Actions

Work Header

strangeness & charm

Summary:

Mae drags Osha to a house party she really doesn’t want to attend. There she runs into awkward loner Qimir from one of her Mechanical Engineering classes, and things take an unexpected turn.

retitled as of 23 Oct 2024, formerly titled the static of your arms, it is the catalyst

Notes:

at this point, I think it’s safe to say Oshamir has consumed my entire brain

inspired by an actual Secretly Hot Nerd experience I had in college, and sugar coated, lies unfolded by callistos, the holy grail of greasy Qimir fics

also, I’m on twitter now! you can find me at @satalxo

Work Text:

After three years of sharing a college dorm room, Osha is used to the Friday night chaos that comes with her sister preparing to go out. She’s become adept at tuning out Mae’s too-loud party prep playlist, the commotion of clothing flying from the school-provided wardrobe onto any available surface. Soon enough, Mae will go join up with her friends and Osha will be left alone to her studies.

But tonight, for some reason, Mae fixates on the idea of Osha going with them.

“Oshieeeeee,” Mae begs in her most pleading voice. “Please come. It’ll be so much fun.”

Her sister is already dressed in a purple top that ties loosely in the front, revealing the curves of her breasts, and a short denim skirt. Osha eyes her ensemble warily. Anywhere that outfit would be appropriate is unlikely a place she wants to be.

“I have a Thermodynamics test next week.” Osha gestures to the textbook laying open on her desk, her assorted highlighters lined up in rainbow order to one side.

Mae actually rolls her eyes, like they’re eleven instead of twenty-one. “Not until Thursday. You have soooo much time to study. Come on, you haven’t been out with us in months.”

Osha knows that if she really presses the matter, Mae will drop it. But she also knows that her sister will sulk for a solid week after. And unlike at home, they don’t have separate bedrooms they can retreat to when they’re getting on each other’s nerves.

So, she relents. “Fine. But I’m not getting dressed up.”

Mae studies the black cami and wide-leg jeans Osha wears, scrunching her nose. “At least let me do your makeup.”

Osha subjects herself to Mae’s ministrations, sitting in the chair while her sister deftly applies eyeliner and mascara, but draws the line when Mae pulls out the lipliner and lipstick.

“It’s not like you’re going to be kissing anyone,” Mae scoffs, but puts the makeup back into her bag.

“You don’t know that,” Osha retorts automatically, not because she intends to hook up with someone, but because contradicting her twin is as natural as breathing.

“Yeah, okay, sure,” Mae replies with a laugh, because she too knows Osha doesn’t mean it.

The truth is, it’s been months since Osha had sex. She kind of dated a guy over the summer, one of her coworkers at the auto repair shop where she works during school breaks. But it hadn’t been serious, and honestly the sex hadn’t been very good. Since then, she just hasn’t had any interest. Doing well in her classes is way more fulfilling.

They meet up with Mae’s friends a little while later and make their way to the house party they’re attending. The event is already in full swing when they arrive. Not that Osha is surprised, Mae and her group have trouble getting places on time even when they want to. She wishes it meant a shorter duration of what will undoubtedly be an excruciating experience, but Mae isn’t likely to want to leave for hours.

EDM music pulses on the air, so loud Osha can barely hear herself think. Her sister drags her by the hand through the crowd to the kitchen, where someone promptly hands Osha a red solo cup full of beer. She almost laughs out loud at the cliché of it all. But the beer is cold, and not too hoppy. If she’s here, she might as well take what enjoyment she can, so she downs her first cup and goes back to the keg operator for another.

After that, she follows Mae from room to room, standing awkwardly behind her sister as Mae makes easy conversation with everyone she meets. The first beer helped her relax a little, but she doesn’t want to get drunk, so she nurses the second one slowly.

In contrast, Mae downs every drink handed to her. She has a much higher tolerance than Osha, of course, since she does this more often. Still, her conversations get progressively more exuberant, her movements more liquid. Before Osha knows it, Mae has paired off with an unfamiliar guy and the two are dancing in a way that tells Osha it won’t be just dancing for long.

Sighing, she looks around the room for somewhere to disappear to. She doesn’t even know why Mae insisted on bringing her here, other than to show off the fact she has a twin, like some kind of party trick. Part of her wants to just leave, but she doesn’t relish the idea of walking back to the dorms by herself.

To her surprise, she spots a somewhat familiar figure slouching at the edge of the room—one of the other students from her Systems Integrations class, Qimir Stranger.

