Written for image 2 of the January contest!
***
Jasmine believed in love at first sight, and that’s why she knew Daniel was not the one for her.
The first day of grad school, Jasmine slept through her alarms. She jumped out of bed, quickly brushed her teeth, and threw on the most convenient clothes. Every leg of the commute that didn’t involve a train or bus was spent running. She made it to orientation with only minutes to spare. Daniel strolled in shortly, humming to himself. Jasmine followed him with her eyes, surprised when he took the seat next to her.
They exchanged civil hellos and introduced themselves. Daniel bowed his head in response. She saw his nostrils flare and heard him sniff.
He looked around the room and took another deep inhale, this one more purposeful. Daniel leaned in closer. “Working up a sweat already? The semester has barely started.”
Jasmine’s jaw dropped in disbelief. Before she could speak her mind properly, the head of the biochemistry department walked in, rendering Jasmine unable to respond, leaving her with feelings to fester. She crossed her arms, shooting daggers towards Daniel when she could. Not that he cared.
Unfortunately, for her, he was the only other student in the brand new perfuming concentration. They’d be forced to see each other a lot, likely sharing every lecture and lab time.
Daniel’s nickname in the department was “God’s Nose.” Without trying, he continuously got better marks than Jasmine did, often breezing through the material and finishing all of his labs with more conclusive data in fewer trials. His nose was discerning enough to pick out even the slightest scent. Jasmine had to work harder just to barely keep up. She was doomed for second place, and in time, she aimed to just finish the program so she could get as far away from him as possible.
She chose not to talk to him if she didn’t have to, and it worked out for the first two-thirds of the program. They saw each other almost daily, but assignments and class structures never forced them to truly interact. She could do her own thing, and Daniel kept to himself anyway. Even this level of distance wasn’t enough for her to retain her sanity.
Every day, he would fold up his lab coat, usually an hour or two before Jasmine, and he’d wish her good night. Even though he said it flatly, Jasmine swore there was the slightest snark in his voice.
“Whatever,” Jasmine grumbled, carefully counting drops into her testtube. The progress report for her capstone was giving her trouble, and with the lab being closed on Sundays, she had to finish it up tonight. She squinted, leaning closer, concentrating on the marks on the graduated cylinder.
“Hey, Jasmine–” Daniel said suddenly.
Jasmine flinched, expecting he was long gone already, and her hand hit the table, knocking her testtube down, spilling its contents over the table. Her eyes widened, and she panicked, but Daniel dabbed up the puddle before it could spread much farther. She groaned. “You’re still here?”
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Daniel apologized. “I was gonna tell you to be careful with your concentrations, especially with the citrus notes–”
“I don’t need your help,” Jasmine said. She sighed, and prepared another testtube, grabbing a fresh set of graduated droppers.
“This is for your thesis, right? ‘If Love Had a Smell,’ right?” Daniel rambled. “I actually think it’s really cool. You had a sample a few weeks ago with–uh–cedar notes that I quite liked–”
“Thanks,” Jasmine said dryly. She hoped short responses would nip the conversation in the bud. They weren’t ones to talk with each other often, and today was not the day to start. She continued to work in silence, while Daniel talked on and on. It felt like he was talking outloud rather than having an actual conversation.
He tapered off, and Jasmine prayed he got the hint. She looked up at him, and he frowned, looking at the spilled testtube from earlier. Daniel walked up and took it to the sink to wash it.
“I get the impression you don’t like me very much,” Daniel started, voice barely audible over the splash of the sink. “If there’s something I’ve done–”
Jasmine scoffed. “Do you not remember the day we met? I busted my ass to get to class on time and make a good impression and the first thing you do is bring up the fact that I’m sweating?”
“I see,” Daniel said with slouched shoulders. “I only meant to make a joke. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“Well, it did,” Jasmine said, her attention returning back to work. “Admittedly, that’s a petty reason to hold a grudge, so I’m sorry for being so cold. Thanks for helping me clean the mess earlier.”
Daniel nodded, putting his goggles and labcoat back on, and taking the seat across the table. “Did you want some company? I promise not to butt in. Genuinely, I think your thesis is really cool, and I like watching you work–”
“You like watching me work?” Jasmine asked, brows furrowing, and smirking towards Daniel.
