Interesting Scarabia Duo Eye Detail

Heartslabyul going crazy lowkey

Nuili's skincare routine ✨

perhaps he is learning to appreciate planet earth

BEEP BEEP! YOUR RIDE IS HERE!

"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳."

Sypnosis: You ordered an Uber to get home— but something about your driver is… off. Not in a dangerous way, just weird. Genre: Fluff/Crack Characters: Blade, Boothill, Aventurine x gn!reader Warnings: NEVER let Boothill drive you around. Lots of reckless driving (keep your eyes on the road and follow traffic laws guys), Aventurine gambling addiction core, reader just gives up on Blade's part LMAO, a lot of cussing, this is pretty ooc😭 A/N: Heh...how long has it been since I last posted?! This has been rotting in my drafts for quite a while so take this as an apology [masterlist] [about me]

BOOTHILL

It’s well-known that Boothill has a reputation for stealing vehicles and disregarding traffic laws while he was in Penacony, so it’s safe to say he’s probably not the best Uber driver around.

But you were exhausted. Your feet were aching from walking around the city, and you were way too far from the train station. Besides, it was late, and at this point, calling an Uber seemed like your only option. You scroll through the app, frustration building as you realize there’s no one available to pick you up at this hour— except for one driver.

Boothill.

The name itself was odd, but you figured, why not give it a try?

That is, until you started reading the ratings and reviews. Now you’re regretting your decision and seriously considering texting your friends and family the car details, just in case.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 3 out of 5 stars. “A very odd fellow, and he almost got us both into a car crash!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2 out of 5 stars. “I was a drunk passenger, but honestly, I can’t tell if I was the one who was drunk or if it was him.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 0 out of 5 stars. “Does this guy even have a license? He’s seriously reckless! But I’ll admit, he managed to speed across the streets and get me to my destination on time, even though I was running late.” >Cyborg69 replied: "Oi, don't cha think I should get at least 3 stars for that?"

You barely have time to read another review when a sharp honk pulls you out of your thoughts.

Beep!

"Hey, you the one who ordered an Uber?" A rough, almost drawling voice calls out, and you look up to see a man with black-tipped bangs leaning out of his car window. In all honesty, he looks pretty decent— well, as decent as someone can look when you realize they’re not exactly human. Penacony really does attract the strangest people.

His fingers tap against the car door, a playful grin spreading across his face as he gestures toward the vehicle. "Hop in! Front or back, your choice." he says with a casual shrug. You pick the back seat, deciding it’s the safest bet.

As you settle into the car, you’re immediately hit by the sharp, almost overpowering scent of gasoline. It catches you off guard, and you can’t help but wince. He notices your expression in the rearview mirror and lets out a low chuckle, rolling down all the windows with a flick of his hand. "Heh, sorry ‘bout the smell. Kinda rushed to... ya know, grab some fuel."

If his ratings didn’t already make you second-guess this ride, the way he spoke just sealed the deal.

“Oh! Uh, that’s fine.” You force a smile, nervously buckling your seatbelt as he starts driving. At first, everything seems normal. You keep glancing at him through the rearview mirror, your eyes meeting his for a few seconds before he quickly looks away, whistling casually.

"Don’t hafta keep lookin' at me, sweetheart. I ain’t no danger." He flashes a smile, but it doesn’t do much to ease your nerves. "So, headin’ home?" he asks, and you nod slowly, giving him an address near your place for him to drop you off.

As the drive continues, your gaze shifts to the interior of the car, and you can’t help but feel a little weirded out by some of the decor. A heart-shaped pillow? Really? That didn’t exactly match the vibe you’d expect. And a bottle of perfume— one that definitely looked like it belonged to a woman. Maybe he just liked the scent, but still, it felt… odd. After all, men’s perfumes could be strange sometimes. Who wants to smell like wolf shit and pig ass anyway?

Then again, he did kind of fit that description.

Maybe he liked the scent of blood— because suddenly, he floors the accelerator, speeding down the highway, earning a chorus of honks from terrified drivers.

“woAH!” you shriek, the force slamming you back into your seat. Your hands instinctively grab the handle above the door, knuckles white as the car swerves dangerously.

