My Brave Little Spark

26 | he/she/they | Artist | BG art is mine / Icon from Picrew

[danijaci]

draconic nature ft. dan heng

this was based off the argenti's first meeting with the astral express!! so this idea was pretty old heh,,, im lowk surprised i had time to make comics :<<< although it's short, i hope yall enjoyed it :>>>

[mrsqins]

with caleb suddenly back in your life, it's hard to fall back on old ways..

it wasn't a secret that caleb loved it when you depended on him. all your lives, he had done everything he could to take care of you.

most people would call it spoiling, but he genuinely believed it was what he was meant to do. he wouldn't let you lift a finger, always doing everything in his power to ensure you lived comfortably when he was nearby.

it was why the explosion shifted your entire perspective on life.

caleb was no longer there to catch you when you fell. caleb was no longer there to memorize your favorite foods and drinks, or to hold your hand as you walked through crowds together.

for the first time in a long time, you were completely and utterly alone. and rather than being eased into it, you were forced into independence like a baby bird forced to flight.

it was hard, and it took everything within you, but you learned. you learned to be independent, and you learned to take care of yourself because nobody else would.

your safe place was gone. and you were expected to go along with it like nothing had happened.

you hardened to the world after that. became your own safe place, your own pillar of support.

and you just couldn't change it all when caleb came back.

for all the secrets he kept from you, he still acted like things hadn't changed. like it hadn't been a year since he disappeared, and like you were the crazy one for not falling back into routine.

but how could you? how could you fall into his embrace, rely on him again, when it seemed so clear he would never stay by your side the same way?

you shied away from his touches, insisting you could do things on your own, things that he used to do for you.

and while he didn't say anything at first, you could tell it upset him.

a clenched jaw here, a narrowing of eyes there, you tried to ignore it for the sake of not getting into an argument.

"seriously, pips, i got it-"

"it's fine," you nudged him away with your shoulder, carrying in your bags with a huff. you were staying in skyhaven for a mission, but as always, caleb insisted you stayed with him. "i know where the room is."

"i know you do, but-" he moved to stand in front of you, blocking your way in with a gleam to his eyes you hadn't seen before. "just let me take your bags. please?"

you knew he was far too stubborn to move to the side, so you quietly relented, handing him your bags. he gave you a relieved smile, taking them to your room and putting them down.

"i could've done that." you sighed, and you didn't miss the way his eyes narrowed.

"you could have," his tone was light, but there was an edge to it, "but i wanted to do it for you." he turned back to you, smiling, "remember how you used to complain about having to carry your bags, so you'd always make me take them?"

"yeah, but things are different now." you're different stayed unspoken, but the intent was there.

caleb sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway. you tried not to look at how much space he took up. "okay, let's stop playing around. what's up with you?"

"what do you mean?"

"you know exactly what i mean, pips." he reached a hand out, poking your forehead, "usually you're all for letting me do everything for you. what's going on?"

"are you serious?" you laughed, incredulous. "you really expect things to be normal after you-"

"after i what?" he was looming over you now, and it took everything in you to not push him away.

"after you died?" your voice cracked, and it was like the dam broke with it. "i've gone so long without you, and you expect me to be fine with you coming back like nothing's happened?" you couldn't help the sobs that escaped, covering your face away from him. "i missed you so much, and now you're here, but all i can think about is you leaving again-"

his call of your name was low, broken in the air between you as he gently grabbed your wrists. "look at me." when you finally relented, he smiled at you, ignoring his own tears as he wiped at your face.

"i'm not going anywhere." he lowered his head, pressing his forehead to yours. "you hear me? nothing's gonna take me away from you ever again." he tilted his head to press a kiss to your forehead, holding you close. "so you can rely on me, like you always have. i'll be here to catch you, no matter how long it takes."

a/n : for this request !!

[getosurya]

❦ caleb might be busy, but he'll never be too busy for you when you need him. [1.2k] masterlist

caleb is a busy man. you know that.

so how is it that he always, always, picks up when you call? every time. there's never any question of 'i'll call you back', or 'not right now.'

just 'if you holler, i'll be there.'

and for a long time, it never even registered to you as something out of the ordinary, how odd it could seem to some people. because for so long, he was always there. beside you, like it's where he's meant to be.