Qimir notices her at the same time and gives her an awkward little wave. “Hey Osha.”

She doesn’t know him well. He’s quiet and studious like she is, keeping mostly to himself. But he’s always been nice to her in their few interactions, had let her borrow his notes the time she missed class because she had the flu. He is also literally the only person she knows at this party who isn’t busy trying to get laid.

Walking over to stand beside him, she turns so that her back is against the wall, the two of them side by side. “You look about as comfortable being here as I feel.”

“Definitely not my usual scene,” he agrees, self-depreciating amusement radiating off him.

“What are you doing here then?”

He waves his hand in front of him in an exaggerated, intentionally comical way. “Expanding my horizons.”

A laugh bursts out of Osha, and he flashes a grin down at her. The move catches her off guard, her heart skipping a beat, but she’s not sure why and quickly looks away.

Unbothered, Qimir takes a sip from his own red solo cup. “What about you?”

“My sister dragged me here, and then abandoned me.” Osha nods to where Mae is now making out with her new friend.

“Ah. Not, uh, not very considerate of her.”

Osha shrugs. “That’s siblings for you.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Qimir admits with a wry expression. “Only child.”

It’s something Osha cannot fathom. Her entire existence has been wrapped up in the idea of being half of a whole, every aspect of who she is constantly compared to and contrasted with Mae. The idea of not having to deal with that eternal juxtaposition sounds like a dream. “Must’ve been nice.”

“Yeah, sometimes. Other times, less so.”

For a moment, they’re quiet, neither of them comfortable with taking that particular topic further. Osha is pretty sure she’s killed the conversation, that he’s going to move on, and she’ll be stuck by herself all over again.

But he doesn’t.

“So, what did you think of Professor Vernestra’s lecture this week?” he asks instead.

For a while, they discuss their classes, and the rest of the party fades away. They’re both third year Mechanical Engineering majors, and it surprises Osha that this is the first class they’ve shared—or at least, that she can remember them sharing.

But what surprises her most is the way he listens to her speak. His body turns toward hers, visibly engaged in what she has to say. Engineering is a male-dominated field, and she’s not used to her peers caring about her opinions.

Combined with the effects of the beer, she slowly starts to relax. The conversation flows easily, and she regrets that she never tried really talking to him before.

They’re deep in discussion about the merits of industrial lifecycle integration when someone bumps into her from behind. She loses her balance, staggering toward Qimir. He deftly catches her with a hand at her waist, keeping her steady.

Even through her clothing, his touch sears into her skin. Surprise roots her in place at the feeling, as the world suddenly reorients itself around her.

She stares up at him, feeling the warmth of his body radiating across the bare inch of space that separates them. He stares back at her in equal surprise, equally as frozen. This close, she suddenly realizes how attractive he is. Sure, his posture sucks, and he dresses like he’s eighty—literally he’s wearing a cowl-neck sweater to a college house party—and his hair is in desperate need of styling. But his lips are full and pouty and begging to be kissed, his eyes dark and hooded as he gazes down at her.

More than anything, it’s his scent that hits her. The smell of him is intoxicating, musky and warm. She’s heard some of their crueler classmates say that he needs to shower more, but if this is his natural scent, Osha is pretty sure she wouldn’t mind if he showered less.

Breathing him in sends a surge of liquid desire rushing through her. She wants to bathe in that smell and has to fight the urge to take another step forward, to close the last bit of distance between them and find out if his lips are as soft as they look.

“Osha.” His voice has dropped an octave, and combined with the fact he hasn’t taken his hand off her waist, it leaves her aching low in her stomach. “Are you—are you okay?”

She can’t remember ever wanting someone like this. Definitely not during her mediocre summer fling. But something tells her that Qimir would be far from mediocre, and she is more than keen to find out.

“I—” she swallows hard. “Do you want to get out of here?”

Qimir studies her face, as if trying to make sure he’s hearing her correctly, that he understands what she’s suggesting. “You want to leave,” he says slowly. “With me.” His forehead furrows. “Are you sure?”

There’s so much incredulity in his question that Osha has to laugh. “Yeah,” she says before he can get the wrong idea. “I’m very sure.”

He tilts his head to the side, eyes going impossibly dark. “Okay. Yeah, let’s go.” Then he releases her waist to grab her hand, tangling their fingers together.

Delirious heat fills Osha at the touch of skin on skin, and she happily lets him pull her through the crowd. They drop their cups on a random table and step outside into the cool evening air. Qimir doesn’t release her hand. “Your place or mine?” he asks, pulling out his phone.