“Oops, sorry.” His voice comes out nonchalantly, but there’s no trace of remorse on his face— just that stupid grin. “Hold on tight! These folks on the road are way too slow.” With a wild yell, he floors the gas again, pushing the car even faster.

At this point, you’re just praying that if the car flips, you’ll go down with it. You didn’t want to survive whatever mess would follow if he really did manage to send the car tumbling. Your heart’s pounding in your chest, and you scream again in pure horror, watching him laugh as he skillfully dodges every car in his path.

“What the actual FUCK are you doing?!” you scream, feeling your life flash before your eyes.

“I’m driving! What else am I doing? Taking a dookie?” he retorts with a scoff, eyes flicking briefly to the rearview mirror. You glance back, and your stomach drops: blue and red lights. Are there cops behind you?

“Uh, ignore the cops, darlin’.” He waves his hand dismissively. “Pretend this is just some free clubbing lights for ya.”

You panic, a fresh wave of terror rushing over you. "I don't want to fucking club!"

"Woah there, panic at the disco, heheh."

You don’t find his joke funny at all when he suddenly misses the turn to your house, and for a brief moment, you actually consider choking him out from the backseat just to make him stop. But then, something heavy falling in the car catches your eye.

Wait. Was that a gun? Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.

He must’ve noticed your body stiffen in horror, because his free hand quickly rummages through his pockets. With a groan, he mutters, “Oh my Aeons— sorry, that’s my gun.” He clears his throat, and you can only deadpan at him, your mind racing. The reviews on his profile had to be way too generous. He didn’t deserve 0 stars. Hell, he should be banned, his license revoked, and his profile deleted.

But of course, he tries to reassure you. “Don’t worry, that’s, uh… a toy gun. For unruly passengers, ya know? Get it?” His sharp teeth flash in a grin, and you swear, for a split second, you see a glint of something dangerous. Then he curses some censored version of a swear word under his breath. “Ah, crap…I missed your turn.”

Yeah, you’re never booking an Uber again.

The car screeches as he whips it into a sharp U-turn, sending a cloud of smoke from the tires. You glance over to the police officer in the next lane— his bright blue eyes reflecting dim streetlights, a black-haired guy with an unreadable expression. But it’s the person sitting in the backseat that catches your attention. Two glowing golden eyes peer out from the window, face pressed against the glass.

“What the heck do they want from you?!” you scream, your body drenched in sweat as you grip the seat, heart racing.

Boothill shrugs nonchalantly. “Ehh... I dunno.”

Oh, he definitely knows.

He suddenly slams the brakes, and you slam forward, your face colliding with the back of his seat. Before you even have a chance to recover, you scramble out of the car, your breath ragged. But something catches your eye— there’s a pair of black heels in the backseat.

Wait. What?

“Think of this ride as, uh— on the house, ‘kay?” Boothill calls out from the window, giving you a thumbs-up with his metal fingers. You can barely catch your breath as you clutch your chest, your heart still racing.

“I’m kinda in a sticky situation— er…” His voice trails off as the sirens grow louder. He grunts, pulling the handbrake, but not before shouting at you as he slams the gas and speeds off.

“Remember to give me 5 stars on the Uber app!”

You stand frozen, staring in disbelief as his car disappears into the distance. Your mind is still reeling, trying to process what just happened, when the police car whips past you in a blur of lights and sirens. And then, you hear it— a panicked scream.

“HE’S DRIVING AWAY WITH HIMEKO’S CAR—"

AVENTURINE

After a long night of clubbing, you called an Uber, eager to escape the blinding lights and noise and head home. But what you didn’t expect was stepping into what felt more like another club than a car ride.

This didn’t feel like an Uber at all. The backseat was spacious, plush even, with a basket full of snacks— gum, chips, candy, just about anything you could imagine.

“Feel free to take whatever you want, yeah? It’s an accommodation,” a smooth voice drawls, and damn, you did not expect your Uber driver to be someone so... dazzling. A pretty blonde guy with striking purple and blue eyes, his gaze cool and calm. His cologne was strong but intoxicating, a heady mix of something sweet yet fresh.