(he would argue that it is, it is where he's meant to be.)

it first occurs to you sometime in your final year of college, not long after caleb himself had graduated. he's off in skyhaven, now, too far for the same comfort he's always brought you, but you're his biggest supporter nonetheless, truly, you are, and he is your rock. steadfast and firm.

it's late when you collapse face-first into bed, the squishy apple plushie he won for you wrapped in your arms as you press your face into it.

college is exhausting. living with relative strangers is exhausting. everything is fucking exhausting, especially without him by your side.

your fingers find his contact (not that it's hard - you have him pinned, after all) and hit call before you can even try to convince yourself to stop them. it rings twice before he picks up with a yawn.

"hey, pipsqueak, you okay? it's late, thought you'd be headin' to bed by now."

"i was- i am, i... i don't know..."

words choose not to grace you with the ability to use them any further. you groan dramatically, something that resembles his name.

you can practically hear his worry through the phone, see the little crease between his brows forming.

"pips, talk to me." he says, softer now, talking like he would if you were in his arms right now, taking on that gentle tone no one besides you has experienced the pleasure of hearing. "what's wrong?

"everything sucks." you say with a small hmph, a little childish and you know it. you put him on speaker so you can curl up on your side, your plushie tucked against your chest as you hold it tight.

"even me?" he says, that lilt in his voice that soothes your mind just a little. you like to visualise it, the up-down of the waveform mapping each intonation in his words, the affection seeping into them made tangible through the dips and curves of a line.

"everything except you, caleb, you know that." you say with a little sigh.

"good, good, just checking. so, what happened?" he asks.

"people." you huff, making him let out a soft laugh. "why does no one know how to use the kitchen like a normal person? they're making me feel experienced, and i've had you cook for me my whole life." you continue, your voice lowering for the sake of the thin walls in your building. "maybe it's just me, but i thought it was common sense not to leave noodles in the fucking sink for like, days on end."

you can almost hear him grimace. "jeez. you're surrounded by idiots, huh?"

you blink, long and slow, letting out a dragged-out "mmhm."

"have you, i dunno, talked to them?"

"why should it be my responsibility to teach other grown adults common sense?" you say pettily, fiddling with the fabric on your plushie.

"it shouldn't be," he agrees, "but... it might resolve the problem."

you sigh.

he's right.

why is he always right?

"i hate you." you mumble.

"no, you don't." caleb says, that annoyingly endearing grin creeping through his voice.

"no, i don't." you concede, letting out a heavy exhale, letting the quiet settle for a few moments. "i miss you." you whisper, pressing your cheek into your pillow right next to your phone in a weak attempt to feel closer to him. you sniff, blinking hard like it'll help you convince yourself that tears aren't pricking your waterline.

but he can tell. of course he can tell.

"oh, pips, no, don't cry." he whispers, something painful twisting in his chest. "i'm coming back for the weekend in a couple weeks, remember? i'll be back before you know it." he tries to comfort you, but it's no use, not at this point.

"it's not... caleb, it's not the same." your voice comes out a broken whisper, each breath more unsteady than the last.

"i know it's not, angel." he whispers, pausing. "i miss you, too, you know that, right? i miss you so, so much." he says, voice low, shakier than you expected.

"i don't know if i know how to do this." you confess, trembling. "i hate being so far from you."

"i hate it too." he whispers, sucking in a breath. "and they have the audacity to call us codependent, huh?" he says, letting out a shaky little puff of a chuckle. he smiles, just a little, when you let out a tiny teary laugh of your own. "are you really doing okay, pipsqueak?" he asks, gentle, coaxing you to speak, even as a lump jams the words in your throat.

"i haven't been sleeping great." you confess in a whisper. "that's... that's why i called you. i just- i'm so tired all the time, caleb, i don't know what to do." without you are the words that go unspoken from that sentence - you don't need to say it for him to know.