“I tend to glance over your way on our lab days,” Daniel admitted, scratching his head and looking away. “You get really into it, and even when you’re frustrated, you shake it off and keep trying. I think that makes you really cool.”
“How is that cool?” Jasmine chuckled. She squeezed two drops of bergamot extract into a testtube.
“Never giving up, after you’ve failed,” Daniel clarified. He sighed. “I wish I could be more like that.”
“Of the two of us in the perfuming concentration, you’re easily the better one. In the entire biochem department, you’ve got the highest GPA too! What could you have possibly failed at?”
“Erm, trying to talk to you,” Daniel said. The corners of his lips curled up sheepishly. “I’ve never really been good at making conversation–or friends, for that matter–so a whole day will go by, and I can only manage saying ‘goodbye’ to you every night. Not very cool at all.”
“A little late to be making friends. We graduate this spring, don’t we?” Jasmine smiled, extending a hand across the table.
Daniel grinned, reaching out, his expression falling when Jasmine retracted her hand away.
She pointed at him, laughing to herself. “You weren’t wearing gloves. Points docked for lab safety.”
Daniel smiled. “Is our new friendship just some kind of experiment to you?”
“A trial stage sounds better,” Jasmine corrected. She went back to her work, sorting through vials. She uncapped one, taking a whiff, flashing her eyebrows. This could be it. Sea salt. In her peripherals, she saw Daniel watching attentively, and as promised, he didn’t overstep or try to help. Not like Jasmine would’ve accepted anyway; she wanted her work to be hers and hers alone.
She played with different ratios, and in no time, she had enough batches for the progress check. Daniel offered to help clean her station, and Jasmine took him up on the offer. She hated that part of lab time. It was tedious, but for Daniel, who lived for repetitive structure, he loved it.
They closed up the lab, locking the door behind them, and the elevator ride downstairs was quiet. Jasmine imagined they were one of the last few stragglers in this building, judging from the security guard’s annoyed expression, but they parted ways outside.
“Jasmine,” Daniel said, pinching the sleeve of her coat. “About the sweat thing I said when we met–”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jasmine assured with a smile. “Water under the bridge, okay?”
Daniel squirmed in place, eyes looking at the ground, unable to meet Jasmine’s. “What I mean is that your sweat doesn’t smell bad at all. I actually…really like it.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, and turned on his heel, quickly shuffling away.
Jasmine stared in disbelief. What on earth just happened?
~
For the rest of the term, the two talked more often. Daniel made a point to initiate, but Jasmine did too, which sometimes surprised him. That smile of his always brightened her day. It was wholesome, genuine, and he always seemed happy to see her.
They shared notes after class, even meeting up to brainstorm to give each other a fresh set of eyes for their research papers. It turned to lunch between classes, and dinner after a late night in the lab. They loved the cafe next door to the science building. The food was greasy and cheap, but the coffee helped keep morale up.
Other students (and staff members too, apparently) caught on to their sudden closeness, and rumors spread like wildfire. Daniel blushed when he was made aware of them, but Jasmine didn’t mind. In reality, if he ever did ask her out, she saw herself saying yes, without a second thought.
But he never did.
Graduation came around, and Daniel looked dashing in a tie. As the two sole representatives of the perfuming concentration, they sat next to each other for the length of the ceremony. There were plenty of speeches to sit through, to their shared dismay. But a few jokes shared at a whisper’s volume helped make the time bearable.
Jasmine’s heart raced when Daniel put his hand over hers, holding it tightly. He looked at her, smiling warmly, and Jasmine weaved her fingers through his. Silently, they never let go, except to wipe sweat from their palms, until it was time to walk across the stage.
Daniel was called first, since his last name preceded Jasmine’s in the alphabet. But he waited for her at the opposite end of the stage, clapping loudly, cheering as her name was called. Jasmine felt butterflies when she looked at him. His face was full of pride, and he took her hand again as they walked back to their seats. Jasmine gripped his hand tighter, and lay her head on his shoulder.
If love had a scent, Jasmine knew what it’d smell like. The velour seats of the auditorium. The burnt dust from the stage lights. The pressed linen of Daniel’s dress shirt.