"Are you sure I can take the snacks? No extra charge?" You raise an eyebrow, hesitating as you reach for a packet of chips.

"No extra charge," he repeats with a smirk, his hands casually gripping the wheel. He taps his fingers on the leather-covered steering wheel as he waits patiently for the car in front of him to move.

You mumble a quiet thanks before grabbing a few packets of chips and stuffing them into your bag, quickly buckling up your seatbelt. As you settle in, you start taking in your surroundings. One look at this guy, and it’s pretty obvious he’s loaded. The seats are unbelievably comfortable, and the extra touches in the snack basket are a little surprising. Alongside the chips, there are bottles of mineral water and other beverages, perfect if you’re parched. And judging by the brand of the snacks and drinks, it’s clear— this is first-class treatment. Something you’d expect to find on a luxury flight.

Suddenly, a tiny dice clatters against your leg. You freeze, slowly picking it up, unsure of what to make of it. He doesn’t seem to notice your hesitation, his grin widening as he speaks.

“Roll the dice,” he says, his tone playful. “The number you land on will decide where you’re going.”

You blink, completely caught off guard. “I’m sorry— what?” you stare at him in disbelief. “I just wanna go home, dude.” You hand the dice back to him awkwardly, hoping he’ll drop it.

He tuts, the sound almost childlike. “Ah, no, no, no. I offered you some wonderful snack choices, the least you could do is play along with my game.” He whines, like a petulant child, and you’re starting to feel uneasy. But there’s something about him that doesn’t scream dangerous— just weird. Definitely weird, like the one Uber driver you met last month.

“…And what is this about?” You furrow your brow, a little frustrated. “You’re an Uber driver, shouldn’t you listen to your customer on where they want to go?” You toss the dice back toward him.

“Please,” he suddenly pleads, slumping in his seat dramatically. “I have a gambling addiction.”

You raise an eyebrow, eyeing him cautiously. “What does that have to do with me?” You glance down at the dice now sitting in your palms.

He lets out a dramatic sigh, his eyes glazed over with a mix of frustration and longing. “My job banned me from going to casinos for a week,” he mutters. “So, I took this Uber job to kill time. The only way to salvage my boredom is to have my customers gamble for me.”

This Uber driver is definitely fucking weird.

“And what is your job, besides being an Uber driver...?” you ask, gulping slightly as you glance around his car, trying to pick up on any clues. His outfit, the decor, anything that might give you an idea of what’s going on.

“Well… I work for the IPC—”

“Okay, I get it now,” you quickly cut him off, your face twisting into an expression of judgment and unease. Those three letters were all you needed to hear. Of course, he worked for the IPC. All the people you've met affiliated with the IPC were just off. Like that strange Uber driver from last month? He was a huge IPC hater— and, oh yeah, he robbed a car. Then there was that girl you ran into last week, the one who casually introduced herself as an IPC worker. And trailing behind her? This bizarre creature that looked like an anteater... or a dolphin— you’re not even sure. You overheard it was her pet, but you’ve never seen anything like that in your life.

"Hey," he sighs, sitting up straighter in the seat. You’re desperately hoping he’ll drop the dice nonsense and just start driving already, but he stays put, even though the car in front of you has been long gone.

"I know the IPC has a bad reputation," he says, "but I promise you I’m not that bad."

"Yeah... not that bad for a guy who has a price on the IPC’s head," you mutter under your breath, and you catch the flash of recognition in his eyes.

“Oh! Boothill?”

You instantly regret even saying anything.

“I bumped into that guy last week— well, more like he crashed into my car,” he continues, seemingly unphased by your discomfort. “At first, he apologized. Then, out of nowhere, he pulled a gun on me and—”

Without thinking, you hurl the dice somewhere in the car, scramble to get out, and bolt for the door, heart racing.

"No tip???"

BLADE

It hadn’t even been five minutes in the car, and your driver was already chastising you.

"You're breathing too loudly in my car."

You freeze, immediately holding your breath, your hands clutched tightly in your lap. "I apologize—"

"Don’t talk."