"you should've told me. i would've-" but then he stops. because what can he have done from so far away? "i need you to tell me these things, okay? please tell me, please." there's a sense of begging to his voice, now, a tremor to his voice that's a little scary in it's foreignness.

"i don't want to bother you, you have more important things to deal with, i know you do-" you try to explain, before he cuts you off with your name.

"nothing is more important than you, you hear me? nothing is more important than you." he says it twice, like it'll help convince you.

"but i don't... i don't know what you can do about it, when you're so far- you're not even here, what are you meant to do?" it comes out harsher than you mean, and you can feel the sting of regret on your tongue as soon as you hear him inhale shakily. "i didn't mean- i know it's not your fault..." you try to recover, fresh tears welling in your eyes as you tremble.

"i know, angel. i know. but, i still want you to tell me things like this, alright? i'll find a way, i'll find a way to get to you so i can fix it, you know i always will. always."

"you can't fix everything for me, caleb." you say quietly.

"has that ever stopped me from trying?" he says softly, making you let out a tiny laugh, an immense win in his eyes.

"i guess not." you say softly, yawning as you turn to your other side.

"you should really get to bed, pips. you said you have a lecture early tomorrow, right? we can video call after, or on saturday, if you want." he offers, like there's a choice to be made, like there's a universe where you wouldn't want to.

"mhm. okay, goodnight, caleb. i love you." you whisper, tucking your legs up towards your chest.

"goodnight," he says, your name falling softly from his lips. "i love you too. so much. i'll see you soon, okay? sweet dreams, pipsqueak."

a/n: my first caleb piece !! ngl guys at first i didn't fw him that hard but he's crept his way into my heart i love his whole protector vibe okay i hope you enjoyed mwah

[mrsqins]

you're upset over sylus missing your date night, but he's more than happy to make it up to you..

tonight was supposed to be perfect.

tonight, you were supposed to go out, have dinner with the man you loved, and forget all about the terrible week you had.

"i'm really sorry, sweetie," to his credit, sylus sounded truly apologetic, "but this deal needs to be made by tonight. can we reschedule?"

you looked at your reflection in the mirror, your perfectly done hair, your shiny makeup, the red dress he had bought you specifically for date nights like these.

"of course," you willed your voice not to break, even as your throat closed up, even as your nose became runny. "i hope it goes well."

"i'll treat you another night, i swear." a man's tense voice on the other end was heard, and he let out a sigh. "i love you."

"love you too." no matter how much you wished it to be some sick joke, the line went dead. you found yourself staring at your phone, turning it on and off, as if that would bring him back.

as if he would magically appear at your side.

the tears started flowing before you could stop them, and an ugly sob escaped your chest. you could care less that your makeup was ruined by now, or your hair messy from the way you had ran your fingers through it.

kicking your heels off, you fell to the couch, clutching a pillow to your chest. you knew he couldn't control it. he was a busy man, this was something that you had known from the start.

but tonight was supposed to be your night, and you really needed him. it felt childish, and wrong, but he was supposed to wash all your worries away. he was supposed to make you laugh, sweep you off your feet..

you were crying harder at your own train of thought, and that was how you fell asleep, longing and aching for him to come home.

when the morning came, you expected to wake up in the same position. instead, there was a noticeable warmth at your side, a steady breath against your neck, and a comfortable weight across your waist.

shifting around, you found sylus, fast asleep at your side. a look at your surroundings revealed you were in your bed, and a glance down showed you were now in your pajamas, not the expensive dress from last night.

before you could stop yourself, you were crying again, and the realization you had no makeup on made you cry harder.

you tried not to wake him, but sylus stirred at your movements. upon seeing you in tears, he moved into action immediately, drawing you close and kissing all over your face. "shh, it's okay sweetie, i'm here." his voice was a balm to your frayed nerves, and you sobbed into his chest.

"you- you're home.." it was all you could really say in your anxiety, sniffling and sobbing as you looked up at him. "when did you..?"