Osha’s pretty sure Mae won’t be back for a while. Still, his place could potentially be the better option. “Do you have a roommate?”

“No, I’m off campus.”

“Your place. Definitely your place.”

He taps at his phone for a few seconds, then puts it away. “Uber will be here in two. Do you need to let your sister know where you’re going?”

It’s so wild that he even thought to ask. The fact is, Mae probably won’t notice Osha is gone for hours, maybe not even until tomorrow morning. Still, she should let her twin know what’s happening, so she pulls out her phone to text Mae and make sure location sharing is on—for Mae's benefit, more than her own. Part of her has to laugh at the fact she’s going home with someone after all, and she’s glad she refused the lipstick earlier.

By the time she’s finished, the Uber is there. Qimir opens the door for her, and she climbs in. And then he’s beside her, his scent overwhelming in the enclosed space of the car’s backseat. She barely registers him pulling the door closed or the driver moving off the curb and onto the road. All she can do is stare at his face and wonder how it took her so long to realize how gorgeous he is.

“Hello,” he says when he notices her staring.

“Hi,” she replies, like a genius.

“Hi,” he says, softer, eyes gleaming darkly in the low light.

Osha flings herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kisses him.

A quiet groan spills from Qimir’s lips, which are every bit as soft and decadent as Osha had imagined. He tastes as good as he smells, and his body is warm and solid against hers. His hands reach for her waist. She wants to climb into his lap, into his skin, into the very fabric of his being.

“Hey,” a harsh voice interrupts. “No sex in my car.”

Flushed from the heat of their kiss and embarrassment, Osha turns her head to the side, pressing her face into Qimir’s surprisingly sturdy shoulder.

“It’s not far,” he whispers into her ear, and Osha shivers.

True to his word, the Uber comes to a stop outside of a four-story walk-up a few minutes later. Hands fumbling with the keys, Qimir lets them in, then pulls her up the stairs to the third floor.

His apartment is small but extremely tidy, in a way Osha’s dorm room will never be, not while she shares with Mae. But she isn’t there to admire his housekeeping.

As soon as he has the door locked and drops his keys on a nearby shelf, she closes the distance between them. Qimir meets her in the middle, taking her face in his hands and pressing their lips together. She gasps at the touch, at the feeling of his calloused fingers on her skin, twining her arms around his neck. And then he licks into her mouth, his tongue sending sparks through her body when it finds her own.

He kisses her thoroughly, like he wants to devour her, and Osha desperately wants to be devoured.

Impatient, her hands slide down his chest to the hem of his long-sleeved sweater, tugging at the soft fabric. He breaks the kiss to give her what she wants, pulling the top up over his head.

When Osha sees what’s hiding under his clothes, her brain short-circuits.

“What the actual fuck dude,” she sputters, gaping at the incredibly defined muscles of his arms, his toned chest and stomach. His entire upper half is solidly muscled, far more than she would have imagined before tonight, and she’s pretty sure she’s about to start actually drooling.

Qimir just shrugs. “Exercise is important for both physical and mental health.” Then he grins. “Plus, I can do this.”

Without warning, he lifts her into his arms. Osha squeals, wrapping her legs around his waist as he carries her the short distance to his bedroom. He lays her down on the neatly made bed and climbs over her, the movements liquid and predatory, his golden skin gleaming in the dark.

And then his lips find hers again. She can’t get enough of the taste of his mouth, the feeling of his plush lips sliding across hers. Her hands reach for his shoulders and run along the lengths of his muscled arms. His skin burns beneath her touch.

Too soon, he drags his lips away. Before Osha can protest, he finds the sweet spot just below her jaw, sucking and nipping and scraping with his teeth. Need swims through her body, pooling between her legs. She moans, clutching his shoulders, desperate for more.

One of his hands reaches for the hem of her cami, sliding under just enough to span across her stomach. “Is this alright?” he asks, kissing her neck.

“Take it off,” she urges, and he smiles against her skin before peeling the fabric away.

She’s bare beneath. His eyes hungrily trace the swell of her breasts before his fingers follow. With a shocking gentleness that sends pulsing electricity straight to her cunt, he runs a finger along the curve of one breast and then the other, rubbing his thumb over her painfully hard nipple.

“More,” she begs, back arched, straining toward his touch. “Please.”

Happy to oblige, he leans down and takes one of her nipples into his mouth. Osha shudders in pleasure, reaching to brush his hair out of his face. He rolls her nipple with his tongue, then gently bites down, until she’s panting with desire.

