let himself forget that there was an end to it all. He wanted this. He wanted her.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Ari had turned back to look at her, that soft smile on his lips, and for a moment Valeria wished time would simply stop. She did her best to burn his image into her mind, a memory she could hold on to when their time together eventually came to an end. He’d leaned closer to her, his breath tickling the skin on her cheeks, and her smile widened further before their lips pressed together into a tender kiss.

Spoiler: KOHH - I Think I’m Falling

Slowly the previous song had come to an end and a new one had taken its place, the familiar tune drifting towards her ears and causing Valeria to chuckle softly as their kiss came to an end. "You know… this is one of my favorite songs." The timing of it all wasn’t lost on the blonde, a rosy tint faintly coloring her cheeks as the girl remained within close proximity of the man. She could feel her heart fluttering inside her chest, causing her to feel both excited and nervous at the same time, and the blonde knew then that she was already in too deep.

She wanted him, she wanted them... and Valeria decided to allow herself a momentary indulgence as she shortened the distance between them for another gentle kiss.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

She sank into the kiss, the tenderness sharply contrasting the passionate make out session that they had committed to the night before. This felt, was, entirely different. The only way they could express the things they both wanted to say, but couldn't. What Ari wouldn't give to be able to just ask her one question. But to do so would ruin so many things, ending in ruin for them both. Maybe that was dramatic, but the man had enough experience to be able to read the plot.

The song that had been playing on stage came to an end, fading into the next, and the two parted, though that brief kiss was not nearly enough to satisfy the yearning that Ari felt. "You know… this is one of my favorite songs," the girl said above all the noise, a faint tinge coloring her cheeks. Ari didn't know this song, but the way Valeria looked at him, as if he was the only thing in her world, it was enough to make him smile. Softly. Contently. If he could have, he would've made her his world too.

She leaned close again, and Ari's hands drifted to her waist, pulling her closer to him as their lips met again.

They spent the rest of KOHH's set enjoying the music, stealing kisses from each other all the while, as if they were two long time lovers. Ari hardly knew what songs played, and he wouldn't remember them. He would remember her though.

KOHH left the stage, and a brief period of set up for the next artist took place. A scant five minutes before Quinn appeared on stage. Ari looked up as one of his favorite artists came right up to the edge of the stage, hyping the crowd up. He cheered alongside the others, with just enough space between himself and Val to lift an arm in excitement.

"I saw him once in college," Ari said to Val, shouting above the cheering. "You'll like this I think!"

Spoiler: Quinn XCII - Stacy

The music began to play, starting softly, before picking up at the first chorus. Ari was quickly enthralled, one his favorite songs playing, drawing him in. He looked over and smiled at Val, an almost childish look on his face as he bobbed his head to the beat, arm raised above his head, pounding the air. He turned back, singing along. It seemed as if nothing could ruin this for him.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

His hands reached for her waist, pulling her closer to his body, and the blonde had willingly responded. Her own arms had wrapped loosely around his neck, soft giggles escaping here and there as they both enjoyed one another in that moment. She liked kissing, she liked his kisses, and it showed as everything else around them simply faded away into the background. If she could’ve had one wish it would’ve been for this moment to last forever… impossible as she knew that might be.

Instead she would settle for the here and now, enjoy every second she could alongside Ari to the fullest, if only so she wouldn’t have any regrets once the week came to an end.

They had remained in close proximity since, the blonde eventually turning to actually enjoy the concert they’d come to see. His hands had remained on her waist while her back now pressed against his chest, acting like a little pair of lovebirds as they stole glances and kisses from one another. Her body had moved and swayed to the beats of KOHH’s various songs, her hands resting against his own, and while Valeria had certainly enjoyed the artist’s performance she knew it wouldn’t be the dominant focus in her memories.

Eventually KOHH had left the stage, a brief period of respite provided for everyone as the next group began setting up their stuff. They had chatted during the wait, the blonde sharing some of the other songs that she had enjoyed with Ari, before Quinn finally came onto the stage.

"I saw him once in college, you'll like this I think!"

The excitement on his face was undeniable as it was Ari’s turn to be starstruck by one of his favorite artists, causing the blonde to chuckle softly in response. Quinn began to hype up the crowd and the man lifted his arm up, taking a few steps closer to the stage, while he joined the others who shouted and cheered. He bobbed his head in rhythm to the beat of the song, an almost childlike wonder on his face when he looked back to look in her direction as he sung along to the lyrics he knew by heart. She laughed softly, about to step over closer to the man, when a sudden pull to her arm had the blonde whipping around to spot an unfamiliar face too close for her comfort.