"late last night." he gently wiped your tears, an apologetic look on his face. "i am so, so sorry, my love," he pressed a kiss to your lips, his grip on you tightening, "i tried to find every work around i could, but it seemed nobody can do anything without my help."

"it's okay," you sniffled, even though it felt like the opposite, "i know your work is important.."

"nothing is more important to me than you, sweetie." he sighed, tilting your head up towards him. "i promise, these next few days, i'm all yours. nobody's going to interrupt us."

"nobody..?"

"nobody." he smiled at you, rubbing your cheek with his thumb, "so be greedy with me, kitten. i'll take you on as many dates as you want, so don't hold back." he pressed himself against you, warm and comforting and home, "i love you so much."

a/n : for this request !!

[mrsqins]

being jealous over a man you aren't even with makes you feel stupid, but sylus is more than happy to show you you mean the world to him.

this was stupid.

you knew it was stupid, but you couldn't help the way your jaw clenched, fists tightening at your sides.

sylus was out on the floor of the auction hall, a glass of wine effortlessly held in his hands as he chatted with a few of the other attendees. notably, there was a beautiful woman at his side, which, while you hated to admit it, was making the ugly green monster of jealousy rise up in your chest.

it wasn't right. you and sylus weren't even..

that overwhelming wave of bitterness, of longing, swept over you before you could do anything. but all you could do was watch, frozen and tongue-tied, as that woman inched closer, and closer, and closer-

yeah. you definitely weren't doing this tonight, or any other night, for that matter.

if sylus needed company for this stupid auction, he could definitely find it elsewhere.

your escape was swift, and you presumed yourself to be stealthy as you made your way out the front doors. sylus had unfortunately been your ride here, and you found yourself antsy as you waited for your ride to get you.

ten minutes away. you could wait ten minutes.

"-tie.. sweetie."

that familiar voice, that smooth tone that made you melt, had your back straightening. but you desperately tried to seem unaffected as you leaned against the wall, hoping he wouldn't come any closer.

"i was calling out to you, did you not hear me?" the silence between you stretched, uncomfortable and long, before he sighed, his hand hovering over your shoulder. "why are you out here in the cold? let's get you inside-"

"why are you here?" you mumbled, keeping your head forward as you moved away from him. "last i checked, you were busy."

"busy? of course, i had deals.." he paused, those damning eyes scanning your every feature. ".. but i see that's not what i should've been focusing on." his voice softened, and your heart did a treacherous flip. "are you alright?"

"i'm fine." you bit back, even as your mind berated you for the whole ordeal. you were being dramatic, overbearing, too much- "you should go back inside."

"i'm not leaving you out here alone." a comforting weight was suddenly around your shoulders, and you realized he had wrapped his coat around you. "were you bored? i apologize for not being able to keep you entertained."

"it's really fine, sylus." you huffed, still refusing to look at him. he was too busy entertaining that woman anyway.

"what?"

shit. did you say that out loud?

a wary glance back revealed him staring at you with wide eyes, and your throat closed up briefly. not knowing what to say, how to defend yourself, you simply looked up at him.

"what makes you- do you really-" it was the first time you had seen him at such a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing before he sighed, shaking his head. "do you really think there's something between her and i?"

"i'm not saying that," you totally were, and you looked away as you swallowed the lump in your throat, "i just.. she was really close to you-"

"she's nothing to me." he had put the issue to rest without hesitation, his brows furrowed as he looked at you. "just an overeager business owner. i didn't even want to be talking to her." his gaze was too intense, and you forced yourself to look away. "i'd have much rather been with you tonight."

the sentence made you fluster, but you couldn't help the doubtful chuckle that escaped you. "why's that? i don't think i'm that good of company."

"but you are." there was a noticeable lack of his usual banter, one that was almost unsettling considering the way you both usually joked and jabbed at each other. "do you really think i'd want to be with anyone else?"

"stop it." you bit out, unable to meet his gaze.

"stop what?"

