MIKI. — you are the main character of your own fairytale.
oc blog. muse/admin 21+, time-zone gmt+8. penned by xia. links and rules under the cut, please read below before interacting!
— &&. general content.
This blog serves primarily as an archive of content pertaining to my OC, "Miki", and especially contains selfship/yumeship content.
This includes: art, oc headcanons/lore, selfship headcanons/lore, selfship drabbles/oneshots, aesthetics, roleplays. Content will be tagged accordingly.
REGARDING ROLEPLAYS ; currently "love and deepspace" is the only verse that is active for roleplay. please be sure to read through the rules below before interacting.
— &&. links/navigation.
admin/operator's art blog: @cloudxxiia
other rps (low activity): @kaianqelic @celestialmessage
oc info
verses & relationships
rp thread tracker
rp memes
— &&. general tags.
blog navigation — navigation
about miki — of the muse
queued posts — queue'll be in my heart
admin art — admin art 🤍
admin writing — adminwrites 🤍
admin covers — adminsings 🤍
selfship content — of the selfship
caleb x miki (l&ds) — ys; appleberry
ellis x miki (ikevil) — ys; nightberry
joshua x miki (ff16) — ys; berryflame
kenma x miki (haikyuu) — ys; mikken
cael anselm x miki (lbc) — ys; snowberry
out of character — behind the cloud. ooc
roleplay — once upon a time
reblogs — true love's kiss (reblog)
rp ask meme/prompts — a whole new world (prompts)
answered — wish upon a star (inbox)
rp end — happily ever after (the end)
general thoughts — a dream is a wish your heart makes
moments posts — tale as old as time (moments)
— &&. roleplay rules.
GENERAL
Roleplay on this blog prioritizes my (the admin's) comfort. This means that [1] I may answer slowly/sporadically according to life events; and, [2] I reserve the right to refuse to answer (and therefore delete) any asks that I do not feel comfortable with answering. Please respect my decision and don't take it personally, this is simply for my own personal comfort!
DO NOT...
----- a) Follow or interact if you are either a minor or a blog without any age indicator. If I catch you, you will automatically be blocked!
----- b) Use any writing or art visible on this blog (whether by me or by others) for AI training or other related purposes.
----- c) Godmod in roleplays, or otherwise dictate any actions/thoughts of my muse (Miki) during roleplays.
----- d) Spread negativity, drama, discourse, or disrespect. Please let's all be kind; avoid hate, shaming, the use of slurs or derogatory terms, etc!
----- e) Interact in any way, shape, or form if you are actually or are associated in any way with this blog, this blog, and this blog. (sincerely, please leave me alone. you have your safe space and i have mine, let's keep it that way.)
FORMAT
You may interact with Miki through asks (whether through anon or not), mentions, replies, reblogs, etc! This blog is mirrored-lit. This means that you are free to interact using shorthand prose, semi-para, multi-para, lit, or semi-lit, or however else you see fit. Whichever way you interact, I will match you!
INTERACTIONS
For now, the only verse Miki has active for roleplay is Love & Deepspace, so anyone in the Love & Deepspace universe may interact with her, including other OCs or canon characters. Miki may branch out into other fandoms someday, but for now she stays within the L&DS universe!
I may be selective with roleplay partners, and I'm more inclined to roleplay with mutuals. But that said, if you are not yet a mutual but would like to write with me, please feel free to send in an ask meme or reach out whenever via DMs! I'm totally open to seeing where things go!
SHIPS
In her Love and Deepspace verse, Miki is primarily shipped with Caleb, secondarily with Zayne. If you wish to establish romantic ships with her as either a canon character or an OC, please discuss with me beforehand! Again, I may be selective, but I'm totally open to hearing out possible dynamics!
NOTE that each ship will be considered in its own universe, so every romance is separate. You may refer to her verses page.
NOTE ON SHIPS & INTERACTIONS!
In an attempt to curate a drama-free space, please be aware that although Miki's main L&DS ship is with Caleb, this blog will not practice the concept of "mains" (main rp partner) nor "exclusives" (exclusive rp partner). This applies as well to other LIs, MCs, and OCs!
NSFW
Admin is 21+ years old, and interactions that are NSFW (sexual) in nature will definitely be present. Such content will be tagged appropriately, and nsfw (explicit) roleplay replies will be hidden under either a mature filter or a read more button. PLEASE PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF THE MEDIA YOU CONSUME!
If sharing art into my asks or tagging me in something, please be careful. CHECK FIRST if the artist allows reposts. If they do not, please only share the art via a link ONLY and do not share the image itself. If they do, please always credit back via a link and a username. Let's respect our lovely artists! (And again, please do not use any writing or art visible on this blog, whether by me or by others, for AI training or other related purposes.)
OPERATOR SPEAKS
This blog is operated by xia. Content will remain mostly in-character; however, if necessary, OOC-related content will be indicated by the following:
Come morning, right at her doorstep lay a basket. Strawberries, of course—Miki never missed an opportunity to give them to her. But wedged between a few handfuls of them sat an envelope, carefully folded, sealed with an apricot ribbon and stamped with a paw-print for extra measure.
(That paw print would be Clementine's, who had so graciously cooperated just for this special day.)
Delia,
Happy birthday!
I... spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to figure out how to write this letter. The first version was too formal, and the second one was too sappy... Clementine sat beside me as I wrote this one. She left a present, too, did you see her paw print on the envelope? I thought that maybe this would finally be the letter I could give you.
Caleb said I was overthinking it, and he was probably right. It's just... I don't think there are enough words for people like you, you know...? You've been there for so many moments of my life, now. They blur together when I try to count them. Sleepovers, afternoons at the café, conversations that last hours...
Then there are also the days where you'd sit beside me in silence, anyway.
Somehow, how do I put this... it might only have been a few years, but it's almost like I've known you for a very long time.
I want... to keep knowing you.
More and more, and more, and more.
If this is another year, then I hope we stay friends for other years, too. We can, right...? I think... I don't really know what I'd do without you.
So this is me trying to say that... on this day, someone very special to me was born. And I'm really, really, really happy for that day.
Ah, maybe letters really aren't for me, I'm not good at writing them...
When you see this, can you call me?
Even if I have to go to Skyhaven in the afternoon... I still want to spend your morning with you...
aka 4.5k words of fluff + suggestive, on caleb and miki's long-distance relationship, pt2. ft @xaviersknight's delia, and @mephisto-reporting's nymeria in the bonus cut.
"tinatangi, napapangiti mo ang aking puso."
Westline Café was one of Delia’s favorite places in the city during this time of the year, and Miki suspected at least half the reason was the flower shop next door. No discredit to Philo, of course, she was sure—but from their table by the window, she could see buckets of tulips arranged outside beneath the awning, and Delia had been distracted by them at least three times in the past ten minutes.
It was springtime.
Afternoon sunlight poured through the windows in warm sheets of gold, and every so often the café door would open, carrying in the scent of fresh flowers right from next door. Miki could understand why it made Delia so wistful.
"Look at those," Delia murmured, glancing out the window yet again. "Those pink ones are so pretty…"
"You've said that so many times now," Miki smiled softly. "Do you want to look through the shop later?"
"Do you think we could?! Just, hmm, maybe don't tell Jeremiah…"
"It's okay, I'm sure he won't mind just this once… right? I mean, um, I— I could get the flowers for you."
"Really, Miki?! Truly, you would?!"
She laughed. "Mm! I haven't gotten you any in a really long time, anyway…"
And the sound made something warm settle in Delia's chest.
It had taken a long time for Miki to become comfortable enough around her to laugh so easily—even now, she was often quiet, often tucked into herself. Miki knew that. And she knew that because of it, Delia had ended up developing a habit of collecting those smiles whenever she could. There were few things she enjoyed more than successfully making Miki laugh. It was, admittedly, one of the things that Miki herself loved so dearly about her best friend.
"You know," Delia sighed, "if I ever disappear one day, all you have to do is check the nearest flower market first. I'll be surrounded by the tulips."
"Or… You'll be trying to adopt every stray cat nearby."
"Hm. Those things can happen simultaneously."
A phone lit up on the table, then. Sunset screen, and a little chain of messages.
The reaction was immediate.
Miki's attention shifted before the screen had even fully brightened, and Delia watched—saw the exact moment Miki's expression softened, the exact minute her shoulders relaxed.
In moments like this, the world narrowed: two paper planes orbiting a window in her heart.
Delia rest her chin on her hand. "Hi, Caleb," she teased.
[ from: lucky apple 🍎 ] mornin' angel.
[ from: lucky apple 🍎 ] you and Delia havin' fun?
A newer one followed.
[ from: lucky apple 🍎 ] train's still on schedule sooo I'll pick you up when you get here.
The warmth that bloomed across Miki's face was impossible to miss.
Delia's smile softened. She thought, sometimes it was still a little astonishing, seeing someone so loved. She was glad that Miki felt that way, and that her heart was so easy to read in times like this.
"You're heading to Skyhaven after this?" she asked.
"Yeah, just… for the weekend."
"You do that route a lot, huh…"
"Mn."
"How's the long-distance thing going?"
Miki fell silent at that.
Her thumb traced absentmindedly along the edge of her phone—for a moment, she watched the sunlight catch on the screen. It wasn't an easy question to answer. The fact was that, no matter what, she was still… grateful for it. How could she ever complain, when there was a time she'd had to live completely without him? Now, even if it was set up this way, she could still see him.
And there was comfort in knowing the sky she looked at today still stretched out all the way to where he was.
She sighed softly.
"It's okay."
It really was okay.
Just…
A breeze stirred from the window.