When the ceremony was over, they mingled with their cohorts, exchanging congrats and goodbyes. Energy was high in the room, but there was a distinct sadness in Daniel’s face. Jasmine asked what was wrong and he shook his head, motioning to step out for some air.
Jasmine stayed behind to chat with her colleagues, taken aback when Daniel had still not returned. She excused herself with a wave and smile, and walked outside. No Daniel.
Her heart sank, but just a few moments of thinking eased her mind. She knew where he was.
Like many days before, she took the elevator up to the lab, and her suspicions were vindicated. Daniel’s graduation gown was folded neatly over the back of a chair. Jasmine peered through the window and Daniel’s back was to her, donning the white coat as usual.
She left her gown on the chair next to his and walked into the lab, grabbing her lab coat off the rack, staring at the tiny gift box in her hands.
“What are you doing here, Daniel?” Jasmine asked with a smile, placing the box in front of him. He looked down, reaching for the box, but Jasmine pulled it away, waiting for him to answer the question.
“I wasn’t happy with the results,” he said quietly, sniffing an uncapped vial.
“I’m hoping you’re talking about your thesis and not us,” Jasmine said lightheartedly, but she couldn’t stop her forehead from wrinkling or her lips from curling down into a frown. The nervous laugh that followed felt hollow.
Silence at first.
“It’s for my thesis. I think at least one of the fragrances needs a slightly different mix,” Daniel assured. He peered up towards Jasmine. “Shouldn’t you be out celebrating?”
“I am celebrating. With the guy I like. Even if he chooses to celebrate being done with school by going…right back to school.” Jasmine chuckled, thankful that Daniel joined in. She slid the box in front of him. “I got you a gift.”
“Can I open it now?” Daniel asked, picking up the box. White with pink ribbon wrapped around it, tied into a neat little bow.
Jasmine grimaced. “I was gonna give this to you as a parting gift, so I didn’t anticipate being around when you opened it, but if you’d like to open it now, I guess you can.”
Daniel’s smile warmed. “Is this one of the fragrances from your thesis?”
“Not exactly,” Jasmine said, practically squirming with embarrassment. “No more questions. Just open the box, okay?”
Daniel‘s hands were careful, cradling the box in his palm and lightly pulling at the end of the pink ribbon. He removed the cap, and he raised an eyebrow. Setting the box down, he pulled its contents out, unfolding them in his hands: a pair of panties. His cheeks tinted, matching the ribbon that previously adorned the gift box.
“You said you liked my smell, so I thought this would be a flirty way for you to remember me by. I, um, wore it for like a day or two.” Jasmine stopped rambling. The more she talked, the more she cringed, massaging her brows with her fingers. “Listen, I didn’t know you were gonna do something sweet like grab my hand today. I like to believe we had a common goal, but clearly we have different approaches.”
Daniel folded the fabric back and put it in the box again. He blushed. “It’s really a one-of-a-kind gift, and I don’t know how many other guys would appreciate it as much as I do.”
“Well, other guys aren’t even part of the sample size.” Jasmine crossed her arms and turned away, pouting. “I’m really glad you reached out that one day.”
“I’m sorry that I didn’t sooner,” Daniel said, wrapping his arms around Jasmine. His eyes were dead-set on her lips, and Jasmine nodded, knowing he was the type to ask directly, but not brave enough to do it.
Daniel leaned in, and Jasmine accepted his soft peck, graciously kissing back. Any worries she had after the ceremony fizzled out. She hugged him tightly and helped herself to another kiss.
“I’m pretty sure you and I are the only ones here. Everyone else is probably celebrating with their family. Faculty is all out together getting drinks.”
“What are you suggesting?” Daniel asked, and Jasmine was charmed by his earnestness.
Jasmine licked her lips, bringing her mouth up to Daniel’s ear. “If you like the way I smell, I have a hypothesis that you might like the way I taste as well?”
“I very much would like to find out for myself,” Daniel responded nervously. He looked around the room. “Are you sure you don’t wanna go somewhere else first?”
“I have a second hypothesis. Partaking in sexual activity in a public space with the possibility of getting caught would increase my arousal,” Jasmine cooed.