"stop acting like i mean more to you than i do." the bitter words settled in the air between you, and you regretted it almost immediately. ".. i'm sorry, i've had a long night-"

your name left his lips in a broken murmur, and before you knew it, he was right in front of you, a look you had never seen on him before across his features. it was heartbreak, a tender care in his eyes never directed at anyone else but you.

"you mean the world to me." he held his hand out to you, and you hesitantly took it. "i'm sorry i haven't made it obvious to you, but it's true. none of this," his other hand swept out, "would be worth it if you weren't by my side. none of it ever did before i met you."

"i love you." the words you had longed to hear from him were suddenly out, and you didn't know what to do with it. "i love you, and i want, more than anything, to be the person by your side. the person you rely on." he hesitated, looking for the right words. "i just never knew how to say it. but i see now that you need to hear it, and i'm more than willing to provide."

your eyes were misty by the time they met his, his gaze strong and steady. "please, don't think that anyone will ever mean more to me than you do." he brought your hand to his chest, pressing your palm over his racing heart. "you're my heart, the light of my life. you never have to worry about my eyes straying, because they will only ever be on you."

at that point, you were crying, and he gathered you into his embrace, his hold on you tight. he was trembling, like he was scared he had frightened you away. ".. i'm sorry if that was a lot-"

"i love you too." your voice was soft, muffled against his chest, but he heard it loud as day as you hugged him back. and even though the wind was blowing stronger, even though your ride had arrived minutes ago, you both knew the only place you would be was there in each other's arms.

a/n : for this request !!

[zaynezone]

"...Do you want a prenup?"

"Is this another one of your pranks?" Sylus glances around for a camera, smirking when he notices your unamused face.

"I'm serious, Sy! If you want one, you should get one drawn up. I'd be happy to sign it so don't worry about that." You can see the moment he realizes this really isn't a prank, given the way the smirk slowly vanishes from his face.

"A prenup implies we'll be getting divorced in the future. Is that something you have planned?" His tone lacks it's usual mirth.

"Of course not. I just figured...you earned all this money. It's not fair for me to just take it if we were to get divorced." Your words make Sylus frown, and a flicker of irritation burns in his eyes.

"We won't be getting divorced." He says through gritted teeth, making you sigh.

"Sylus, I'm not naive. There's always a possibility that something could happen. Love is like that! Maybe one day you wake up and-and you don't love me anymore. You should be allowed to leave without having to wo-"

"No."

"...What do you mean no?" You echo, watching as he suddenly strides over to you, nearly crushing you in a hug. You pat his back gently, suddenly feeling like the tone in the room has changed. He squeezes you tighter, as if worried you'll fade away in his arms.

"There will never come a day where I don't love you. Never. You have half of my soul and all of my heart. Everything I have, everything I built, all of it...is for you." He murmurs the words into your ear, finally meeting your eyes when he's finished. You manage to nod, knowing if you speak too soon you'll likely burst into tears.

"Okay," You concede after a moment of silence, "No prenup."

Sylus hums at your words, pleased, giving you one more squeeze before releasing you from the hug.

[mrsqins]

with you being such a reluctant shopper, sylus feels like he's going to lose his mind.

sylus loved you with all his heart. he had made a vow, even back when you had first met, that he would do so for the rest of your lives together.

even with that said, you never failed to try his patience.

"sweetie," his tone was exasperated, but it never held anything but fondness as he watched you scrutinize the clothes on the racks, your basket noticeably empty, "we've been here for an hour. while i enjoy every second i spend by your side, i can't help but feel worried you haven't found anything you like yet."

"what if i regret it??" you huffed, gaze lingering on a sweater long enough for sylus to start feeling hopeful before you moved on. "i would hate to buy something and waste your money because i didn't end up liking it as much-"

"are you seriously worrying over my money right now?" you didn't have to look at him to know he was sporting that usual arrogant look, his eyes locked on you as you moved from hanger to hanger. "you could make me bankrupt, as long as you bought something for yourself, i'd be over the moon." he paused, before adding smugly, "not that you could bankrupt me."