Miki shyly met Delia's gaze, one soft, and understanding, and so gentle, that her shoulders dropped.
There was no lying to a face like that.
"…I don't like it," she whispered. "I don't like that we're always so far apart, and I can't stand being away from him and always having to wonder what he's up to, and I… I…"
"You wish there was a workaround. Right?"
Delia quietly finished for her, and Miki gave a single nod of her head.
Then, as if summoned by the conversation itself, another message arrived.
[ from: lucky apple 🍎 ] you packed light right?
[ from: lucky apple 🍎 ] with how much of your stuff's here, you could probably move in with me at this point. XD
Miki froze.
Her eyes must have widened, noticeable with the catch of her breath—
Delia leaned in. "What? What did he say?"
"I… uh… I-I—"
Miki hesitated. Another stalemate. For a moment, she simply stared down at her phone. The words themselves weren't unusual; Caleb joked about things quite frequently, and she was used to his teasing. Used to the way he'd use humor to soften more serious moments, used to the way he liked seeing little reactions from her at his ridiculousness.
Still…
Something about seeing those words written out in front of her made her heart jump.
Move in with him.
They hadn't talked about this at all, so she was sure he was only teasing. Yet, she could picture it far too easily. Waking up in Skyhaven every morning. Not checking train schedules. Not counting down the days.
Just like… when we were kids…
She swallowed.
"He said I should move in with him."
The words hung deicately in the spring air around them.
Delia blinked. Then blinked again.
"Oh."
Miki immediately ducked her head. "H… he's joking, though. I mean, probably. H-he's always…"
"...But do you want him to be?"
Another swallow, and Miki fiddled with the strawberry charm dangling on her phone case—the same strawberry charm she shared with Delia herself.
Her eyes closed.
"l'd like to," she whispered. "I'd really like to live with him."
"Don't you want to tell him that?"
"B-but I don't think he's serious—"
"You could ask him to be, then."
"Delia!"
Miki watched as she laughed, her own cheeks turning a striking shade of red at the teasing.
And yet Delia settled, reached over to poke her forehead, but gentled her smile. "Hey, I know how much you love him. I think… you'd be happy. so I support this. And, hm, if you end up not being happy, you know I'll always be happy to have a bone to pick with the Colonel."
This time it was Miki who laughed, and Miki who shook her head. Her thumbs typed out a small, quick reply.
[ to: lucky apple 🍎 ] haha;;; maybe someday? ><
The room remained dim save for the bedside lamp. Outside, the night in Skyhaven stayed quiet, a few stars here and there to light up the sky, and Miki let out a soft, content sigh.
She felt barely awake.
Her face was buried into the pillows, limbs heavy with exhaustion… they'd changed the sheets, yet she could still feel the slick mess he'd left between her legs.
Not that she could be bothered to muster the energy to move… Which Caleb knew, of course.
Miki heard the water running somewhere nearby, and then footsteps.
The mattress shifted.
"Angel?"
His voice was low enough that it almost blended into the quiet, the familiarity of it sending a comforting wave of warmth through Miki's chest. She barely lifted her head to look at him before answering with a sleepy hum.
Caleb brushed her hair away from her face. "Hey, sit up for a sec. Drink some water first, okay?"
"Mm… but m'sleepy, Caleb…"
"I know, I know."
Miki could hear the amusement in his voice, and it only made her huff indignantly. "I-it's your fault…!"
"Pfft, what? This goes two ways, pips. You were beggin' me to go harde—"
"Caleebbbb!"
And her head was all fuzzy.
She felt him lean in to place a kiss on her forehead after a laugh, then the sound of a glass being set on the nightstand. Only then did she shift, and she opened her eyes.
"Okay, okay. If you don't want to drink water yet, then at least let me clean you up," he raised an eyebrow.
A grin tugged at his lips.
"Look at you, still so sticky down there… Really took it all today, huh?"
Miki groaned.
It was infuriating how insufferable he could be with her after sex, and yet—again, the familiarity of it made her heart flutter. Caleb's teasing had become something she was used to, and frustrated by, and craved, all at the same time. Now, lying pliant before him, all marked up and full, was no different. She couldn’t say she didn't like it. Not when still looked at her with those lovesick eyes of his that he reserved only ever for her, and not when he gently caressed her cheek, a motion so reminiscent of the way he'd worshipped her body just moments before.
The sleepy glare in her eyes—one that held little weight in the first place—softened with another kiss on her forehead.
"Mn… you win," she huffed quietly.
Caleb laughed. And with utmost care, he spread her legs, pressed a warmed, fluffy towel to her inner thigh, started wiping away the mess in long, soothing strokes. Miki's eyes fell back closed. She let out soft hum of appreciation. He moved higher, gently parting her folds with the towel, cleaning the creamy mix of his cum and her own slickness from her sensitive flesh. The touch was sensual—deliberate, yet tender—as he dragged the warm fabric along her slit, gathering the thick, pearly strands that clung to her.
"…I love you, you know," she murmured, dreamily. "So, so much…"
"Mhm, and I love you, more than the entire universe."
Miki smiled against the pillow. "You always say that."
"'Cause it's true."
"W-what if I love you just as much as that, then?"
Caleb chuckled. Miki felt him carefully tuck the blanket back around her legs, and the mattress shifted as he settled beside her, one arm immediately finding its way around her waist. The familiar weight of him drew another content little sigh from her.
"Guess the universe'll just have to get bigger to hold both our love then, huh?"
He nuzzled into her, nudging her up to meet his lips in a soft, sleepy kiss.
It stayed that way for a while.
For all the distance, and the goodbyes, and the reuniting, and every moment they had to spend apart before running into each others' embraces once more… Perhaps, it taught them both to better appreciate more moments, just like this. To treasure the way he felt pressed up warmly against her. To treasure the soft whispers into her ears. To treasure the way he looked at her, the way he kissed her, the way they could lay like this and bask in the presence of the other without any more left in the world to worry about.
Caleb looked at her, and nudged her nose again with his.
"Angel, can I… Ask you somethin', though?"
"Mm…?"
"Your uh, text, this morning." He paused. "Just, y'know, wondering. Did you mean it? About… movin' in someday?"
Miki stiffened. It was subconscious, because she'd been hoping that he wouldn't bring it up. But of course he remembered. Caleb always remembered everything she said. Everything she didn't say, too.
But, just… what if she'd overstepped?
He suggested it first, but what if he wasn't serious at all, but she'd turned it into that?
"Pip-squeak?"
"I…"
Miki averted her gaze.
"D-did you want me to mean it?" she murmured.
He let out a hum, but it wasn't an answer. Part of her wondered if he was waiting for her to say it first—if he wanted to hear her say it, like those little times he'd nudge her to speak her mind.
And what was the use, really, lying to him now? What was the use, really, in hiding something from the person who knew her best? Miki had never successfully done that before. Now, in this moment, she was given the opportunity to speak the truth without him turning her words back to her because he knew.
She turned, buried her head into his chest.
"Is it… is it okay if I did?" she whispered. "Is it okay if I meant it? If I wanted to move in with you? Is… i-is it really possible? I don't like the distance… I don't like not being able to see you… I-it doesn't matter if I'll have to take the train to Linkon all the time, I just want to be with you everyday, and not have to wait for weekends, or special holidays, or—"
"What're you doin', mumblin' around like that?"
Caleb chuckled, ran his fingers through her hair. Though he wouldn't be able to see it himself, Miki felt a wave of warmth rush over her face, another hue of red to color her cheeks.
"But, well… yeah."
He nuzzled into her hair, trying and failing to fight back the urge to break out into a goofy little smile.
"Yeah, okay. Let's do it. Let's move in together."
Miki's eyes widened.
She moved, then, had the sudden strength to sit up and look at him in awe. There it was—that grin of his that he couldn’t hold back, the relief that she felt reflected cleanly in his own eyes.
"R… really?!" she gasped.
"Mhm. I mean, I told you, right? Half your stuff's already here, sooo…"
Miki crashed back into his arms, cherishing the laugh he broke into as she covered his face with kisses.
I love you, I love you, I love you.
She didn't say it, but her actions proved those three words well enough.
The first few trips hardly felt like moving at all.
Miki still took the train to Skyhaven on Friday evenings. She still returned home at the end of the weekend. She still unlocked the door to her apartment, still stepped into the familiar silence waiting for her there. Only now, each time she left, something stayed behind—another sweater, folded into one of Caleb's drawers… A stack of sheet music, tucked beside the piano he kept in his living room.
Other times, it was a weekend in Linkon. Caleb would help; they'd pack cardboard boxes together, small ones balanced on her kitchen counter while he knelt beside it, folding the flaps together.
Clothes, books, kitchenware—
And one day, Miki opened her closet and rrealized that several hangers sat there empty.
Her apartment grew quieter. First packed into boxes, then emptied into a typical living space… It was one that felt less and less like hers, because home had become elsewhere.
Home had become Skyhaven.
His place now felt even less like that same dreary, orderly, functional space of a Colonel who found little reason to remain at home, and more like a space that held all these pieces of their life… together. Her music books occupied shelves, the piano seat held more of her sheet music. Her perfume, and lotion, and skincare—even her hair ties began to materialize in impossible locations, enough to bring a chuckle to their lips at the sight of it.
Their very last moving day arrived on a bright Saturday morning.
Spring sunlight streamed through the apartment windows, illuminating dust motes that drifted lazily through the air, and the bookshelves were empty. The walls bare where framed photographs once hung.
What remained fit into only a few boxes gathered neatly by the front door. Miki was kneeling beside one of them, carefully wrapping a small ceramic figurine in newspaper, when a knock sounded through the apartment.
The door swung open.