And then he moves lower, trailing kisses across her quivering stomach.

When he reaches the waistband of her jeans, he looks up to check on her. With his hair pushed back, she can see the dagger-sharp line of his jaw. It shouldn’t surprise her after discovering his insane biceps. Still, she can’t fathom how she’s been sitting feet away from this beautiful man all semester and never realized it.

She nods enthusiastically to his unspoken question, lifting her hips in invitation. He unbuttons and unzips her pants, then hooks his fingers into the waistband of both her jeans and her underwear, peeling them off and tossing them to the floor. She’s completely naked now and aching with anticipation.

Sitting back on his heels, for a moment Qimir just looks at her, his expression a little dazed. Emboldened by the obvious appreciation, the desire thrumming like a second heartbeat inside her, Osha spreads her legs in invitation.

He bites his lip in a way that is debilitatingly sexy, and her cunt clenches around nothing.

His hands find her ankles. Slowly, he moves up her body, tracing the shape of her legs. Agonizing heat surges through her with every progressive inch, until finally he reaches her thighs. And then he pulls her legs fully apart, settling between them, his face even with her drenched center.

His breath ghosts across her wetness, making her hips jerk. He reaches out to hold her still, and then his mouth is on her.

A gasp tears from Osha’s throat at the feeling of his tongue licking from her opening to her clit. He circles the hardened nub, showers of pleasure sparkling in her blood. Her hands tangle in his hair as he laves at her, and Qimir’s grip tightens on her hips. Then he closes his lips around her clit and sucks hard.

Osha shouts and presses up against his mouth. He holds her firm, flicking her clit back and forth with his tongue, relentless. Tension coils within Osha, a spring winding tighter and tighter. He drives her forward toward the precipice with astonishing ease. She can’t remember anything ever feeling this good before.

Qimir focuses single-mindedly on her clit, sucking on it, flicking it, rolling it with his tongue. The pleasure inside her builds until her whole body is strung taut. And then, suddenly, the pressure snaps. Crying out, she comes against his lips, wave after wave of sharp sweet pleasure crashing through her.

A deep, satisfied sound rumbles from Qimir’s throat. He slows, licking her gently as her thighs shake, prolonging her orgasm without overstimulating.

When it finally ebbs, Osha can barely breathe. She tugs on his hair, urging his face up. “Jesus,” she pants, “how are you so good at that?”

He rests his chin on her thigh with a satisfied smirk. “Well, I have done a fair bit of research and put some serious thought into the matter.”

“Not, uh, not through extensive practice then?” It’s a transparent attempt to find out if he’s been banging half the school and she knows it, but she can’t help herself. He’s just too good to be as inexperienced as she had assumed from the way he presents himself and the fact she’s never seen him talk to anyone.

But he doesn’t seem to mind, his smile only growing. “Not as such, though if I ever had the opportunity, I can say I would be devoted to the endeavor.”

And then he ducks back down, sucking her clit into his mouth, and Osha actually screams.

If this is him without much practice, she's not sure she would survive the alternative.

He proves his point, making her come twice more, not stopping until she’s sobbing and boneless. Only then does he climb up to lay beside her. Osha curls into him, kissing him desperately and tasting herself on his tongue. She feels strung out on pleasure, and yet there is still a deep, aching emptiness within her.

She reaches for his waistband, but her hands are shaking. Gently, he brushes them aside, climbing off the bed to finish the task himself. Her mouth waters as the last of his clothing drops. His legs are as muscled as the rest of him, and his cock is fucking huge; long and thick and rock hard.

“I want that inside me right now,” Osha blurts out.

He rejoins her on the bed, but to her surprise he just lays next to her again. “I uh, I would like that very much. But I wasn’t exactly expecting this. I don’t have any condoms.”

It takes her a moment to process his words through the haze of lust. When she does, she scrunches up her face at him. “You went to a house party and didn’t think there was even a slight chance you were getting laid?”

He shrugs against the pillow. “Like I said. Not exactly my normal Friday evening.”

“Well,” Osha says, blushing, “I’m glad you were there. And as for the other thing…I have an IUD. And I’m clean, I got tested after I ended things with my boyfriend last summer, and there hasn’t been anyone else since.”

He shifts up onto one arm so he can look down at her. “I’m clean too. I have my last test results, actually. They’re a little old, it’s, uh, it’s been a while, but if you want to see—”

Laughing, Osha leans up and kisses him. “I trust you.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulls his massive body down on top of her. “Now please, please fuck me.”