"yeah yeah, you're filthy rich, i know." your gaze wandered, and you suddenly lit up in a way that made sylus hope you had found what you were looking for. you ran off, leaving sylus to trail after you.

his expectations were ultimately squashed when you held up a men's collared shirt, one in a perfect crimson that would suit a certain boss-man perfectly. your eyes shined as you held it up, showing it off proudly. "look! doesn't this fit you so well??"

speechless. you had rendered sylus speechless. he didn't know whether he wanted to agree to make you happy or shake your shoulders for trying to switch the subject of this shopping trip.

"it's.. nice," he started, giving you a tight-lipped smile, "but kitten, this trip was supposed to be for you-"

"oh, c'mon sy!" you gave him puppy eyes, and he knew he was done for, "i promise i'll buy something for me if you let me get this for you!"

he rose a brow. you smiled.

he tilted his head. your smile wavered.

he sighed. you broke.

"okay, maybe i won't, but it's not important-"

"sweetie, if you don't pick something to put in your basket in five minutes, i'm buying out this whole store."

a/n : for this request !!

[mrsqins]

society would call you ugly, but to sylus, you're the most beautiful person he's ever met.

you weren't pretty. you weren't even decent looking.

all your life, you had been rejected, made fun of, the butt of every joke. you knew from the moment you started interacting with other people that nobody would ever find you attractive, and you were fine with it.

society would call you ugly, and you couldn't help but agree.

the one person who refused to bend to society's whims was the last person you'd ever expect. sylus, the terrifying boss of onichynus, was absolutely all over you.

he was around you constantly, always chasing for a second of your attention, beaming like it was the biggest gift in the world whenever you smiled at him.

you never really understood it. he was the most handsome man you had ever seen, why was he trying to do anything with you?

you found yourself on the receiving end of yet another bouquet of his, and you had finally reached your breaking point.

"sylus," you started, frowning as his eyes lit up when you said his name, "why are you.. doing all this?"

"doing what?" he sounded genuinely confused, his head tilting as he looked down at you.

"this," you shook the bouquet in your arms, lips pressed together. "i don't see why you're trying so hard with someone barely with your time."

"barely worth my-" he let out a breath, and you had never seen him so shaken. "is that what you think, sweetie? that you're not worth it to me?" he paused, hands hovering by your sides. "you're worth everything to me. there's no world where i wouldn't be falling over myself trying to be with you."

"but.. why?" you couldn't help motioning at your face, scrunching your features to hold back tears. "i'm.. disgusting. gross. ugly. there's no reason why anyone, let alone you, should want anything more from me."

"kitten.." he sighed, and suddenly he was way too close. "since when have i ever bent to what others believe?" he bent his head, hovering over you with a certain glint in his eye. "to me, you're the most darling creature in this world to exist," he held up a finger when you went to protest, "and nothing, not even you, will change my mind on the matter."

when you were left speechless, he merely smiled, offering you his hand. "now, will you do me the honor of letting me treat you? i know there's a restaurant nearby that you've been wanting to try."

it may have felt impossible that someone like him would want you, but as he gently interlaced your fingers together, you knew it to be nothing but the truth.

a/n : for this request !!

[earthtooz]

: SAY YOUR STUPID LINE :*+ﾟ

in which: all the times phainon had to ditch you mid-date, and the one time he didn't.

warnings: 8.2k wc, superhero!au, gn!reader who is not a superhero, the chrysos heirs are the avengers basically, hurt/comfort, fluff, sloppy making out, sfw, happy ending, slight yandere!phainon, both parties are very in love with each other, a lot of food mentions bc i love to eat so, edited but i'm not happy with this.

a/n: finally got this one out of the drafts, it was really fun experimenting with this fic, while i'm not proud of the end result, i can't really say i necessarily dislike it. either way, i hope you'll enjoy!

extra #1, outtake #1

~ ONE:

Dating a superhero is not for the weak.

It's a lifestyle that requires bouts of patience and wrestling with anxiety over whether or not your lover will come home from a mission that's been running too long for your liking. It requires understanding that you may not always be the first choice, not when civilisations will always need him more and lives are what he saves. It requires immense mental capacity and unconditional love, especially when the superhero you're dating is Khaslana.