"Good morning!"
Delia stepped in carrying a paper bag from one of Miki's favorite bakeries, and behind her, Caleb closed the door. "I brought breakfast!"
The paper bag crinkled as she lifted it slightly for emphasis, and she walked further inside without hesitation, settling it down on the kitchen counter.
"Ran into your boyfriend down the hall, so I guess I had to get some breakfast sandwiches for him, too…"
"And the strawberry muffins?" Miki padded over to her hopefully.
Delia grinned.
"And the strawberry muffins."
Miki was happy to receive the muffin in question, and when Caleb walked over, she gave him the first bite with a bright smile on her face. "Isn't Delia really the best?"
"Mm, she has good taste…"
"That muffin was for Miki."
"What? She gave it to me."
"Um…!" Miki hurriedly slot herself between the two with an awkward smile, and then promptly distributed the sandwiches in the bag. "Th- thanks, 'Del... It’s really nice of you to drop by and see us off, and everything…"
She watched as her friend sighed, leaned against the counter, and offered Miki a smile of her own—one a little helpless, one a little warm, one full of adoration for her that she otherwise wouldn't have been able to put into words.
"How could I not? I haven't been over for a while, and this place looks different without all your stuff. It's really happening, huh…"
"…Yeah."
Caleb unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite, moving back towards the doorway and crouching down by the boxes. He gave Miki a small smile—something about offering space, something about letting her have this moment with Delia, even if the two were often at odds with each other. It was Delia watched him for a second, then shook her head with another sigh.
"You know, I have to make sure. That you're, you know, sure." She looked to Miki with a raised eyebrow. But when their eyes met, her own softened into that same, familiar look of fondness. "You really love him, don't you."
It wasn't a question.
Delia knew the answer to it herself—and this, Miki knew, was her way of saying she acknowledged it.
"Delia…"
"No, no, I'm not going to lecture you about it," she laughed. "Just… I'm happy for you."
"Really?"
"Mhm. Because you're happy. And I can tell that he's been good to you, too. I think the both of you have grown a lot together."
"I… I think so, too."
"Of course, as always, I offer up my place in case he decides to be an ass—" she gave a pointed look in Caleb's direction with a deliberately raised voice—
"I heard that."
"Good. You were supposed to."
"G-guys…"
"Well, I can also see how safe you feel whenever you're with him. And how much he does for you."
Miki noticed the way she opened her mouth to add something else, then, only to stop herself halfway through the thought. Delia took a bite of her muffin instead. Her own gaze drifted toward the window, then toward Caleb, who was taping one of the final boxes shut across the room.
Delia swallowed.
Then sighed.
"I… still think, sometimes." She brushed a crumb from her fingers. "I think that I want to do so much more for you. I try to do more for you. And, Miki, that night… Maybe I realized, a little, that there's a limit to how much I can."
"Del…"
"Maybe a part of me is still a little angry at him. That maybe if he'd just made better decisions back then, you wouldn't have had to go through all that you did. But I know he's even angrier at himself for that, and, you know, he's been trying. I see that, too. And I know that you've settled your own heart on staying with him... and that's what matters the most. That you chose all of this."
She set down the muffin. She sighed again, somewhat fondly, then leaned back against the counter with her eyes trained on him.
"I mean, Who am I to stop you from going where you really belong, right?" she spoke wistfully. "I've always known that your home was with him. So I'm really happy you're taking that step together."
Miki's own expression softened, and she shuffled closer, wrapping her arms around Delia's waist for a hug.
She closed her eyes.
In that quiet, still moment, she felt even more of the love they'd always shared, and she knew she couldn’t have wished for a better friend.
"Thanks, Del," she spoke softly. "Really… Thank you."
She laughed, gave Miki some little pats on her back. Then she gently pushed her away.
"Okay, well! Let's get going, shall we? Come on, I'll go with you two to the station."
After that, it was a quick drop-off of the key to the landlady, another quick ride to the station, and then Miki stood with Caleb on the platform, hand in hand, while Delia looked at them with crossed arms.
"Caleb, be good," she looked at him sternly.
"Yes, ma'am."
"I mean it! Be good to her! I will drag her back to Linkon if you mess up and make her cry!"
"D-Delia—"
"And you, Miki, the commute will be much longer to the Association now… But don't stress yourself too much, okay? If need be, you can crash over with me and the girls anytime."
Miki smiled. These were the same concerns they'd talked about prior—not just today, but those late-night calls, those little cafe dates. Still, to this very moment, Delia remained protective, and caring, and truly a person that Miki so adored.
"I'll be good, too, Del," she nodded resolutely.
"Aaand… If the worst happens, I've got a plane," Caleb chipped in.
Miki turned to him with a worried frown. "Um, but you're not supposed to use it like that…"
The announcement read off the last call.
Immediately the pair looked towards the Coelum Express, and Caleb gave her a gentle nudge.
"Ready to go, angel?"
"Mm!"
With one last hug—and a handshake of truce with Caleb—Delia bade them goodbye.
The minute they'd got on the train and the doors closed, Caleb smiled.
"Let's go home, Miki."
BONUS:
"Caleb—stop!"
Miki laughed, breathless and rosy-cheeked, squirming beneath him as he tickled her sides.
The golden afternoon light poured through the windows as spring gave way to summer, and now their little home felt just like it: warm, and cozy, and a little more like home should feel like. It was proof, almost. That the months had since settled down into a different start of their life together.
The sweet smell of strawberries lingered from the snack they'd both had a few moments earlier. Caleb had Miki pinned beneath him on the couch, basking in the little giggles she couldn't help but let out. Her hands pushed at his chest—he was ruthless, in a way, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to want the moment to end.
"Pshhh. No way! You took the last strawberry. No matter how much you like them, you've gotta pay up, too."
She let out a squeal of laughter, then. Once more his hands started up, and Miki felt breathless—her cheeks hurt from grinning, her heart pounding from a different kind of adrenaline, one borne of laughter and joy, and less of her own uncertainties.
There had been less of those, lately.
Living together had filled their days with dozens of little moments—happy ones, fuller ones. They were small routines, of sorts, that now belonged only to them. Moments, that felt a little different from the time they shared together on the weekends. Things like Caleb making coffee before sunrise. Miki stealing half his blankets during the night. Shared, late-night dinners. Or quiet evenings in the living room, with him sitting beside her and humming along as she played on the piano. The freedom she found in being like this—staying with him—made her feel more at peace than she had been the past years. It really felt… as if it had always supposed to be this way.
The phone rang on the coffee table.
Panting, from all the squirming and the tickles, Miki turned, giving more force to her push this time as she shoved at his chest. "Wait… Wait, time out! I… I-I have to get that!"
He didn't have the option to refuse as she scrambled away from him. What she didn't see was that fond, absolutely lovesick expression on his face as he stared after her.
Miki answered the phone with a slightly winded voice. "H- hello?"
"Miki, hey!"
Nymeria's voice.
Immediately Miki's expression softened, and she sat up by the coffee table, giving her friend the fullest attention.
"Nym! I… I wasn't expecting you to call, is something up?"
"Hm? Sorry! I'm kinda out, actually, but I had to call. Is this a good time? Sorry if you were busy!"
"No, no, it's okay! I was just, um… We were just messing around. What is it?"
She heard Nymeria laugh over the phone. "Messing around? Sure, Miks, I'll take your word for it. Listen, I won't keep you long, but we just got the thing you wanted! You know, that reservation you asked Sylus and I to take care of? It's all set and ready now, we're just asking Luke and Kieran to handle the rest, if that's cool with you!"
"O- oh!"
Miki's face lit up immediately, and she leaned forward with obvious excitement. She paid little attention to the way Caleb had shifted closer, began idly tracing shapes on her back. "Gosh, thank you guys—that's… that's awesome! Um, i-if it's not too much trouble to ask of the twins, then that would be really helpful… I'll clear a day within the week to come over and help, too!"
"Yeah? Great! It's also been way forever since us girls all hung out together, so we should sneak that in, too. You know, the other day…"
This time, Caleb's hands began to wander.
They were subtle touches—the curve of her waist, first, then under her sweater. Testing, playful little kneads of her skin—
Miki's breath hitched.
"So you have to be there, okay? We need a shopping trip, and we're not having one without you!"
"Um… y-yeah— yes, I'd love that…!"
Her voice came out a little shakier than intended. Behind her, Caleb smirked, slowly edging his touch down to the inside of her thighs.
Unfortunately for her, Nymeria had picked up on the sudden change.
"Miks? You okay?"
"Y-yes! Yes, I'm— eep—!"
Caleb had waited long enough.
With a chuckle, he pulled her right by the waist, yanking her back into his arms, having that same audacity to grin at the expression of incredulousness on her face.
He plucked the phone smoothly from her fingers.
"Nymeria, right? Sorry, she'll call you back. We're a little busy."
Click.
The phone settled neatly back on the table, call cut, with a practiced flick of his hand. And despite the flush on Miki's face, and the absolute horror of having to face not just Nymeria, but—she was sure—the rest of the girls the next time they met, she melted like chocolate under the weight of his gaze.
"C-Caleb… that was mean…" she whined. "We have time today, you could've let me finish…"
He shrugged lightly. "Sorry. You always bein' with me's been makin' me a little greedy, y'know?"
He pinned her back against the couch, nuzzling into her hair, slotting himself between her legs.
"Now… Where were we?"