”Hey there, what’s a pretty babe like you doing out here on her lonesome?”

A frown quickly crossed her face, the heavy scent of beer making Val scrunch up her nose in response, before she tried to release her wrist from his grasp without success. "Let go of me...!" She was quick to verbalize her displeasure, a harsh glare given to the taller man who still held her in place.

”Now don’t be like that, sweetheart. How ‘bout you and me go off and have a good time, huh?”

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"You can call me 'baby', and all of the above,"
Ari was completely absorbed in the show as Quinn walked around on stage, playing one of his most famous songs. Ari's enjoyment didn't last very long though.

"Let go of me...!"
"Now don't be like that, sweetheart."

The smile quickly faded from Ari's face as he heard Valeria's sharp response to whoever had called her 'sweetheart'. The man turned to look at what was going on. A taller man, around their age, looking like the quintessential fuckboy that Nico so loved to call Ari, had grabbed Valeria's wrist. To the girl's credit, she was quite clearly not willing to give the asshole a moment of her time, glaring at him with a fury that quite possibly surpassed Ari's own.

The shorter man stepped forward, a hand grabbing the other's wrist, pulling it across the other's body, a simply movement that forced the man to let go of Valeria due to the awkward position of his wrist. "You shouldn't go around grabbing people," Ari said, smiling up at the other man, without a hint of kindness, "people might get the wrong idea."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

It was really a pity that their time had to be interrupted in such a manner, especially when Ari had seemingly been enjoying the show so much to be absorbed into the song lyrics. It only made Valeria’s glare towards the man sharpen in response, another tug given to see if the unwelcomed stranger would get the hint… but sadly, he did not.

”Now babydoll, no need to give me such a harsh stare—not yet, anyways.”

She had seriously been considering whether to stomp on the man’s foot, or perhaps give him a quick kick in the groin, when Ari stepped over towards the pair. His hand grabbed the fuckboy’s wrist before manipulating the arm’s position, causing the dirty blond man to finally release his hold on Valeria’s own wrist as she took a step back.

”H-Hey, what gives…?! No one asked for your opinion bud, can’t ya see we’re talking over here?”

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"H-Hey, what gives…?! No one asked for your opinion bud, can't ya see we're talking over here?"
"Yeah, and now you're done talking," Ari replied calmly, letting go of the man's wrist and stepping between him and Valeria.

Ari already had a particular disdain for people like this idiot, but this particular idiot was even more infuriating to the man. The reason should've been fairly obvious, even without Ari having to say it, but odds were the other man didn't have enough braincells to put it together. At least, not without his head catching fire, which Ari would've found to be a satisfactory outcome given how much he wanted to punch the man in the face. Ah, if only security wasn't present.

"Leave my girlfriend alone and find someone else to harass," Ari said, lying, figuring that staking his claim was the quickest way to get rid of stranger. With any luck, that 'someone else' would even get him arrested.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

She knew this type well enough, dumb as bricks with not even two brain cells to rub together in the hopes of getting a functional thought out of their brain. The heavy scent of beer that also lingered on the fuckboy’s breath wasn’t reassuring either, if anything it made his kind more volatile and unpredictable… and Valeria didn’t feel like getting Ari or herself in trouble during the fest because one (1) dude couldn’t keep his impulses in check.

"Leave my girlfriend alone and find someone else to harass."
”Wha—she? With you?! Hahahaaa, there’s no way that’s true man—”
"Ugh, dude you’re really insufferable…"

Valeria was quick on the update, after all this was one thing these idiots could often understand regardless of how brainless they were. Annoying really, considering it meant they valued the claim of another man more than whatever rejection the current object of their desires gave, but if it got them out of this without trouble then the blonde was willing to play the part.

Arms wrapped around Ari’s waist as the girl pressed her frame against his from behind, her fingers interlocking together at the front, while Val’s chin rested on the man’s right shoulder. "See? Already taken, and quite happy about it too." She watched as fuckboy narrowed his gaze, seemingly about to retort again, before the girl lifted her head just enough so her lips brushed against Ari’s ear.

A quick nibble was given as her teeth grazed against his earlobe, the blonde never breaking eye contact with their unwanted spectator. It seemed to do the trick however, a frustrated grunt being the fuckboy’s response before he turned around and began stomping off.

”Man, whatever…! Ain’t even that hot anyways…”

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Wha—she? With you?! Hahahaaa, there's no way that's true man—"
Were Ari a man of little self-esteem (like Mr. Dickface here), Ari would've punched the man right then and there, but instead the man simply stood there. The only sign of his annoyance was his less-than friendly smile becoming an even less friendly frown. Thankfully, Valeria was quick to pick up on what Ari was trying to do, and even quicker to back him up.