A widely revered figure and the face of the renowned group: The Chrysos Heirs, he is loved by all. His image iconic, the visage of a heroic entity with two wings sprouting from his back and a ginormous sword that he swings around so easily, moving it like an extension of his arm.

But Phainon, the man behind Khaslana, is loved by you. Snowy hair with blue eyes, his true identity is kept a secret from his public one, and this one is yours.

While fans will cheer and gush over the silhouette of his other persona, the saviour of Amphoreus comes home to you, welcoming him with open arms… and also to tease him with all the Khaslana merch you love buying.

Phainon doesn't really have it in him to feel embarrassed when you wear it so proudly, bouncing around the house in a yellow and purple hoodie that mimicks his superhero form, watching with a proud smile; seizing the heart of the man who holds the weight of the world on his back.

That said… there are also downsides to having a superhero as your significant other.

"I'm so excited to try out this café, I've been seeing them all over my feed," you gush, hand waving around enthusiastically as Phainon tightly holds your other one, watching with a fond smile. "I want to try the pomegranate cream cake, or their dromas-shaped roll!"

The sun was shining gently that day, a nice breeze blowing through the metropolis of Okhema. Ascent Hour had just begun, so the streets were starting to grow busier and busier, but you and Phainon decided to head out early that morning to try a new place that was going semi-viral online.

It was going seamlessly, the store wasn't too busy when you entered, and the weather was perfect for an impromptu picnic.

"Hey! If you like my drink so much, then get your own!" You scold as your boyfriend lifts your cup up to his lips, taking another generous gulp.

"I can't help it," he grins, "you just have better taste."

You glare at him from the corner of your eyes, raising your food to your lips. "It's mine, though."

"I paid for it, don't I deserve a little bit of renumeration?"

"Taking my food is a step over the line."

"Alright, I'm sorry my love," he kisses your cheek as you bite down, his glasses pressing into the side of your face.

When you raise your drink, he latches on to the straw before you could even react, the reaction time and instincts of a superhero being something you could never dream of overpowering. All you can do is let out a cry of defeat as he finishes the last of it without remorse.

"Phai! You meanie."

His smile is anything but apologetic. If anything, seems like the bastard is quite happy with himself.

"I thought your job was to save people, so why are you tormenting me?"

A muscular arm is wrapped around your waist, pulling you flush against the white-haired's side, personal space completely eliminated as he rubs his face against yours. "You're the only one I can torment, and I love it."

"Whatever. You owe me."

"I'll make it up to you, sunshine."

You pout but forgive his transgression regardless. Conversation flows, topics jumping around quite a bit, you mentioning something you wanted to read, recommended by your coworkers, Phainon talking about how he's going to meet with Mydei soon to train for an upcoming marathon; all mundane little things.

However, tranquility is a luxury when you're dating a Chrysos Heir, because the morning is cut through with an invasive buzzing on his watch. A sound that indicates he needed to be urgently summoned, despite how inconspicuous it was.

A flash of annoyance crosses his face, eyeing the watch like it was a minor inconvenience.

Well, to him it was. To you, it was a signal of distress.

"You should probably get going," you say, and there's a small pout on his face when he looks up at you.

"I should. I'm sorry for having to leave like this."

"It's fine, just another day being a hero. Text me when you're done, okay?"

He nods, handing you his card from his wallet. "Get yourself another drink before you go."

"Phainon, I can pay for it-"

"I was planning on buying it myself, but I'll probably be busy."

You press a fleeting kiss to his lips as a farewell, one that he burns into memory. "Stay safe, Phai."

"Please," he scoffs, "the bad guys are going to regret it when they see me."

You roll your eyes and swat away the kisses he blows at you.

Keeping his promise, you return to the café to buy the exact same drink he had stolen, browsing the pastry catalogue mundanely while pretending like your larger-than-life boyfriend's presence wasn't dearly missed. Maybe you should buy something sweet for him to enjoy when he comes home.