You bite your lip, feeling your patience slip. Let me just fucking die then, I guess, you think, staring blankly out the window.

You glance over at the drawer in the car and notice a piece of paper peeking out. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you tug it out, only to find the words written in... lipstick?

“𝒲𝒽𝑜𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝐵𝓁𝒶𝒹𝒾𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓅𝒾𝒸𝓴𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓊𝓅, 𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶 𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓃𝒸𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒸𝓀𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝒾𝑒. 𝒟𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓇𝓎, 𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶 𝒹𝓇𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓁𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒!~"

What the hell? Why are all the drivers like this? You can't even begin to describe it anymore.

"If you're feeling afraid right now, I suggest you get off," his deep voice cuts through the silence, and without missing a beat, you nod— pushing open the door while he’s still driving and rolling out onto the pavement.

reader rn:

🎤🎶.

Old art (2022)

I really miss drawing man😣 but I’m still struggle with myself to made some new work (›´-`‹ )

Skully Doodles unfortunately he is warming up to me

I know you said it would be a one time au but I'm currently suffering in customer support hell and I just have to say I love that au and I have fantasies about just going ape and just attacking Crowley lol so thx for that

Tumblr's demographic is so funny. I throw a dad-bod Leona and an exhausted customer service worker at y'all and you immediately go apeshit xD

ffffffffe_____ar ........................

Nocturnal pull☆ミ

Shadow the hedgehog x gn reader

sfw

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

(ФωФ): established relationship, shodow is experiencing...INSTINCTS!!

i have way too many fandoms i fear

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･

The night air was cool, thick with the scent of damp earth and the faintest trace of ozone from a recent storm. You sat on the back porch of your shared home, knees pulled up to your chest, watching the stars flicker between breaks in the rolling clouds. The moonlight caught on the edges of wet leaves, casting silver highlights on the grass below. It was quiet—except for the faint, rhythmic sound of something rustling against the wooden floorboards behind you.

Shadow.

You didn’t have to turn around to know he was there. You had long since learned the cadence of his movements—the way his footfalls barely made a sound when he walked, how he hesitated just a second before stepping closer, like he was still adjusting to the idea of sharing space with another. Tonight, though, there was something… different. His pacing was persistent, almost anxious, though he would never admit it.

You sighed and turned your head slightly, catching a glimpse of him over your shoulder. He wasn’t sitting next to you like usual. Instead, he was hovering just a few feet away, shoulders tense, eyes flickering between you and the surrounding area. His quills twitched, shifting slightly every time the wind rustled through the trees. His arms were crossed, but you could see the subtle flex of his fingers against his biceps—restless, agitated.

“…What are you doing?” you asked softly.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he huffed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other before finally uncrossing his arms.

“…Keeping watch.”

You blinked. “For what?”

His gaze snapped to you, sharp and unwavering, before darting away again as if he was embarrassed to admit it. “…Anything.”

Your heart squeezed at that. It wasn’t unusual for Shadow to be protective—he had long since appointed himself as your unofficial guardian, even before you had started dating. But this was different. The way he was holding himself, the constant flicking of his ears, the barely restrained energy in his stance—it reminded you of something. Something instinctual.

“Shadow,” you said, your voice a little softer now. “Are you…” You hesitated, but the thought was already forming in your mind. “Are you feeling antsy because it’s nighttime?”

He stiffened.

You bit your lip, fighting back a smile. Oh. Oh, this made so much sense.

Hedgehogs were nocturnal, weren’t they? Well, mostly—Shadow had been genetically engineered, so he didn’t exactly follow all the rules of a normal hedgehog, but still. His habits had always leaned toward the night. He was most active after sundown, even when he pretended not to be.

And right now, it seemed like his instincts were in full force.

“Shut up,” he muttered, turning his head away, but the slight twitch of his nose betrayed him.

You nearly melted on the spot.

“Awhh..” you whined, pushing yourself up onto your knees and reaching for him. “You’re all fidgety. Oh my god, are you having one of those little… instinct things??”

“I am not—”

“Oh my god, you are.” You gasped, covering your mouth in mock horror. “Wait. Are you sniffing the air right now?”

