《Mariana Character Aesthetic Above》

Ashley woke up to the usual annoying ringing of her alarm. She groaned and tapped her hand around her bedside table, hitting it off with her eyes still closed. She huffed and embraced the warmth of the blanket above her, almost stuffing her face in it as she whispered that she will be back before she threw it back and forces herself to sit up, taking a sharp breathe and trying not to give into the temptation of leaning back and shutting her eyes once more.

She looked around the room only to suddenly yelp and reel back, falling from the bed on the other side; right in the space between her bed and her cupboard.

She blinked a bunch of times before she groaned and sat up, shaking her head as if to clear away the remnants of her sleep. Her breathe hitched as she stared at what was in front of her.

A freaking dragon was gazing down at her as if it was a rich king and she nothing but a simple shoemaker. She nearly flinched at the icy glare of the beast which now, as she stared at it more seemed to have been awoken from its sleep and was about ready to pounce on whoever dared to disrupt its precious slumber.

She blinked at it, but it never blinked back. She frowned watching as its body rose and fell as it breathed.

Or—

Wait

She lifted her eyes and noticed the deep line running across the dragon's side down its tail. She looked back up and notice the shoulder blades of the dragons 'master' and his taut back muscles which rose and feel as he breathed. She licked her lips and her cheeks flushed. It was simply a tattoo. She almost laughed at herself.

Sighing, she pried her elbows on her bed which was across Eros' own and rested her chin on her palms, staring at the tattoo with pure fascination and completely forgetting about this thing called classes.

It was only until Eros let out a sigh and stood that she snapped out of it and shot up on her feet. He turned with a look on his face that was very similar to confusion in his eyes yet it was accompanied by his signature frown.

Ashley rocked on her heels and showed him her teeth casually attempting to act as if she hadn't been staring at his back. Eros pursed his lips,

"You will miss your classes." he said, his voice sexily deep. His accent rolled out his tongue more than usual and Ashley brushed it off as something that happened in the morning right after he wakes up.

Ashley's face scrunched up and she turned to her cupboard, quickly fumbling for her towel. Eros watched her as he casually reached for the shirt he had picked out to wear and draped it on, having already had his shower and dressed in his black pants.

Ashley pulled her own shirt off as she faced the cupboard, revealing her bare back and the back of her knickers to him, as she wrapped the towel around her.

***

Eros stiffened, caught completely off guard by the action as he blinked at her back now covered with a dark blue towel. He watched as she reached her hand behind her and with a tug, released her jet black hair; letting it fall to her back.

Something stirred within him and he grew stiff everywhere. He looked away, shaking his head, his eyes widening slightly.

Fucking hell, he thought as he gulped and sat back on his bed, facing away from her as he composed himself.

***

Ashley turned and saw him sat back on his bed, sadly with a shirt on, and literally froze. Her eyes widened.

I am so stupid! She thought.

She had completely forgotten about his being in the room in the midst of rushing get ready for her classes. Her face paled and she rushed out of their shared bedroom and into the bathroom.

Her heart was beating so fast in her chest it seemed as if it would jump out at any second.

Forcing herself to put what happened aside she focused on getting ready as fast as she could before she missed her second class of the day.

🔱🔱🔱

"You did what?!" Casey exclaimed, causing people to snap their heads in their direction.

"Would you calm dow—?"

"What did he do after?" She asked, completely ignoring what Ashley was trying to say.

"What are we talking about?" Jason's deep voice said as him and Blake put their plates of food down and took a seat across the girls.

"Ashley striped in front of Eros." Casey said, snitching like the little snitch bitch she always is when it comes to humiliating her best friend.

Ashley stiffened, her eyes wide as she snapped her head up at her. Blake's own remained neutral as he stabbed his fork through a bunch of fries before popping them into his mouth, chewing then finally looking up; looking the least bit surprised by the news.

"I take it you're no longer a virgin then." he said casually, looking at Ashley.

"I—what?" Ashley stuttered caught off guard by his weird neutral expression.

"Virgin, you know, you've finally had a di—."

"I know what being a virgin means." She snapped before she sunk low on her seat.

"Nothing happened. I doubt he even saw anything," she continued, popping a fry in her mouth.

"So, you wanted him to see." Blake concluded.

"No," She said, glaring at him, "—where is this even coming from."