“Any observations to support your claim?”
Jasmine took Daniel’s hand and guided it down, lifting up the front of her dress and placing his fingers against her folds. “How’s this?”
“B-beyond sufficient,” Daniel stuttered. His reaction was cute. He could barely speak, and the choice to go commando certainly paid off. Daniel’s fingers teased along Jasmine’s slit, and she shuddered, enjoying his warmth. He circled her clit, rubbing along her swollen bud.
She whimpered against his lips, keeping his head against her for needed kisses. She hopped onto the stool behind her and let her hips roll to the rhythm of Daniel’s fingers. They curled, and Jasmine grinned.
“This is going just like how I imagined,” Jasmine said, still smiling. “I think about you at night. I definitely did when I wore those panties last.”
Daniel’s eyes veered towards the box on the table, and he smiled. His fingers pressed in further, fingertips rubbing her sweet spot. “You’re so wet.”
Jasmine’s hands crept up the back of his neck, tugging what hair she could grasp. Her hips circled, and she ground against his fingers. “Please don’t stop.”
Daniel kept his face pressed harder against her needy lips, muffling any moans that left her mouth. He pulled away, quietly hushing her before their lips collided again.
Jasmine couldn’t help it. It felt too good. Her legs squeezed together, trapping his hand, but her eyes widened. Daniel didn’t waver, not even a little. Her moans grew louder, quickly filling the lab, only muted by Daniel‘s palm over her mouth.
Her stomach tensed, her hips bucked into Daniel. Desperate cries muffled against his hand. Eyes shut, and she focused on every peak as it rolled through her.
Jasmine shuddered as her body came down from her climax. Her heart still raced in her chest, but after a moment to regain her composure, she kissed Daniel again. Short, sweet, meant as a thank you.
But Daniel lips were needy. He wanted more of her. It was torture to pull away, but he brought his fingers up to his mouth. Daniel was entranced by them, slick with Jasmine’s juices. The tip of his tongue met his fingers first before taking them into his mouth, licking them clean, sucking them dry. His eyes closed as he savored her taste.
“Verdict?”
“You taste really good, but I think I need a larger sample size.” Daniel knelt, bunching Jasmine’s dress up and taking a full view of her sex. He bit his lip, elated by her full bush. “Some biologists suggest that despite modern grooming preferences, pubic hair has an evolutionary utility, soaking up pheromones, attracting the attention of possible mates.”
“Do you agree with that?” Jasmine asked, suddenly glad she ran out of time to shave last night.
Daniel moved closer, taking a whiff. His eyes rolled back before taking a few careful laps along her slit. “Absolutely.”
A shudder and deep exhale left warm breath against Jasmine’s entrance, and Daniel continued, licking indulgently, humming to himself, enjoying every taste. His fingers returned to her hole, and Jasmine moaned when he found her sweet spot again. Daniel’s tongue was attentive to her clit, swiping swiftly over it. He licked faster.
Jasmine grabbed his hair, pulling him against her, grinding against his tongue. God, he felt so good.
Daniel responded well. His fingers pressed deeper, and they kept to the tempo of this tongue. He looked up at Jasmine, eyes bold, full of resolve, pleading for her to come on his tongue.
He didn’t need to beg.
She needed it just as badly. All building tension in her body loosened when she came a second time. She whimpered Daniel‘s name, and her grip on his head only loosened once she had ridden out her pleasure. She panted, pulling Daniel to his feet.
She fumbled with his belt, desperate to free his cock from his pants. Wrists were held in place by Daniel’s hands.
“I don’t have any protection,” he admitted with a frown.
“I’m docking points for a lack of proper safety equipment, but I think we should continue,” Jasmine nearly growled before pulling him in for a desperate kiss. Her words tickled his lips, “I really want you.”
“I want you too,” Daniel agreed, moaning as Jasmine peppered his neck with kisses. He fought through a shudder “M-maybe we can get out of here, and we can grab some condoms on the way to my place. Or yours. Whichever is closer.”
“It would be safe today,” Jasmine murmured, while her hands practically climbed the back of his head, holding him against her. “And don’t talk to me about the effectiveness of the withdrawal method. I know the figures.”