Shadow immediately stopped, his nose wrinkling as if he could somehow undo the fact that he had, in fact, been scenting the breeze. His quills bristled slightly, and he turned his back to you, clearly trying to regain his dignity.

You weren’t having it.

“Come here,” you said, reaching for him again. “Let me love you.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“…No.”

You pouted, but he didn’t budge. He was still lingering near the porch steps, his posture tense like he was still resisting the urge to prowl the perimeter. His instincts were telling him to move—to be alert, to patrol, to make sure nothing was lurking in the dark that could pose a threat to you. It was ridiculously cute.

You stood up and stepped forward, slowly sliding your arms around his waist from behind, pressing your cheek against the back of his shoulder. He tensed for a moment before sighing, his muscles relaxing under your touch.

“You don’t have to be on high alert all the time, you know,” you murmured.

“I do.”

You hummed. “Even in a completely safe area?”

“Yes.”

“Even though I am literally right here, clinging to you, completely unbothered?”

“…Yes.”

You grinned, squeezing him a little tighter. “You’re ridiculous.”

He didn’t respond, but you could feel his chest rise and fall with a deep, steady breath. He was grounding himself—letting the warmth of your touch settle him, pulling himself back from the edge of that lingering restlessness.

Then, just as you were about to pull away, he did something that made your brain short-circuit entirely.

He nudged you.

Not a normal, casual nudge. Not a bump of the shoulder or an affectionate push. No—this was different. It was small, subtle, but unmistakable.

He pressed the side of his face against yours, just briefly, just enough for you to feel the velvety texture of his fur against your skin before he pulled back.

You froze.

He had never done that before.

“…Did you just nuzzle me?”

Shadow immediately stiffened again, realization flashing through his eyes.

“…No.”

“Oh my god.” Your voice was barely a whisper, eyes wide with delight. “You did. You totally did.”

“Forget it.”

“NO.” You latched onto him again, this time with full force, rubbing your cheek against his like an overly affectionate housecat. “You can’t just do that and expect me to let it go!”

He groaned, attempting to pry you off, but it was half-hearted at best. “You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re the cutest thing to ever exist.”

“I am not—”

“You nuzzled me.”

“Let it go.”

“NEVER.”

Despite all his complaints, he didn’t push you away. He let you cling to him, let you melt against him in the cool night air, let you press tiny kisses along his jawline until his ears flicked in mild irritation. And, after a long moment, just when you thought he was done being openly affectionate, he did it again—just the lightest, briefest brush of his muzzle against your temple before he muttered, “Go inside. It’s cold.”

You grinned, squeezing him one last time before stepping back toward the door. “Only if you come too.”

He hesitated, casting one last glance toward the dark tree line before exhaling softly. “…Fine.”

You beamed, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the house.

He followed.

The night stretched on, the world quiet except for the distant rustling of trees and the occasional chirp of a lone insect. Shadow followed you inside, reluctantly allowing himself to be pulled along by your hand, though his movements were still tinged with a sort of controlled tension—like a wild animal forcing itself to step into unfamiliar territory.

You knew he was still fighting the urge to go back outside, to circle the perimeter of your home until his instincts were satisfied that you were safe. He had always been like this—hyper-aware, hyper-vigilant, a creature of habit and deeply ingrained instincts that he barely acknowledged, let alone indulged.

But tonight? Tonight, he had already let something slip.

You still couldn’t get over it. He had nuzzled you.

The moment replayed in your mind, making your chest tighten with the sheer force of how much you adored him. Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, the cold and composed warrior, had just succumbed to the tiniest, most subconscious act of affection.

And now you had to push your luck.

The moment the door clicked shut behind you, you spun on your heel, eyes gleaming with mischief. Shadow barely had a second to react before you wrapped your arms around him again, burying your face against his neck.

He stiffened instantly. “What are you doing?”

“Absorbing your cuteness.”

“Stop that.”

“Never.” You tightened your hold, swaying slightly from side to side, nuzzling into the soft fur at the base of his quills. “You can’t just nuzzle me and expect me to move on like it didn’t happen. You cuddled me, Shadow.”