"You sure nothing happened?" Jason asked, raising a brow.

Ashley nodded.

"—at all?" he continued with a slight scoff.

She nodded again, now eyeing him in suspicion. He shook his head and got back to his food a small smile hidden at the corner of his lips. Ashley narrowed her eyes when she saw the same look on Blake's face as well.

She opened her mouth to ask him what that was all about—because come on even a five year old could tell he knew something, when the warning bell suddenly went off; telling them that lunch was almost over.

She huffed and grabbed her empty plate before she hurriedly walked away from the table; remembering that she had an essay to give to a Mr. Worysom which had been due a day ago. She hadn't finished before the due date but luckily for her, he was a chill understanding lecture and gave her extra time.

Upon reaching his office, she was about to open it when she heard a very familiar voice speak around the to her right. She grimaced and paused, deciding to eavesdrop on him.

"No." He said firmly.

There was a very feminine whine heard before its owner spoke up,

"Why not? Why can't you be my boyfriend Eros, people are starting to think we are dating,"

He didn't answer and instead only crossed his arms and glared at the lecture room door in front of him, looking like he really didn't want to have the conversation.

"Don't be like that." The woman, said her voice lowered in a sudden seductive tone; though Ashley couldn't tell you if it was her actual voice or not.

She blew her hair away from her face and straightened up with her essay and stationery for her next class held close to her chest. She let go of the handle and walked further down the ever empty elite hallway them made a right and saw her target. She watched them for a few extra beats, contemplating whether helping him out was the right move or not.

He did make your bed this morning and cleaned up the mess you made while you were having a shower, an annoying voice said in her head.

She nodded to absolutely no one in particular and went for it,

"There you are!" She said once she was within hearing range.

Eros turned his gaze from staring at the wall in front of him to her face as she walked towards him with the biggest smile he has ever seen. He frowned, confused as to why she was unusually happy to see him.

The woman slowly let her hand slip from Eros' chest. She straightened up and Ashley almost did a double take at how gorgeous she was. Suddenly, picking a fight with her seemed like a very very bad idea. She was about five inches taller than her and a million times more attractive. Her beautiful curly brown hair flowed perfectly down and past her shoulders. Every damn curve looked like it was done by a perfectionist artist who paid a lot of attention to the details. Her make up was softly and moderately done as well. Ashley could feel her self esteem slowly deteriorate but she kept her chin up and approached the goddess.

She was dressed in a super clean white blouse that barely reached the bottom of her belly button with the sleeves neatly rolled up, fitting faded boyfriend jeans that were ripped on the knees and black, heeled boots. She sassily placed her right hand on her hip and shifted her weight as she took Ashley in as well; adding a touch of bad bitch to her persona.

Ashley decided then to shift her attention to Eros, who was still watching her, knowing that if she didn't, this woman would succeed in intimidating her. Even leaned back on a wall, he still somehow managed to tower over the woman; looking as handsome and as fit as ever. He was dressed in his usual slim fitted soft khakis, an unusual plain t-shirt and casual trainers; all typically black. She approached him and gently shoved her books on his chest. He blinked, stunned for a second before he subconsciously held them just as she pulled her hand back.

She got on her tippy toes and smacked her lips onto his right cheek before pulling back with a smirk. She then turned back to the woman, acting like she had just noticed her; even though they both know the truth.

"My, my, those are some nice guts you've got." She said, a heavy accent punching Ashley in the ears.

Seriously dude? A whole Portuguese accent?

"I'm sorry?" Ashley taunted, tilting her head to the side and smiling as best and as innocently as she could.

"You're the freshie, yes?"

Ashley nodded, subconsciously moving closer to Eros' side, who straightened up slightly in alarm; his eyes darkening, "Quite the nickname too, might I add." She said, seeing Eros frown at the corner of her eyes.

If she wasn't so scared she would have been laughing at his reaction. They both knew that she was never the formality type, but apparently there was a time and a place for everything.

The woman smiled back at her, "Mariana Carvalho. Lovely to finally meet you."

Ashley's smile suddenly flattered then and her eyes darkened, "I wish I could say the same."

Mariana threw her head back and let out a slow, genuine laugh, before she recollected her self and covered her mouth with her left hand, a grin still in place, "How cute." she said, then leaned forward towards her, placing her chin in between her right pointer and second finger, her strikingly hazel eyes burning through hers, "—I think I will enjoy breaking this one." She finished.