The girl wrapped her arm's around his waist, fingers interlocking and trapping him. Immediately, Ari's head sounded alarms. Limited movement. Trying to duck beneath a punch would lead to either him or Valeria getting a fist to the face. He understood the girl's thought process, but the cynic in him doubted that the other man would back off that easily. Ari's left hand drifted to Valeria's waist, hoping her could move himself and her if it came to that.

But it seemed that Valeria hadn't finished. The man suddenly felt the girl's brush his ear, teeth grazing his lobe. The man covered up his momentary surprise with a satisfied smirk. 'Sucks to suck dipshit.'

The man grunted in frustration, and for a moment, Ari thought that a punch was going to be heading their way at any moment, but to Ari's surprise, the man turned and started to walk away. "Man, whatever…! Ain't even that hot anyways…"

Ari's right hand tightened into a fist. A flash of anger went through the man. But the feeling of Valeria holding him, pressing her body to his was quick to calm him down. The man watched as the man walked away before grabbing one of Val's hands. "Let's go."

The man lead the way out of the crowd, doing his best to not push people too hard as they left to a less crowded space. It wasn't until they were far enough away from the stage that they could speak without shouting that the man said anything. "That was some quick thinking. Good plan."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

She felt the way the muscles on his back tensed up, saw the stern lines along his jaw as the man gritted his teeth together. Couldn’t blame him for it either, Valeria was sure that if she had been in Ari’s position she would’ve handled the matter with less grace… but she really didn’t wish for the day to be ruined any more than it already had been.

"Don’t…" Her voice was low, a whispered breath close to the man’s ear when she felt his right arm tense up. It didn’t take much to figure out what had triggered Ari, as a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Just let it go."

It wasn’t worth the trouble, and letting the blond’s words goad them would just be playing right into an unwinnable game—one that Valeria had no desire to get involved with.

His hand reached for her own, his words short and curt, before Ari began to lead them both out of the crowd. She bit her bottom lip in response, a concerned look on her face, as she allowed the man to lead them to a less crowded place. "Ari, I…" She wasn’t sure what to say as she stared at the back of the man, aware that whatever excitement he had previously felt about watching one of his favorite artists was probably now long gone.

"I’m sorry…"

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"Why are you apologizing?" Ari asked, perhaps a bit more aggressively than he intended. "It wasn't your fault, it was that asshat's." The man was still seething, firstly for even daring to touch Valeria, despite the fact they'd only just met a day before, and secondly for insulting her.

"Hope the guy get's fucking hit by a truck or something. I mean who just grabs people, huh?" Ari said, venting out his anger, beginning to pace back and forth. "And I mean, sure, the guy can try and insult me as much as he wants, but talking shit about you?" Ari could feel his teeth grinding against each other again. "God, I was gonna shove my foot so far up his ass he'd be coughing out shoe leather for the next week."

The man suddenly stopped his back and forth pacing, lifting his arms and putting his hands atop his head as he took in a deep breathe and let it go trying to calm down. Unsuccessfully. But the man knew he needed to calm down if either him of Valeria had any chance of enjoying the rest of their day.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Guy's like that just really piss me off."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Why are you apologizing?"

She couldn’t help the small wince that crossed her face at the harshness of his voice, even if his words tried to reassure the blonde that none of this was her fault. He’d let go of her hand by then, the girl moving it to softly rub the wrist blond fuckboy had been holding onto moments ago until Ari had intervened.

"Look, Ari… it’s not a big deal, okay?" He was clearly upset, that much she could understand, and while Valeria understood she couldn’t control how others acted it still didn’t lessen the faint guilt she felt at being the reason why their day had suddenly taken a dive—not to mention it had probably ruined Quinn’s performance entirely for the man. "These things just kinda happen from time to time… it’s no use getting worked up over them, though."

Perhaps she was the one in the wrong, desensitized as she was to these types of situations. By now Valeria had come to not only accept them as something normal and common, but also expected them—especially in crowded places such as this fest. Finally the man stopped pacing around, his hands resting atop his head as Valeria watched him take a deep breath. "Sorry, guy's like that just really piss me off." The faintest of smiles crossed her lips before she nodded softly in agreement, taking a quiet breath of her own.

"I know… at least small dick energy Chad over there was a pushover compared to others of his kind," A small comfort really, though she was glad the situation hadn’t escalated any further. "Just don’t let him get under your skin, Ari, it’s not worth letting him live rent free in your head for even a second."

@Yugam