☁️; — EEEEE. OK. LAST FIC TO SET UP BEFORE THE BIRTHDAY FIC TM. EEEEEEEE………….. that im finally getting through the Important Drafts in my appleberry timeline is making me super happy UUUUUUUU
this fic is a direct sequel to 'all of the stars' and it was also based on one of the daily texts with caleb !!! :
i think it would take a lot of time for them to settle in with the idea of actually moving in together for good, not really because it's new, per se, but i think, even for caleb,,, there's a little bit of him wanting to make sure she really wants it, too. we all know he's wanted her to stay in skyhaven with him for 5ever. i like to think of this moment as him giving her the space to make the decision for himself instead of—unlike in homecoming wings—forcing a choice on her. at this point, miki and caleb would've worked through a lot of the problems in ther relationship, one of which would be miki's balance between autonomy and her natural dependence on him <3
────── caleb x miki ; all of the stars ; long distance. ᰔ
aka 7.6k words of fluff & angst, on caleb and miki's long-distance relationship. ft. @xaviersknight's xavlia, @mephisto-reporting's nymlus, @xavissky's staryne.
"you're on the other side as the skyline splits in two; i'm miles away from seeing you."
"And, like, I'm telling you. If I had five minutes in that theater, I totally would've stolen the show!"
Star was standing on the couch, one hand on her hip. She had her arm out, a dramatic finger pointing at—well—no one, in particular, despite the sincerely smug expression on her face, but Miki, who had been watching her theatrics for the past five minutes, let out a soft laugh.
"On the contrary," came a hum, "You would've been escorted outside in three."
"Hey! You're supposed to be a supportive boyfriend—"
"And I am, by being honest."
Zayne, with a hint of a smile, replied with a voice contrastingly calm to Star's. He didn't look up, only settled for taking another bite of the cheesecake on his plate, before promptly offering some to his girlfriend.
And it was cheesecake, of course—because this was Miki's celebration.
It was that day.
No strings pulled, but of her own widely-recognized effort—she had done the opening performance for Skyhaven's newest grand theater, just mere moments before. Miki's own heart still stirred at the memory of it. The warm spotlight, the large stage… Rows, and rows, of seating, and Miki had stood there, used her voice in the way that she loved, in front of arguably the largest audience she'd ever performed in front of before. Looking back, she knew her younger self would never have believed she'd made it this far. And now, basking in the thrill of it, a small smile turned up the corners of her lips as she glanced bashfully back down at her feet.
In the same vein, this was also the liveliest she'd ever seen Caleb's home.
Cheesecake, and strawberries, and all her favorite dishes… Her friends had insisted on throwing her a little celebration party right after the performance, and there was no reason for Caleb to refuse when she'd lit up with loving disbelief herself.
Everyone really did… put in so much effort…
Beside her, Delia's arms wrapped loosely around her shoulders, and her chin rest lightly against her head.
"You did really well, though, Miki," she murmured. Soft—as if she knew, and she did, that Miki hadn't yet fully absorbed the night's events. "I mean it. Standing applause and everything, too, you know? The audience loved you."
"Haha… i-it was, um, a lot of people… who stood up, and everything…"
"You were just that amazing!"
Xavier peeked out from behind her, subtly pulling Delia back into his arms. Still, he nodded in quiet agreement. Miki looked at him, and found that same soft, yet genuine look of approval—pride, if anything, of her achievements. It brought another wave of warmth over her chest.
"You captivated the whole room," he smiled. "Not everyone can do that, so you should be proud."
"Yeah, no, really!"
This time it was Nymeria who spoke, chiming in where she sat cross-legged on the floor. "I mean, how did anyone stay all well-behaved and clapping normally when you were done?! If the venue wasn't so fancy then I'd have been yelling and cheering—WHOAH—"
In her enthusiastic response, she'd spilled a glass of champagne onto her lap, and beside her, Sylus promptly handed her a napkin. "Likely for your benefit, sweetie. You could have knocked over the woman next to you."
"She was way too close, it wouldn't have been my fault…"
"Anyway, what the point is," Gideon raised his own glass with a nod of his head towards Miki, "is that this one's to you, Miks!"
"Cheers!"
And shouts and laughter rippled through the room, and Miki could almost… melt, in all of it.
She'd wondered, then—just how long had she felt so far from this kind of feeling? So much had happened in the past year, and these people, and all of their feelings, and all of this warmth… they were hers now. She was loved. And this, too, she knew her younger self would have likely never believed it could happen. That this time, her world was open, and free. And full of all these people she could hold tightly, close to her heart.
Her eyes softened.
Still…
Miki's gaze turned to the kitchen where Caleb had disappeared to a few moments earlier, and the noise around her buzzed.
She loved her friends, she did, but it was also…
"Hey," Delia murmured, tilting her head up to catch her eyes. "You okay?"
With a quick nod and a little smile, Miki stood slowly. "Um, yeah, I just…" Again she looked in the direction of the kitchen. "I… I-I think I'll go get some water."
"Okay… Do you want me to—"
"N-no!"
She spoke too quickly.
Ah, the noise is getting…
She glanced back at the group. Star was there, again—animated, telling some kind of story, freely bickering with Gideon who insisted that haunted houses were not scary—
She turned to Delia and offered a sheepish smile. Her head felt a little heavy, despite the warm fluttering in her chest. "I… I'll be back. Just, um, give me a moment, okay?"
Xavier turned to give her a curious look of his own, before promptly nuzzling his head into Delia's shoulder.
"Xavier…"
"She'll be fine, just stay here…"
Miki slipped out before anyone else could stop her.
And in contrast, the kitchen was much… quieter.
The noise from the living room still drifted through in muffled bouts of laughter and voices, but it was much more bearable. Miki felt herself relax. Shoulders loosened, and a long, slow breath of relief... She'd spent far too much time in the spotlight for one day.
Here…
Caleb stood at the counter, sleeves pushed up, moving easily between chopping and plating in that same smooth, easy way that he'd always done. The softer lighting they'd installed here caught gentle along his shoulders, the line of his back familiar enough that something in Miki settled instantly.
He glanced over when she approached. A grin tugged at his mouth.
"Miss me already?" he teased.
There was a pause—Miki, ever gravitating towards him, let her gaze move down to the floor. Instead of answering immediately, she allowed herself a while, allowed herself a little moment of indulgence as she hovered in his orbit, basked in the safety of it.
A few steps closer.
"…Yeah," she murmured.
It had slipped out before she could think about it, but she didn't take it back. Likely noting the blush that had formed on her cheeks from directness of her words, Caleb let out a quiet laugh under his breath.
"Well," he hummed, "good thing I'm not goin'’' anywhere."
"Zayne! That's literally your third slice of cake this evening!"
"I'm only taking what's available…"
The noise drifted in again.
Despite herself, Miki let out another smile, but it wasn't just that her friends were being silly... There was something grounding about it—being here, with him, even as things still continued outside. Miki liked having her own little world with him, liked the predictability of his movements, liked the quiet confidence he had in the things that he did.
"You didn't have to spend so much time here all alone," she mumbled.
"Yeah, but who else's gonna cook my girl's favorites?" He nudged her, "Plus, I thought you'd want some time with your friends. They came all the way here to Skyhaven to watch you. Even I know how much they care about you."
Miki smiled.
"If this was back in high-school…"
"I'd… be makin' sure I mattered more, yeah," he laughed.
A few more chops, before the pieces of garlic floated into the pan.
Caleb turned away from her to give it attention—
But Miki's elbow bumped the edge of the counter. A bell pepper rolled clean off, and in that brief moment of silence, it hit the floor with a dull little thud.
Caleb paused.
They both looked down, then at each other. And then his mouth curled immediately. "Clumsy."
"I… I-I'm sorry, I didn't—"
"I know."
With another little laugh, he shook his head, sat the knife aside with a soft clink. "But seriously, you can stop bein' cute. Leave this to me, yeah? It's your day."
But…
Perhaps she was doing this to sneak in a little more time with him alone; perhaps she was doing this in another attempt to stay in his orbit as more than just a little decoration. Because even now, few things have changed. She'd still let Caleb do everything, when she could clearly have let him share more of his burdens with her…
She smiled wryly.
It's just cooking, Miki. You don't even like cooking.
Still, she acted before thinking.
They both crouched at the same time; Miki had moved instinctively. And their hands reached towards it, paused as their fingers brushed—
Ah…
There was the scent of his cologne. Her cologne.
Up close like this, knees nearly touching, and faces mere inches apart… Miki could smell the soft scent of strawberries, and she vaguely remembered having left a bottle of her perfume at his place.
He's… wearing my…
Caleb's expression softened. Miki watched as his eyes met hers, watched his hand raise to gently cup her cheek.
"I told you to leave it to me, pips… You really—"
Miki leaned in.
You used my perfume.
Her lips pressed against his.
You keep my sweaters, and a stock of all the things I like…
Did you know, Caleb?
I keep yours, too.
The world narrowed down to the two of them, soft breaths mingling when she pulled back. Those eyes of his, the color of the sky she loved so dearly, and the sun she reached for in all her days…
Her own closed, and Caleb pressed his forehead to hers, close enough for her lashes to brush against his cheek.
"What're you doin', angel?" he whispered.
"I… I-I don't know…"
"Don't know? Hmm… M'sure you know how fast my heart's beating right now all 'cause of you…"
"I, just…"
Caleb's nose nuzzled against hers.
When Miki's eyes opened, there was a slow, crooked smile on his face—one so gone, so helplessly in love with her—
"If you wanted to kiss me," he whispered, lips just about ghosting hers, "you've never had to sneak 'round for it, y'know. 'Cause I can just do… this."
When he leaned in, the brush of his lips started soft. Slow—intentional. His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek, and when he kissed her like this, Miki knew he was giving her as much of the love he had for her as he could.
If you want a kiss, she could hear him, you can just ask.