Breaking? What am I a horse? Ashley wondered as she bit her tongue to stop herself from saying that out loud. She had a feeling that Mariana was the type to get off on arguments.

A much, much larger tattooed hand wrapped tightly around Mariana's whole wrist and pulled it back; freeing Ashley's chin in the process, "You will do nothing to her." Eros warned, his voice unusually deep and authoritative as he looked down at her.

"Then teach her her place and we won't have a—."

She trailed off when he tightened his grip on her hand, moaning in pain and biting back her words.

"Watch your tongue." Eros warned again, before he let go off Mariana's hand and step closer towards his roommate. "—leave us." He finished, his voice almost bouncing off down the long, empty hallway.

Ashley kept her now narrowed gaze on Mariana, hoping like hell he meant her. If not, then this whole situation would have been pointless. When Ashley made no effort to move, Mariana turned to Eros only to meet the dangerous look he had sent her way for a split second, before he looked back at the freshie.

"What?" She asked disbelievingly, seeing his gaze softened as if he hadn't been plotting her murder a second ago. She gritted her teeth and met Ashley's gaze once more, before she turned and stormed off to god knows where.

Ashley let out a breath through her nose, feeling relieved. She looked away from Mariana and met Eros' gaze, sending him a genuine smile in an attempt to thank him for helping; even though she was the one who was supposed to be doing that. It seemed like he didn't need her help after all. She huffed again and looked down at her belonging still held between his left forearm and his stomach, before meeting his addictive eyes once again. She narrowed her own brown ones, only then realizing that he had some streaks of blue hidden in them that she would never have seen from afar.

Damn, she thought, his eyes are beautiful.

***

Mariana looked between the two, anger brewing in her chest the longer she stared at them. She gritted her teeth and grudgingly walked away, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Who does she think she is, transferring here and trying to win him over? She has known him for longer than her. She knows almost everything about him, and yet, she was the one who was walking away.

Why?

Why her? What is so special about her?

But it was no matter.

I'm going to crush her, she promised herself.

There was no way she was going to sit still and watch her steal him away. Not a bloody chance. She hadn't concerned herself with her before, seeing her as only a newbie who'll eventually not be able to keep up with the school and leave, but now she was more than that. She was her competition, and she'd be damn if she lost someone who barely knew him as well as she did.

***

Eros kept his eyes on Ashley the whole time as Mariana walked away; her books still held on his chest. Ashley pursed her lips and made a move to reach for her belongings and walk away, but he apparently snapped out of whatever trance he was in and acted.

With his free hand, he gripped Ashley's left arm and tugged her towards him, pulling her close so that the books were the only thing stopping their chests from touching, with the back of his hand pressed on her chest; just below her neck. He let out a sigh and leaned his face closer to hers; his eyes still on her. His lips parted.

"You—." He said, his fresh mint breath fanning her face as he towered over her, "—are impossible."

Ashley gulped at the close proximity just as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. She tried tugging her hand from his grip but he only tightened it; his gaze intensifying.

"Why do you interfere?" He asked as students started pouring in and heading to their respective lectures.

She scowled, "I thought you—she was bothering you." She stuttered, very much aware and bothered by the staring that was going on behind her as she lowered her gaze from his eyes.

Had she misinterpreted the situation? She wondered.

"Why help me?" he somewhat asked.

"Because we're roommates?" She said, once again unsure, "—consider it a thank you for cleaning up after me today." She continued.

She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head as if she was an extremely hard chemistry equation that he was trying to work out. She looked back up at him when he didn't seem to be in a hurry to let her go and almost immediately got lost in his eyes again.

She found herself buried deep into the grey depths, sinking into their secret blue depths as her own dirt brown ones let his gaze pierce within her. She gulped nervously; mesmerized and intimidated by them at the same time.

How were his eyebrows so—?

"If you guys are done gazing into each other's eyes, I'd appreciate it if you'd move and let me get to my lecture." An oddly familiar voice said.

Ashley snapped her eyes away first and stepped back her arm still held in Eros'-and stared up at Brock's green ones. She flushed with embarrassment when he flashed her a cute dimpled grin before he turned to Eros.

"You too lover boy." Brock said.