Her hands continue pull his pants down. After a quick glance, Jasmine’s eyes widened. Daniel was bigger than she thought, but it wouldn’t be an issue. She wrapped her hand around him, stroking up and down his length.
Daniel stepped closer, lining himself up with Jasmine’s eager slit. She gasped as he pushed in. His fingers clutched the fabric of her lab coat, punching up the dress beneath as well. He moved his hips, slowly at first, to the same tune of his heavy breathing.
Jasmine wrapped her arms around him, holding him closer to her. Poorly aimed kisses landed wherever they fell. His neck. His cheek. His lips. She could feel how much she wanted her with how long his lips lingered and how deep he pushed. The room filled with their collective sounds.
Relief, desperation, desire that had gone unanswered for far too long. It was all there.
Jasmine felt sweat bead at her neck. She squirmed self-consciously when Daniel’s lips locked along her exposed skin, biting gently and kissing softly. A quiet inhale through his nose would have embarrassed her any other time, but from Daniel, it was a compliment.
“You smell so good.” His words tickled her skin as he moved up to press his lips against Jasmine’s. He gripped Jasmine’s waist, holding her tight as his hips sped up. They breathed in unison. Daniel felt Jasmine’s legs wrap around him. A hand caressed the back of his head.
He stared into her dark, brown eyes. A mistake, surely. The way she looked at him threatened to stop his heart on the spot. His cheek met with the warmth of her palm, and he leaned into her touch., softly kissing her hand.
Jasmine flushed, focusing on how needily Daniel thrusted into her. His pace unsteadied, and he groaned, fingers digging into her sides. She was no better. Every roll of his hips ground against her clit, and the heat had been building, threatening to overflow. Every breath she took felt more shallow than the last, and long moans became quiet whimpers.
Daniel sped up, likely spurred by her needy noises. The velvety skin of his shaft rubbed along her clit, repeatedly, and Jasmine could only take so much more. Her arms wrapped around the back of Daniel’s neck, and she held on for dear life. Each thrust pushed a moan from her lungs.
“Daniel,” she panted. His name was a chant from her lips. It was nice to say, especially when it encouraged him to fuck her harder. She tried to prolong her pleasure, but she was too far gone. Her eyes shut, and her grip around him tightened. “Daniel–I’m gonna come.”
Heat bloomed through her body as she winced through the tensing of her body. Loud cries echoed through the lab, stopped only by the gasp when she felt a burst of warmth fill her. Daniel grunted, pushing as deep as he could, expelling everything into Jasmine.
They held each other in silence, save for husky breaths. A kiss turned into a smile and a laugh. Jasmine looked away embarassedly, and Daniel tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Daniel looked down at table, pocketing Jasmine’s gift to him, and started cleaning the supplies he used. He spoke, “We should, er, get out of here.”
Jasmine nodded, preening the wrinkles from her dress, and hanging her coat up for the last time. She leaned against the door. It was hard to imagine that the man she vehemently disliked was the same man who filled her up just moments ago. The slight smile on his face while he washed his testtubes and beakers was priceless.
Daniel dried his hands and hung up his coat. He walked towards Jasmine, and they left the lab, hand-in-hand this time. On the way to the elevator, he retrieved their graduation gowns, draping them over his arms. He cleared his throat as they walked. “Your dress is very nice. I didn’t tell you earlier.”
“Thank you, I also meant to tell you that you clean up really well,” Jasmine said with a smile. Her finger traced the knot of his tight before grabbing it and tugging him down. Her voice lowered, “though I want to rip these clothes off you when we get back to my place.”
Daniel’s face flushed, and his smile widened. He nodded, head motioning down to their connected hands. “So, is this another trial stage?”
Jasmine’s eyes narrowed, and she laughed, giving him a playful shove. “We’re way past that. As long as you don’t mind, I think you’re stuck with me.”
“I’m not complaining,” Daniel said. He turned to her with a smirk, tapping his pocket. “As long as they’re more gifts like this one in the future.”
It earned Daniel an eye roll, but it wasn’t a tall ask, by any means.
Jasmine believed in love at first sight, but she learned two things over the past two years: love can be found, even where you don’t expect it and Daniel probably believed in love at first smell.
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