"Caleb!"
Gideon's voice cut through from the living room, causing Miki's eyes to widen as she immediately sprung far apart from Caleb in shock.
"Dude! Where are you, man?! Hurry before the cheesecake's all gone!"
For a while, the both of them looked almost incredulous at the sudden interruption, before Caleb huffed out a laugh.
"Patience is a virtue, you know."
"Then stop fooling around with your girl and c'mere! Seriously… Who serves dessert as an appetizer?!"
"It's not the worst idea in the world…"
"Zayne!"
Caleb rolled his eyes, before looking back to Miki with a grin.
"C'mere, pip-squeak."
She gasped as she felt herself lifted weightless up from the floor, before she crashed right into his arms. Instantly, he peppered her face with kisses.
"I—mmfph— C-Caleb, wai—!"
He laughed, placing one last peck on the tip of her nose. "There. Now you won't miss me too bad, right? If we're lucky…" He stood up and offered his hand, not before giving her a cheeky little wink. "You'll get way more than that when they're all gone."
"Caleb!"
"Haha. C'mon, help me finish this dish before we get back out there."
That was the last time they'd spent time together for the next three weeks.
It was torture, almost. Texts, and calls, and letters would do what they would do—but even so, Miki couldn't deny that craving his presence was something that things like that just couldn't solve.
On the third week, she'd received a summon at headquarters on a very urgent notice. Another weekend she'd be unable to travel to Skyhaven, and another mission she needed to focus on. Another quick message, another "Don't do anythin' reckless, alright, angel?"
And if she could think that the sudden influx of Wanderers the past week had been trying to keep them apart… It was a silly thought, but one she grumbled with on the inside anyway.
Still, they'd made their way to the location by early morning.
The forest stretched endlessly beyond the clearing—dense black trees tangled together beneath a dim blue sky, the morning mist curling low around their boots. A rusted warning sign hung crooked near the entrance to the trail:
NO-HUNT ZONE #45 — RESTRICTED ACCESS
Someone had spray-painted over half the lettering years ago.
Star immediately pulled her jacket tighter around herself. "Okay," she announced, staring into the trees, "this place is sooo haunted."
"It’s four in the morning," Nymeria yawned. "Everything feels haunted at four in the morning."
"No like, seriously! Look at this!" Star gestured dramatically toward the woods. "This is where people hear whispering and then die."
"Did you stay up watching a horror movie, or something…? Look, it'll only be ominous if you think about it. Personally, I'm choosing optimism!"
"Riiight… Only a member of the Alpha Team can ever be optimistic about this…"
Delia cleared her throat.
"Well, optimism, as Nym said, in this case is in the fact that this is only classified as a retrieval mission." She gave a light tap on Star's shoulder, before she offered the girl a reassuring smile. "We're avoiding as much unnecessary combat as possible. So… Don't worry, Star. We'll keep you safe."
"Yeah, and anyway! How long has it been since all four of us got assigned the same place?! Almost a shame Xavier couldn't make it! Right, Del?"
"…Xavier is dealing with fluctuations elsewhere."
Miki simply let out a sigh as she looked further ahead into the forest.
It wasn't often that they were assigned missions in No-Hunt Zones, but she had come to dread the very few times that they were.
"No matter how many times we've been briefed on missions like this, the No-Hunt Zones really are scary…" she murmured.
"See! See! Miks, you totally get it!"
What's more…
Miki ignored the way Star had clung to her arm, and warily fastened the strap of her gloves tighter around her wrists.
Though it should go without saying that if the Data Analysis team had picked up faint signals of an aether core in this forest, it wouldn't be a normal forest… Still, the air felt strange in this place. A slight glance at Delia told her their leader had felt the exact same thing, and it did little to quell her unease.
She closed her eyes briefly, letting herself listen. And there, beneath the rustle of leaves and distant birdsong, she felt a faint, pulsing rhythm.
An aether core shouldn't feel like that… should it?
"Miki?"
She blinked, and looked up.
Delia had been watching her carefully. "Do you sense anything?"
"Um… kind of. Not what we're looking for, I don't think, but… There's definitely something in there…"
Star groaned dramatically. "I'm like, seriously not built for the things you guys do!"
"Sorry, Star… But, um, if the worst happens, then we'll really need your evol…"
"But Xavier isn't here to teleport us out of here!"
"Chill, girl, it'll help us escape regardless!"
"Ugh…"
Once again, Delia cleared her throat, and tapped her watch once. "Focus. Let's review the plan one more time."
Everyone gathered closer instinctively.
"The Protocore signal was gathered to be strongest near the center," Delia explained. "We enter through the east path here—" she gestured toward the narrow trail disappearing into the trees, "—avoid the deeper Wanderer nests we know of, retrieve the core, and then leave before dusk. Ideally."
"Simple," Nymeria nodded.
"Simple to say…" Star whined.
Delia ignored them both.
"Nym, you'll stay front-line if we encounter resistance. Star, keep visibility support and monitor injuries." Her gaze shifts toward Miki then, gentler. "Miki, conserve your resonance where you can. Don't overuse it. You have me here as well."
Miki nodded obediently. "Okay."
Delia studied her face for a moment longer, almost as if she wanted to ask something else, but seemed to abandon the thought after another few seconds. Instead, she stepped back and unsheathed one of her pistols with a smooth click.
"Alright," she said, letting out a slow breath. "We've got this. Okay?"
"We've got this…!"
The four of them nodded resolutely at each other, and Delia gestured forward.
"Let's move."
Step. Step. Crunch.
It was Star who'd almost jumped at the sound of a branch snapping into half.
"Ohmigod! If you could just, like, I dunno! Walk carefully!" She whisper-yelled, to no one in particular.
Miki, who had stepped on the branch, offered her a sheepish smile. "Sorry…"
"Star, literally relax. We've been walking here for hours and there haven't been any Wanderers. Don't kill the good vibe!"
"Mm… but that's a little bit of the problem."
Behind them, Delia had paused her footsteps, and turning towards her Miki could catch the faint trace of a frown.
Because they had been walking for hours.
The three of them who knew No-Hunt Zones from deeper experience also knew one thing—that something like that shouldn't be normal.
"Okay, but don't scare our resident scaredy-cat…" Nymeria sighed.
Still, Delia shared a look with Miki, who could only shudder at the memory of getting lost in a forest much like this one.
And Miki could see it in her eyes. Delia had been using her resonance more frequently than she had, and she was certain she'd sensed something she wasn't quite voicing out.
"Del," she said softly, "what did you sense?"
"That's… the thing. Nothing at all, Miki. Isn't that… weird?"
Miki glanced around.
The forest was quiet, and they'd been following the same narrow trail that had been outlined on their map. The mist—sticky, and unfrendly, and not at all soothing the way Star's was—seemed to thicken the further in that they traveled, swallowing the morning light that peeked in through the canopy until everything became all muted silver and shadow.
Hand to her chest, her eyes closed. Resonance extended in waves, listening, feeling for any sort of signal—
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
A gasp, and she withdrew, a slight stinging pain in her head drawing her out of it.
"Miki? What is it?" Delia rushed to her in concern, and Miki held her head with her gaze drawn to the floor.
"I… I don't know. It's the same thing as earlier. There's something, but I… I can't place it. Even the rhythm is unstable, a-and I can't read it, it keeps—"
"Okay. It's okay. Relax."
Immediately Delia placed a hand over hers, enough for Miki to pause, remember the beating rhythm of her own heart.
Right… Relax…
Nymeria glanced around, before taking another step forward. "Well… Didn't we already know the readings were distorted, though? Maybe it's really just like that."
"But…"
"It'll be fine!"
Both Miki and Star looked to Delia next, who sighed and followed suit. "Let's stick with the plan. There's no point in moping about what-ifs now."
And yet, the deeper they walked, the heavier the pressure that built in Miki's chest.
With small, testing little bouts of resonance, she heard the wind through the branches, the soft vibration of Delia's footsteps, the nervous heartbeat of Star's, Nymeria's heavier stride ahead of them.
Ah—
Miki's eyes widened.
Almost simultaneously, their watches beeped collectively with a reading, and Miki's gaze moved upward.
"A… Above!"
A shriek tore through the forest, and the trees exploded with movement. A Wanderer lunged from the mist above, so fast it barely even looked real, all jagged limbs and twisting black mass—Miki didn't even know what this one was. In that moment, she suddenly wished she had Nero to contact easily.
Nevertheless, Nymeria took action quickly.
A clean, precise strike easily cut the Wanderer in half.
"Three incoming. Left flank." Delia raised a pistol smoothly as more movement flashed through the fog ahead, and shots cracked sharply through the trees.
Two Wanderers dropped instantly.
"Star! Last one's heading—"
"Come to me!"
Star shrieked and scrambled back as the remaining Wanderer made a lunge towards her, but before it could reach her, the sound of Miki's voice seemed to halt its movements. In the next second, its head snapped almost eerily in Miki's direction—taking a better look at it, this one seemed larger than the ones they'd just defeated.
Is this the leader of these Wanderers…?
She broke off into a sprint, clearly leading the Wanderer in her own path now that it had locked onto her.
"Nymeria, it's yours!"
The girl's sword flashed in a clean silver arc, and the Wanderer collapsed instantly at her feet.
And their watches beeped.
Again.
And again.
And again.
"There's… m-more?"
Back to back, the four of them regrouped, finding themselves face-to-face with numerous glowing, red gazes. Five first, then eight… ten… twelve…
More.
Star grit her teeth. "Um, so, do any of you know what these things are?!"