He growls into her mouth, kissing her slow and deep, thoroughly exploring her with his tongue. And then he reaches between them, taking himself in hand and dragging his cock through her wetness. Osha moans and wraps her legs around his waist in encouragement. She’s desperate to have him inside her now.

Breathing in, he notches the head of his cock at her opening and slowly presses forward. Despite his size, she’s so wet that he slides inside in one easy, fluid movement, until he’s fully sheathed within her.

“Oh my god,” she pants, feeling impossibly full and so, so good. “Holy shit.”

“Are you okay?” Qimir asks, concerned.

“No. I’m—” she gasps, tightening her legs and lifting her hips so she presses harder against him. The walls of her cunt pulse and flutter around his length. “I’m much, much better than okay.”

“Oh. OH.” Hunger flashes in Qimir’s eyes, and he settles into place over her, slowly withdrawing and then thrusting back in.

Osha moans, breath catching in her throat. The sensation of his cock dragging inside her is a kind of bliss she’s never experienced before. It rushes from her center all the way through her body, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. She wants to live in this moment, to drown in the feeling of him filling her so completely.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” he gasps and strokes into her again.

One of his hands curls around her thigh, hoisting it higher up his back. Osha didn’t think it was possible, but his next thrust goes even deeper, hitting a place inside her that makes her see stars. Her whole body feels like it is made of pleasure, and she throws her head back, relishing every second of sensation.

Qimir lets out a little noise of satisfaction as his mouth finds her neck. He sets a steady rhythm, burying himself inside her over and over. With each thrust he fills her completely, and she pulses around him, every nerve ending in her body singing with pleasure.

Sounds spill out of her, incoherent and wild. Her hands clutch at his shoulders, urging him up to meet her lips. Their lips clash together, and she pants into his mouth, rocking her hips against his in time with his thrusts.

The sweet tension builds inside her again, the tidal wave of pleasure inching closer and closer. She threads her fingers into his hair as her walls clench in anticipation. “’m close,” she moans.

In response, he fucks her harder, faster. Each thrust pushes her higher and higher towards her peak. It hits her without warning, her cunt clamping hard around his cock as waves of pleasure rip through her.

He stutters and moans and goes rigid, spilling inside her. His whole body shakes with the intensity of it. Osha tightens her legs around his hips and wraps her arms around his shoulders, holding him close, feeling him pulse inside her.

When he comes down, he shifts onto his side, slipping out of her. Already Osha misses the weight of his body on top of her. But he stays close, looking at her like she’s the most magnificent thing he’s ever seen, both of them breathing hard.

She traces a hand across the smooth skin of his chest. “That was—wow.”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “Wow.”

Her fingers feather over the line of his neck and up to his jaw. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get enough of him. “I’ve decided,” she announces, like they’re in the middle of a conversation. “The old man sweaters aren’t enough; you need to start wearing like full-on hoodies with the hood up. I don’t need everyone else realizing how hot you are.”

He laughs a little, catching her hand and bringing it to his lips, kissing her fingers. “Are you saying you might want to do this again some time?”

“Are you kidding? I want to do it again right now.”

To her delight, he grabs her hips and rolls onto his back, pulling her on top of him. His cock is half hard again, or still, and he presses it against the apex of her thighs. “That can be arranged.”

Osha laughs and leans down to kiss him.

Afterwards, she curls up on his chest, thoroughly sated. She’ll be sore in the morning, but she can’t bring herself to care.

Qimir hold her with one strong arm, his other hand trailing lazily across her back. “Can I take you out for dinner sometime?”

Her heart flutters. “Like on a date?”

“Yeah.” His fingers still. “I mean, if you want.”

“Fuck yes.”

His arm tightens around her waist, and he leans over to kiss her. They explore each other’s mouths lazily until finally exhaustion pulls at them, and Osha falls asleep in his arms.

The next morning, they shower together, and the way he looks with his hair wet is enough to make her legs weak. Even though she is a little sore, she can’t keep her hands to herself, and then neither can he.

He fucks her from behind, pressing her into the cool tile wall.

When they finally manage to get their clothes back on, he drives her to campus and they walk hand-in-hand to the dining hall, where they have breakfast and exchange schedules.

And when their next Systems Integration class comes, instead of going to her usual seat, Osha plops down next to Qimir. He wraps his arm around her shoulder and kisses her cheek, and Osha is pretty sure she has never been happier.