Ashley watched him in disbelief. He was literally the only person she's meet so far that teases the mighty and feared Eros; let alone gets away with it. Eros raised a brow at him once he forced himself to look away from Ashley.

"Please." Brock added, forcing a grin on his face.

Eros straightened up and Ashley watched in amusement as he just stood there. He did nothing more as he seemed to be waiting for something.

Brock huffed and dropped his head.

"There is no way in hell." Brock mumbled.

Eros stared blankly at him and casually leaned back on the wall, blocking half of the door with his humongous body.

"Better say it bro, it's Heine. You know how he hates your guts." A new voice said from Eros's right; behind Ashley. She immediately identified him as Casey's crush; Sebastian Greenwood, and the guy who had witnessed hers and Eros' almost kiss in detention.

Brock groaned and spoke up,

"Please Eros, would you kindly move so I can get to my class?"

Ashley bit her lip hard to suppress a laugh as a huge scowl formed on Brock's face immediately those words left his mouth. He looked disgusted and yet somehow proud of himself. Eros stepped aside and patted his shoulder once before he handed Ashley her books.

She took the absentmindedly, completely forgetting about him and watching Brock grumble with Seb behind him as the two walked into the lecture theater.

"Too polite." Seb said straightening up from the wall; a single book and a pen in his hand.

"I regret asking you guys to help me out with this." Brock said, scratching the back of his neck shyly.

Eros watched Ashley as she just stood there, he shook her head at her how forgetful she could be.

"Ashley?" He called and waited for her to snap her gorgeous brown eyes to him.

"Hm?" She answered, not registering the fact that it was his first time saying her name.

"You had somewhere to be before your class." He remarked and watched her realize it.

She spun on her heels with widened eyes and bolted off with his and a dozen other eyes staring after her,

"Right, bye! You're welcome!" She yelled as she ran to wherever she was going.

He had seen the essay when she shoved the books on him. He'd been curious to see her handwriting. With a blank expression on his face, he turned back to Seb and Brock only to find them watching him with an amused expression on their smug faces as they stood a few meters from the door. Eros shook his head, knowing them well enough to know the reason behind the look in their eyes.

"It is not what you are assuming." He clarified, looking away from them and walking in.

"Sure dude. If that's what you want to call it." Seb said with a knowing smirk.

Really, it wasn't.

He was solely acting due to his immense curiosity towards her. She is in no way what he had expected, which had caught him completely off guard. It pushed him to try and figure her out. To know everything there was about her; her quirks, what ticks her off, her flaws, her strength. All of this was necessary if she was going to be his roommate.

At least, that was what he was calling it.

Curiosity.

🔱🔱🔱

Ashley was seated in the living room watching TV when Eros got out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. Ashley bit the inside of her cheeks to stop herself from turning and watching him. She could however, see from the corner of her eyes just how toned and defined he was.

A man like that should be illegal, she thought, gulping and concentrating on Geralt and his best-est friend in the whole wide world go at it back and forth once again.

An episode in, he waked out of their room dressed formally in a black suit and tie. He approached her and reached for something from behind her where she sat, his eyes never leaving hers, daring her to look away. He took the distraction as an advantage and pulled out what he needed from the secret compartment on the couch. Ashley realized this too late; when he had already hid it behind them. She looked back at him, her eyes narrowed,

"What are you doing?" She asked, pursing her lips.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Let's not be too curious."

"You shouldn't be suspicious to begin with." She retorted, raising her chin proudly.

He let out a short but deep and throaty hum, before his eyes briefly lowered to her lips and he straightened up. Ashley followed after him as he walked towards the door; his strides much longer and harder than hers. As she was about to lock the door behind him, Ashley decided to peek out the hall and see if she could get a glimpse of what he had in his back pocket.

Her eyes widened in awe and disbelief when she saw the black object staring back at her. Her fingers shook on the door handle as she slowly closed it and turned the key, careful not to give him a sign that she saw it. She could spot the weapon in her sleep. Her father is a detective, so she was accustomed to seeing them at a glance. However, seeing it in an officer's possession in a lot different than seeing it in a civilian's; leave alone your own roommate.

Why does he have a gun with him? She wondered, before an even more chilling question surfaced to her mind.

Where was he going with it this late at night?

VOTE. COMMENT. AND KEEP BEING AWESOME.

©