"They they look like Knaves, almost…"
"They're definitely not, though. They're not as agile." Delia spoke with certainty in her voice as they approached, and she gripped her pistols tightly. "They're not attacking, either, it's almost like they're…"
"Observing?" Miki pursed her lips into a thin line. "I-it's odd... Even if they were Knaves, just why are there so many of them? They're easy enough for us to kill, but with this number…"
Grimly, Nymeria let out a short laugh. "Well. Good thing they aren't Knaves, huh? Those ones work pretty badly with you, Miks. Your resonance barely works against those things."
Miki nodded with a sigh.
"Dellie, your call! What do we do?"
And it was true that this wasn't quite unusual work for them. As members of the UNICONRS sector, they were some of the most capable Hunters out there. The fact was—they weren't assigned retrieval missions like this because they were easy, they were assigned them because they could survive things that other teams couldn't.
That had always been what it meant to be part of this sector.
And these Wanderers—if the number had ended with what they could see, Miki knew they could take it.
Keyword: If.
"Del… There'll be more," she whispered. "I can…"
"Sense them?" she grit her teeth. "Yeah. I can, too. But we don't have much of a choice when we're surrounded. Star can't use her evol to get us out of here like this, so…"
Delia took in a deep breath.
"Formation!"
The command snapped through the clearing immediately, and Miki inhaled slowly.
Come and get me.
The effect was immediate. On resonance, several of the Wanderers shifted abruptly towards her instead of the others, movements jerking unnaturally as though something inside them had been hooked, and pulled. Miki exhaled. She broke out into another run, gathering a group behind her.
Three of them. No… Five. Six…
"Right side!" Delia called.
Gunfire cracked sharply through the woods. Wind spiraled around the bullets mid-flight, curving their trajectories cleanly through two Wanderers at once before Nymeria surged forward to meet the next wave head-on.
Steel flashed silver. Shrieks tore around them.
And yet, they didn't stop.
Miki ducked beneath jagged claws and slashed upward cleanly through its torso before it hit the ground, but the moment it died, three more seemed to replace it.
Too fast.
Too many.
More movement surged through the mist, and in this moment, Miki felt every weight of Star's words to be true—there was no one to teleport them out of the forest, and every path of possible exit had been completely blocked off. They couldn't advance, and they couldn't retreat.
It was unusual.
Despite being in a No-Hunt-Zone, the difficulty of this mission hadn't been rated high enough for the kind of struggle they were dealing with.
"To your left, Star!" Delia shouted.
"Got it!"
Nymeria swore under her breath at the newest wave surging forward. Metal spikes erupted violently from the earth around her, skewering two Wanderers instantly—but another lunged past the opening she created.
Straight toward Delia.
Miki moved without thinking.
"Delia!"
The Wanderer jerked off-course at her voice, attention violently redirected toward Miki instead, and she intercepted it cleanly before it reached the others—
Pain stabbed behind her eyes. She staggered as her vision blurred, and even with a cry of her name and a wave of healing from Star's wand, she winced at the sharp stinging remaining in her head.
Ah…? Why am I…?
Beep. Beep. Beep.
All four of them froze then. A momentary glance at their watches made Miki's blood run cold, even as she caught her breath and regrouped once more with the team.
The reading was abnormally high.
But it was more than that.
She'd try, once more, to resonate—and that pulsing turned into a thrum. Rhythmic, synchronized—Miki didn't know if Delia could sense the same thing, but she was almost certain that it wasn't a coincidence they'd gotten cornered like this.
Was this really a mission to retrieve a Protocore…?
"It… it feels like a trap," she murmured. "But why would…?"
"If I were to guess?!" Star gripped her wand tighter with both hands, gritting teeth, "We kinda have all three of you with something Ever wants!"
Miki, Delia, and Nymeria all looked at each other with grave expressions.
"Well. This sucks."
But if this was orchestrated, then even the mission level…
Another pulse of pain tore suddenly through Miki’s chest.
She flinched hard enough to double over, a sharp, ringing sound echoing in her head.
What…?
"Miki! Are you okay?!"
"I… something’s wrong…"
The Wanderers stepped forward almost in unison. Every single gaze locked directly onto her.
"…Uh… Hey, Miks… Why are they focusing on you?"
Miki didn’t know.
The ringing in her head resounded louder.
I… don't…
Another shriek split through the forest.
"We have to move!"
Delia's voice remained commanding, yet still as calm at it ever was. Miki knew she was right.
Focus.
She needed to focus.
Just draw their attention exactly as she'd been doing, let the team get their attacks in while it's distracted…
Another turned.
Then another.
"Miki!"
"Miki, stop pulling them all at once, that's too much for you!"
Huh…? But…
The Wanderers' frenzying towards her only intensified. Their movements became erratic; desperate, almost, practically shoving past each other to reach her first.
Ah, but I have to… I have to kill…
I have…
Miki stumbled backward after a strike as another spike of pain ripped through her chest. The ringing in her head grew louder.
Behind her, Star dropped to one knee suddenly, breathing unevenly as panic clawed violently through her chest for reasons she couldn’t explain. Delia's hands shook as she made a shot, bullet completely missing its mark. Nymeria, losing balance, tripped over a branch as she let out a cry of fear she didn't understand.
Her resonance extended in pressured waves. Her chest hurt so badly—Why did it hurt so badly?
Another Wanderer lunged. Miki cut it down instantly. But by now all their voices blurred, and her vision had narrowed down into shades of red.
She needed to protect them. That was what she needed to do, right? Why should she stop resonating? She needed to do more of it.
If they looked at her, they wouldn't bother anyone else.
Miki could kill them.
Killing was easy.
Killing was so, so, so, so, easy.
Killing was…
"M- Miki!"
Someone grabbed her wrist.
Killing…
Was incredibly, incredibly easy.
Nymeria was thrown backward hard enough to slam against a tree, and in the same moment, the Wanderer in front of her was cut down in an instant.
The world in her eyes clouded darkly.
Another one.
Another one.
Miki's body moved instinctively as one by one the threats began to vanish, but she could barely register her own surroundings. Her head rang with voices she couldn't recognize; her chest twisted with a searing pain that fought with the bloodlust raging through her heart.
It hurts…
No. I need to do more.
This pain… Why won't it stop?
Doesn't matter.
I want to cry. It's too much, I can't take it…
More. I need to kill more of them.
I can't…
I can't… Protect anyone, if I…
If…
Miki was long gone.
The three of them watched in astonishment at the scene in front of them; watched, in both horror and concern tangled up into one, and the Wanderers stopped converging. Less, and less, seemed to surge through the forest. Sure, though injured, the three of them had continued fighting beside her, supporting her from the edges of the battlefield as Miki tore through the swarm at the center.
But…
When the last of them fell, the forest didn't fall to silence.
Clang.
Miki's sword plunged down again. The final Wanderer was at her feet.
Clang.
Again.
Clang.
Again.
Delia’s chest tightened painfully as she watched. That Wanderer had already stopped moving several strikes ago. Yet now, Miki remained kneeling over it, trembling with every hoarse sob that tore from her throat. Her hands shook so badly that the blade would slip before driving downward again, and across from her, Star sat pale and terrified, one hand pressed over her own mouth.
"She… She doesn't know it's over," she whispered.
Nymeria swore quietly under her breath as she pushed herself upright. Blood streaked down her side beneath torn fabric, but her gaze never left Miki. "Miks," she called carefully, voice roughened from pain. "Miks, hey… You can stop now…"
Miki’s shoulders jerked violently at the sound.
For one awful moment, Delia thought she might lash out again. Instead—another broken sob tore from her chest.
And the sword came down again.
Clang.
Star flinched.
"Miki, c'mon…"
Delia stood, taking slow, cautious steps towards her friend—because what else could she do? The air was heavy enough to make her own chest ache with emotions that weren't hers. And if she could feel it this strongly, just… how horrible must it be inside Miki's own mind right now? Closer, she could see how unfocused Miki’s eyes had become. Wide, and glassy, and filled with terror. Her gaze was fixed somewhere far beyond the scene in front of her, trapped, almost, inside a nightmare that none of them could reach.
Delia hated that she couldn’t reach it.
"Dellie… What are you doing?"
Star had caught the movement then.
The tranquilizer that each of them carried—emergency purposes, and meant largely for enemies rather than allies—
Delia reached to her belt, murmured an apology to the girl before her that she loved dearly.
"Delia, wait—!"
"No. I don't want to watch her to destroy herself."
"But—!"
With a quick, decisive movement, the needle stabbed into Miki's neck.
"We're leaving. Star, clear a path for us."
First, the dull ache in her eyes. A thrum that radiated to the back of her head, bruising, pressed deep beneath her skull.
Then came the sharp spikes of pain. Her legs, first, then her arm.
And then there was—
Warmth.
Miki's consciousness returned slowly.
She felt soft blankets tucked around her body, heard the faint hum of medical equipment somewhere nearby. The smell of antiseptic lingered in the air, and her lashes fluttered weakly before she managed to open her eyes.
White ceiling.
Dim lighting.
Huh…? Is this… Akso Hospital?
For a few quiet seconds, Miki simply stared upward in confusion, thoughts moving sluggishly through the haze in her head.
The forest… The Wanderers…
Miki's eyes widened.
Her body jerked upright too quickly, pain immediately zipping through her head hard enough to make her gasp and hold her head.
"Miki!"
Hands caught her shoulders gently before she could fall.
Star’s voice.
Miki blinked rapidly, vision swimming as she looked around properly for the first time.
They were all there.
Star beside the bed, Nymeria sitting stiffly against the wall with fresh bandaging visible beneath her half-open jacket. Delia was closest to her, one hand still steadying Miki carefully by the shoulders.
