✦ ・ ˖ ࣪ . . . 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 : Céleste & Alec. - Blog Posts

the sound of racked weights met her before she even stepped fully into the room. and then — there he was. shirtless, glistening, halfway through his set and entirely too aware of how he looked doing it. her gaze skimmed over him just once — the glint of sweat on his back, the way his muscles flexed as he racked the weights — and then promptly returned to his face, unbothered. she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of lingering. still, the corner of her mouth twitched. a barely-there smile that came and went before it could settle. "how thoughtful," she said, stepping further into the room, clipboard in hand, completely unfazed — or at least appearing so. "you really shouldn’t have.” she was dressed in sleek black leggings and a slate grey sports bra layered beneath a cropped long-sleeve — neutral, fitted, entirely functional. she caught his eye, letting the air hang just a second before answering his question. "as for what’s on the repertoire?" her voice was smooth. "a lot of legs. core work. mobility. i figured if you’re going to insist on lifting like your life's a nike ad, we might as well make sure you don’t move like a fridge."

♡ — closed starter for @velvetysage

alec's halfway through a set when celeste walks in unannounced. his shirt is off, earbuds in, and there's sweat slicking down his back. this isn't about impressing her, but he's not above showing the blonde that he doesn't need her to keep up. racking the weights with a touch more force than necessary, he pulls one airpod out to speak. "don’t worry, cel, i saved all the boring stuff for you," alec says, barely sparing her a glance. this is how their dynamic always goes, competitive with a hint of underlying tension. "what's on the workout repertoire today?"

♡ → @velvetysage liked this post for a ship moodboard ! ( ft. alec & céleste )

their first meeting

alec wasn’t looking for anything when he walked into halo haus that afternoon. not a trainer or a conversation. he was killing time, stretching his legs between the monotony of meetings and empty social obligations he never had the patience for. he didn't even look around at first. it was just another polished gym to him. another day he wouldn’t remember in a week. and then he saw her. it wasn’t just that she was beautiful ( though, fuck, she was ), but something else. a certain essence in the way she moved. the room seemed to revolve around her instead of the other way around. she had a presence that didn’t ask for attention but sought it anyway. it was like nothing and no one could touch her. maybe that was what got to him, the fact that she didn’t look at people the way they looked at her. he could’ve just grabbed his overpriced smoothie and left, allow the moment pass like any other. but he chose to approach her, a practiced smirk easing onto his lips. the words left his mouth before he even considered the outcome. what’s the harm in a number? but céleste didn’t move. she didn't even look up or give him the reaction most people did. instead, with a fluid detachment that made rejection feel almost sophisticated, she replied, “personal training inquiries go through the front desk.” under any other circumstance, alec would've shrugged it off, and walked away. but on the contrary, he felt a grin tug at his lips. because in a life where doors opened before he even knocked and people tripped over themselves to be noticed, céleste had done neither. she didn’t chase or impress. she was devastatingly unbothered. and that instantly made her the most interesting thing in the room. someone worth remembering.