“It wasn’t a cuddle.”

“It was a cuddle, and I’m going to keep bothering you about it until you admit it.”

His ear flicked in irritation, but he made no effort to actually push you away. Instead, he let out a slow exhale, his muscles gradually losing their rigidity as he allowed himself to stand there, letting you cling to him like a particularly stubborn barnacle.

You felt his head tilt slightly, just enough for him to scent your hair, and that was when you knew—you had won.

You smirked. “You’re doing it again.”

Shadow immediately pulled back, scowling. “You’re imagining things.”

“AM I?” You wiggled your eyebrows at him. “Or are you subconsciously engaging in more hedgehog behaviors because you love me?”

His glare darkened, but his silence was damning.

You gasped dramatically. “OH my god, you do.”

“I am going to Chaos Spear you.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“You’re right,” he deadpanned. “It would be a waste of energy.”

You grinned up at him. “So you do love me?”

The hesitation lasted only a second before he sighed, eyes flickering away from yours. “…Obviously.”

Your heart melted. He said it so casually, so bluntly, and yet there was something undeniably warm beneath the words. He had never been the type to offer sweet, flowery confessions, but every time he acknowledged his feelings—every time he chose to stay, to let you in, to soften even the slightest bit—it made you fall for him even more.

You cupped his face between your hands, fingertips brushing against the dark fur of his cheeks. He tensed but didn’t pull away.

“Shadow,” you whispered, your voice softer now, more sincere. “I love you, too.”

His ears twitched. He didn’t say anything right away, but his gloved hands came up to rest against your waist, a feather-light touch that spoke volumes.

And then, to your utter delight—he nuzzled you again.

It was subtle, so brief that anyone else might have missed it. But you felt it—the tiny, barely-there press of his muzzle against your cheek, the way his breath fanned warm against your skin for just a second before he pulled away.

It was enough to send your heart into a frenzy.

“…shadow.” you croaked, eyes wide.

He immediately looked regretful. “Forget that happened.”

“NO.” You grabbed onto him like your life depended on it, shaking him slightly. “YOU DID IT AGAIN.”

He scowled, clearly rethinking every decision he had made that had led to this moment. “I didn’t.”

“YOU DID. OH MY GOD, YOU LOVE ME SO MUCH, IT’S KILLING YOU, ISN’T IT?”

Shadow groaned, prying your hands off him as if physically removing you would end the conversation. “Go to bed.”

“I CAN’T.” You were practically vibrating at this point. “I’M TOO BUSY PROCESSING THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE INSTINCTS AND YOU CAN’T HELP BEING AFFECTIONATE—”

Shadow disappeared.

One moment he was in front of you, the next he had Chaos Controlled away, vanishing into thin air with a crackle of red energy.

You blinked at the empty space where he had stood.

“…He’ll be back,” you muttered to yourself.

And sure enough, about ten minutes later, you felt the faintest shift in the air behind you—the softest brush of warmth as Shadow reappeared, moving toward the bed like nothing had happened.

You didn’t say anything at first. You waited until he settled down, until the room was dark and quiet, until he was lying beside you with his back turned, pretending he was unaffected.

Then, slowly, you rolled over and pressed your forehead against his back.

“…I know you like it when I hold you,” you whispered.

Shadow didn’t move, but his ear twitched again.

“…Tch,” he muttered, but after a long pause, he sighed, shifting just slightly—just enough to let you press yourself closer, just enough to let you tangle your legs with his.

And that was all the permission you needed.

With a triumphant hum, you wrapped your arms around his waist, pressing yourself flush against his back. He was warm—solid, steady, the quiet hum of his breathing lulling you into comfort.

For a long time, neither of you spoke. The night stretched on, and the weight of sleep started pulling you down.

Then, just before you drifted off, you felt it again—so faint you almost thought you imagined it.

A tiny, almost imperceptible nuzzle against the top of your head.

Your heart squeezed.

“…Cutie,” you mumbled sleepily.

Shadow exhaled, resigned. “…Shut up.”

But he didn’t pull away.