Relief flashed visibly across all three of their faces the moment they realized she was awake.
And yet, somehow… That only made everything worse.
The memories crashed into her all at once. Resonance. Panic. That dark, abysmal feeling of losing herself in something so foreign.
Miki’s expression crumpled instantly.
"Oh… O-oh, no…"
Her voice broke. Her hands flew shakily to her mouth as the full horror of it all seemed to hit her.
"I—"
The next breath left her as a sob.
"W-what have I done…?"
"M-Miki! Wait, girl, listen—"
"I hurt you!" Miki answered herself helplessly, voice rising with panic. "I-I hurt you, didn't I?! I couldn’t stop, and I couldn’t— I couldn’t hear any of you, and I—"
Another sob tore from her chest hard enough to make her curl forward.
The pain in her body no longer mattered; her chest hurt far worse. Images kept flashing behind her eyes no matter how hard she tried to stop them: Nymeria being thrown backward, and Star’s terrified expression…
She'd lost it, hadn't she?
She'd completely lost it, and they must all be terrified of her.
She was terrified of herself.
She was…
She…
"W… What's wrong with me?!"
"Miki."
This time, it was Delia who spoke.
Calm, and soft, and gentle—Miki knew the sound of her voice well.
"Nothing's wrong with you, Miki."
"But… b-but there—" she sniffled, "there is, I…! I-I put all of you in danger because, because i got too ahead of myself and—!"
She pressed trembling hands against her face.
"I-I thought I was protecting everyone…"
The shame in her voice made Star’s eyes immediately fill with tears too.
"You were trying to protect us!" Star said quickly. "I mean, Miki, you literally saved us!"
"No…" Miki shook her head harder. "No, no, I hurt you—"
"Miks, look at me."
Nymeria pushed herself upright, but Miki couldn’t. She couldn’t bear to.
"I’m okay," Nymeria said firmly. "Seriously. You didn’t do that on purpose. I mean, you had crazy strength, yeah! But I know you didn't mean to do it."
But I still did.
Miki's head hung. The room blurred through tears. She couldn’t get the feeling out of her head—that awful moment where everyone had stopped looking like people and instead started looking like threats.
And how easily it had happened.
What if it happened again? What if all she was good for was putting the people she loved in danger? What if all this time, she's been a liability to the association and what it meant to be a Hunter, and she simply shouldn't—
There was the sound of footsteps. Quick ones, then voices.
"S-sir! Please wait, she's still slee—"
"If she's not yet awake, then I'll stay with her."
"But sir! Visiting hours are—"
"It's okay, let him go."
"Dr. Greyson!"
"It's okay! Well, he's from the Fleet, and… He's listed as her emergency contact. Anyway, her condition's stable, and I let her friends stay. Right now, what she needs the most is support."
The door opened.
Outside, Dr. Greyson poked his head in and gave the girls a sheepish smile, before allowing the newest visitor to step inside.
Miki lifted her head weakly.
Oh…
Caleb stood in the doorway, still clothed in his uniform, dark coat slightly worn as if he'd rushed here without a second thought. For one brief moment, Miki saw it—the slight crack in his expression, the fear in his eyes that he'd allowed to slip through before he grit his teeth.
"…Angel," he whispered.
Miki's bottom lip trembled.
The girls stepped back to give them some space, and the moment Caleb walked over towards her, her voice dissolved into another sob.
"C-Caleb… Caleb, I…!"
His composure—that polished, controlled image of the Farspace Fleet's Colonel—had already fractured around the edges. And by the time he'd reached her bedside, it was gone entirely.
"Hey, hey…" His voice came out low and tinged with worry, but… soft. Grounding. "Easy, pips. Easy."
Caleb crouched beside the bed, one hand cradling the side of her face carefully, almost as if afraid she’d disappear if he held too tightly.
And, god—his touch felt familiar.
So warm, and so steady, and so....
Real.
Miki let out a broken sound and grabbed desperately at the front of his uniform.
"I… I-I’m sorry!" she sobbed. "I’m sorry, I-I hurt them, and I… I didn’t mean to—”
"I know."
"B-but I couldn’t stop it—"
"I know."
Her breathing kept hitching painfully between sobs.
The others stayed quiet behind them now, instinctively giving space as Caleb focused entirely on Miki like the rest of the room had disappeared.
"You’re okay," he murmured softly.
But Miki shook her head violently.
"No! No, I’m not, I can't be—"
"Yes, you are."
His thumb brushed gently beneath one eye, wiping them away with slow care. "Look at me, angel."
And Miki tried.
Her vision had blurred far too much to focus properly, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt it—she must look so pathetic in front of him like this.
"I need you breathin' with me, okay? C'mon. In…" He inhaled slowly. Miki’s breathing, on the other hand, stuttered unevenly as she tried to follow his lead.
"That’s it," he whispered. "Good girl. Again."
And Caleb kept one hand against her cheek, while the other rubbed slow circles against her back through the blanket. It was that same voice he used, that same gesture whenever she was overwhelmed. Caleb knew exactly how to anchor her, remind her what safety felt like again.
Safety.
She felt safe with him.
She had always… lways, felt safe with him.
And Caleb looked at her, saw her eyes red and swollen from crying, saw the exhaustion and weariness evident in her features.
But even worse—she looked afraid of herself. Broken apart by overwhelming guilt, of this thing that she was capable of. And for one horrible instant, another image overlapped the scene in front of him—Miki at five years old, shaking after an experiment. Miki at six, crying silently into his shirt because something hurt and she couldn't understand why. Miki, reaching for him every, single, time.
Except this time, he hadn’t been there.
He should have been there.
If he’d been there, he would've noticed her resonance destabilizing much earlier. He would’ve pulled her out of it before it escalated. He would’ve—
Caleb closed his eyes.
Miki had her hand fisted into the front of his uniform, desperate to keep him there, or desperate for physical proof that he was there.
This time, right now, he was with her.
"Caleb…" she sniffled.
"Mm?"
"W-what if… What if it happens again…?"
Something in his chest twisted, first. When he looked into her eyes, he saw fear nd hope coalescing into one.
Then he leaned forward until their foreheads touched gently.
"If it happens again," he said softly, "then we figure it out together."
…Together.
Miki liked that promise, she always had. And she knew he didn’t keep them very often—somewhere in the back of her mind she could recal every single promise to her that he'd broken, but she didn't care.
She liked that promise.
She wanted to believe in it this time.
Maybe it was her own selfish wish to keep him with her, that she wanted to believe in it this time.
But she looked into his eyes, melted into the small, soft kiss he placed onto her lips.
Caleb… could you be sure to never leave me alone long enough for it to happen again?
She wished that she could say it out loud.
Miki would be discharged tomorrow.
That was what the nurses had promised, at least, if only to get the girls themselves away from Miki after their extended visiting hours had ended, and with a promise—they would come back.
Delia had been the last to leave, after a reassuring squeeze of her hand, and a pointed look in Caleb's direction.
He'd been allowed to stay overnight on the basis of being family.
Now, night had fallen, and Caleb had slipped into something much more comfortable before sitting at the edge of her bed, turned towards her to comb through her hair with his fingers.
Moonlight sifted in through the curtains. Stars seemed to glitter in the sky from where she could see them. The hospital was quiet at this hour…
And Miki's gaze drifted absentmindedly to the window.
It was a while before Caleb let out a soft little breath of a laugh. "Y'know, you always did like lookin' at the sky."
"…Mn. It's, um… because of you, though."
"Yeah?"
Miki smiled faintly.
"When we were little." Her voice softened. "You used to tell me about all the places you'd visit someday."
The corners of Caleb's mouth twitched.
"I remember."
"And… You said you'd bring me along to see the whole world."
"I was, uh, a very ambitious twelve-year-old."
That earned a tiny laugh from her. Miki could remember that day clearly—Caleb had aways been fond of saying such grand things to her, and she would believe them, because how could she not? When they were kids, they could dream as big as they wanted to. The world did feel like something they could hold in their hands, so long as they were together.
She tore her gaze back from the window, and leaned back into Caleb's chest.
"It's okay if you can't keep that promise," she said quietly. "I… I think it's enough for me, anything is enough for me, whenever you're here with me."
She picked at a loose thread on her hospital gown.
Even when I don't know what I really am…
If you're here with me like this, then isn't it all… Okay?
That was what Miki wanted to believe.
If logic didn't exist back then, she didn't see why it had to in this very moment.
I just… really want him to…
"… Y'know, pips, whenever I'm up there, I always wonder what you're doin'."
Miki blinked, looked back up at him slowly.
With a shrug, he added, "Sometimes I see a sunset and think you'd like it. Or… I'll pass over some little part of Skyhaven I haven't brought you to yet, and I'd wonder if you'd write a song about it if you got to see it." A small smile appeared. "Aaand if you would, it'd probably make me cry."
Miki laughed weakly.
"You are such a liar."
"What? Your music does too make me cry!"
"I haven't ever seen that happen, and you sit front row at my shows!"
"What can i say? Sometimes I'm good at hidin' it!"
"Caleb!"
A louder laugh, this time, and she used a fraction of strength to playfully shove at his shoulder.
Caleb grinned.
And outside, the sky stretched endlessly beyond the glass, all dark blues and silvers, and a world much more vast than they'd ever dreamed of.
"But, y'know… it's all still one sky, Miks."
She looked at him carefully.
"The sky's really big. Even bigger, out there in the Tunnel. But… it's still the same, right? The sky over Skyhaven's just the same sky over Linkon. Fact is, if that sky makes you think of me, then it's always been the same for me. And if that's the sky we'll always be under, then that also makes us connected, all the time."
Caleb chuckled, shifted just to tuck her in properly against him and help her relax. "In one way or another, I guess our horizons just always keep meetin' somewhere."
Miki stayed silent for a moment after that.
The thought was there—that they counted the same stars each night, that the sun that rose to greet them happened to be the very same one each evening. She liked that idea. And she knew it was another little way of his to reassure her that everything will be alright, even if…
Even if…
Her gaze dropped.
"You have to leave tonight, don't you?" she whispered.
"…Angel—"
"No, I… I know. Y-you rushed here when you weren't really supposed to, and they must be paging you back, and…"
"Miki, hey."
She sniffled, looked back at him.
"Just… a few more days. I wish I could stay 'til you're discharged tomorrow, but I'll be back when everything's all settled. I promise."
"Will you keep that promise…?"
"I'll do my best to."
I don't like being apart from you.
"And, hey. I owe you a movie night, right?"
If we didn't have to live such different lives, I could just stay by your side always.
Caleb leaned in, pressed a quiet kiss into her hair.
"You need to get some rest, pip-squeak. I'll stay by your side at least until then, so don't worry about it."
"…I don't like you," she murmured, half-heartedly. "You're mean, and you leave me all the time, and I don't know when I can see you next…"
But she closed her eyes.
Instead of continuing that thought, she turned and buried herself into his arms, smelled that same, familiar scent of strawberries.
Even today, he wore her perfume.
And she knew he hated every second he was away from her just as much as she hated hers.
"Since you promised you wouldn't let me go through what happened today alone, then I'll believe you. So… Come back safely, okay?"
"Mm. Your wish is my command, angel."
☁️; — this might be a more miki-centric fic than other appleberry fics i've written, but,,,, also i think that's what made this difficult for me to write akjfnvdf. but it did give me the opportunity to write in more about miki's evol, which is great !! there's something terrifying about the true extent of your own powers being such a secret to you as its user, and then that 'true extent' being extremely destructive… i kind of wish they explored more of that feeling in canon, especially since mc goes through so much grief and then has to deal with finding that out while, you know,, all this time she's been working in a profession that's supposed to help people…..
neway . i wanted this to look into how all that would affect miki, but also her relationships with the people she cares about… and what that means for caleb especially given their long-distance setup and the things he already knows. this might have been a difficult fic to write out properly but im really glad its done and,,, after being so upset with my writing for several months on end, i think i can say that i might actually be kinda proud of this one. akdjghvjdf
this was an important fic for me to finish before i write their birthday fic !!!!!!!! a very important setup !!! BC IM. MAKING A PROMISE TO MYSELF. to finish a few chronological fics before that and Then finish the birthday fic !!!!!!! in time !!!!!!!!!! not late !!!!!!!! I WILL DO IT. I CAN DO IT. FOR THEM I WILL
edit: i am very aware that some are moose, animal which is also in the cervidae family, so, also deer!!! you are talking to a deer expert here.. do not try and correct me.. i know my fawns../silly
Miki kept her gaze down, fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag as they walked onward.
It was unfortunate, really. Miki didn't have it in her to refuse when Jenna had assigned her, and perhaps it was only a tiny bit of compensation that she'd brought him along with her... But anyone could tell that this wasn't quite the birthday celebration that, well, anyone would wish for.
Because they had been walking for hours.
The mission had started a day ago. Simple enough, supposedly—retrieve the protocore, bring it back to the Association. It was much like the objective usually was. And Sylus... well, he had always been like this, staying by her side and allowing her to direct the path on her own. Miki had always appreciated that about him. She knew he was more than capable of solving this himself, yet he would gladly take a step back and allow her to figure it out herself.
Yet every step they took made the guilt in her stomach. Yesterday hadn't brought them much progress, and even now, the trail she'd chosen to follow didn't quite seem to be leading them in the right direction.
It was his birthday today.
"S-sorry, Sylus..."
Isn't he a little bored...?
She slipped out an apology before she could stop herself. Small words, barely audible, as her grip tightened a little bit on the strap of her bag.
Take up less space. Maybe you don't deserve so much of it...
These were thoughts she couldn't help herself think, either, and she let out a huff. "I... I-I didn't mean for it to be like this," she whispered. "Y-your birthday, I mean. I'm... I didn't prepare anything beforehand, a-and now I have to drag you on this thing with me, a-and I can't seem to... do it properly... and you..."
Sylus stayed, and perhaps the little reminder of that, of his presence, made her voice trail off.
She peeked up at him, and that's when she caught it.
Stone seating, worn by time, and a wide, open center. Cracked edges were adorned by creeping moss and neglect, all at once... but there was no mistaking it. Here, in the midst of a forest, lay an ampitheater.
And Miki stopped at the threshold, breath catching not quite from exertion but rather the sight before her.
Inviting. The stage was...
She didn't think.
"Sylus! I...!"
Her hand squeezed his.
There was little she could give him. Little she could hope, for a man of this standing, to ever offer. And yet, even in these past few months, he had done nothing but ensure she felt every single bit of his love. Two days ago, when he'd agreed to go with her. The evening, when he kissed her goodnight. Today... for being so patient with her, even in the midst of a special day she wished she could give more attention to.
But it was never about the day, was it? It was about him.
Him, whom she loved, whom she could disappoint, but who would never stop loving her in spite of that.
Miki had little to give. But she had a voice she could be proud of.
She glanced at him, eyes full of determination, and made a beeline for the center.
There were no introductory words, no grand gesture of any sorts. She simply spread her arms wide, and opened her mouth to sing.
Soft, and light... it was a voice whole, and brave, and honed through years of performing front and center, for a wide audience. Notes carried through the stone. Echoed, loud enough to fill the open space.
Today, this was only for him.
"I... I love you, Sylus!" She called out to him after catching her breath. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and her cheeks were red, but she didn't dare stop now. "I love you, and I— I-I haven't really been the best girlfriend, b-because I'm... I'm not used to showing it... and I want, and want, and want so many things whenever I'm with you, but, I...! I love you! And I'm happy... that I get to spend today with you! And with what little I can give you, and what little ways I-I know to show, that you mean so much to me... That song... was for you!"
Of all the declarations in the world that Miki could be sure of... this, was true.
The way her shoulders curled inward with every wrong turn. The way her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as though she were trying to make herself smaller with each passing hour. The little glances she sent his way when she thought he wouldn’t catch them which showed she was guilty, uncertain, terrified that she was somehow ruining the day for him.
But Sylus simply walked beside her as though there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be.
Birthdays had never meant much to him before. L
Until her.
Last year, she’d sent him that shy little audio recording in the middle of the night, voice trembling at the start before smoothing into something soft and beautiful. He still had it. Still listened to it more often than he’d ever admit aloud.
And now this year, she was looking at him like she’d failed him somehow.
Ridiculous little doe.
When she apologized, Sylus merely glanced toward her, expression unreadable for a moment before the corner of his mouth lifted faintly.
“Miki,” he drawled smoothly, his tone carried that teasing warmth, enough to coax some tension from her shoulders. " I was thinking that dragging me through forests was a perfect idea of a romantic gateaway.” He glanced ahead lazily. “A little unconventional, maybe. But I can work with it.”
Still, he noticed the guilt lingering in her eyes.
So he slowed his pace slightly, enough for their shoulders to brush. “You’re overthinking again, little doe,” he murmured. “I came because it’s you.”
And then she stopped.
Sylus followed her gaze toward the amphitheater nestled between moss and stone, worn beautifully by time itself.
His eyes flicked toward her just in time to catch the determination blooming across her expression.
Ah.
So that was what she’d decided.
The moment she squeezed his hand and rushed toward the center, Sylus’ amusement softened. He remained where he was, hands sliding into his pockets as he watched her stand beneath the open sky.
And then she sang.
The first note alone was enough to still him completely.
The sound carried through the ruined amphitheater, wrapping around the old stones and drifting through the trees like a secret breeze that only danced for him. It wasn’t her usual practiced performance tonight. It wasn’t the carefully curated stage persona she wore for crowds.
This was hers. And it was for him an him alone.
Sylus’ gaze never left her.
The teasing smirk he’d worn so easily before had disappeared somewhere during the first few lines, replaced by something dangerously tender. His eyes warmed visibly as he listened, the sharpness in them easing into quiet awe.
She was beautiful when she performed.
But like this, when every word trembled with honesty, when every confession spilled from her lips without protection, she was devastating.
And when she called out I love you, Sylus' chest tightened hard enough to almost ache.
For a brief moment, the forest fell away. The mission disappeared. Time itself seemed to pause simply to let him keep hearing her voice.
By the end, Sylus exhaled slowly through his nose, like he’d forgotten how to breathe somewhere in the middle of her song.
Then he laughed softly. Just… overwhelmed in a way few things ever managed to make him.
When she finally looked back at him, flushed and breathless and uncertain all over again, Sylus started toward her until he reached the center of the amphitheater and stopped directly in front of her.
His hand lifted immediately to cradle her face, thumb brushing gently beneath her eye as he gazed at her like one would at a precious art piece.
“You know, songbird” he murmured, voice lower now, roughened slightly around the edges, “most people get cards for birthdays as messages. But apparently my girlfriend sings declarations of love every year.”
The faintest smile tugged at his lips again. “I think I won.”
His forehead rested briefly against hers, eyes closing for just a second as though he wanted to savor the moment properly before it disappeared. “Thank you, little doe.”
The words came with sincerity.
“For the song. For choosing me to stay with you all day.” His thumb stroked gently along her cheek. “And for making this another birthday I want to remember. You're not ruining anything by asking me for my time. Call me whenever you need me and I'll be there, whether it's my birthday or yours.”