That afternoon, the news report of another successful Chrysos Heirs mission in the city of Janusopolis. The anxiety you've been nursing all afternoon is only quelled when you receive a text from Phainon, the notification ceasing the uneasiness in your gut.

My Hero <3: I'm okay. I'm on my way home now. My Hero <3: I love you.

~ TWO:

Your eyes scan the passing crowds every so often, keen on the lookout for a certain white-haired and his blond friend, both of whom are quite hard to miss, yet you can't find them, each face as unfamiliar as the last. Until-

"Boo!"

Hands slam down on the back of the wooden bench you were sitting on, and you jolt in surprise, a small yelp slipping from your lips.

"You-" you guffaw, turning around to see the entertained grin of your boyfriend.

He even has the nerve to laugh at you.

"Phainon!"

"I'm sorry, sunshine, I didn't expect you to be so scared!"

You rise from the bench with crossed arms. "Can't blame me to be scared when you slapped my seat so hard, you should hold back your strength sometimes."

"And you can't blame a man who is just excited to see the love of his life." He rounds to embrace you in a tight hug, pressing you right into his warm, sweaty body that had just ran the distance of a marathon. You complain about his grossness into his skin, hitting his shoulder, but he doesn't relent, not even as Mydei approaches him with an unimpressed expression.

"Let me go before Mydei thinks you're a clingy leech."

"He already thinks I am a clingy leech," Phainon murmurs, but lets you go reluctantly, allowing you to take a step back and turn to the tattooed man.

"Hey, Mydei. How was your run?"

"It was good. We both set a new personal best."

"Mine was faster."

"By one second. You just pressed the 'end run' button sooner than I did, you cheat."

Phainon gasps, but you cut the bickering short. For a pair of superheroes who are powerful enough to destroy a city with one punch, their mentality regresses into that of schoolboys when they're around each other.

"Save the accusations for later. Still good to come over for dinner, Mydei?" You ask.

"If the invitations still up for grabs, then I'd love to."

The white-haired hero butts in. "As long as you admit that I was faster than you!"

You gently flick Phainon's forehead and he cowers at the sudden pain, pouting at you like you had done something worse. "Stop instigating fights, Phai, or I'll make you fend for yourself while Mydei and I enjoy some nice warm meals."

"Fine," he wraps a tight- almost possessive, arm around your waist. "I'm starved, lets go home."

An annoying buzz slices through the atmosphere, coming from the wrist of both men.

Another call.

Phainon glances down at you like a kicked puppy, an apology already brewing in his eyes.

"It's fine," you say before either of them could say anything. "I understand completely."

"Sorry, Y/n, this couldn't have come at any worse of a time." The blond mumbles, eyes down at his watch.

You glance up at your lover, your hand coming to hold the one thats around your waist. "I'll still cook. As soon as you're done, come home and eat, okay? You too, Mydei, and if Castorice is available too, invite her as well."

"What if it's really late?" Phainon asks, voice quiet and guilty.

"I don't care what time, just come home," you rise up to place a quick kiss against his lips before gently urging him to leave.

What you expected to be a night filled with company is spent alone, with nothing but the sound of food cooking and music occupying the empty space. You worriedly wait for any sort of message from Phainon, glancing every so often at your phone as you plate, as you eat, as you clean, as you wrap the leftovers.

Nothing ever comes. Not until near midnight, after you have spent the whole night trying not to tug your hair out.

My Hero <3: Coming home now, sunshine. My Hero <3: Are you still awake?

You: yeah, i'll wait up for you guys.

My Hero <3: We'll be there in 20! My Hero <3: Castorice says she'd love to come too.

You: perfect! what about hyacine?

My Hero <3: She needs to go home :(

You: that's fine, i'll see you soon.

My Hero <3: Thank you, my love.

True to their word, twenty minutes later, there are superheroes sitting on your dining table with heated up meals in front of them. Fatigue clings to your eyes, and you're actively battling sleep as you listen to the three chat, but you try to absorb the moment as much as you can, conversing with Mydei about the ingredients you used and the new grocery store that just opened nearby, talking to Castorice about Pollux and everything she might be up to.

They leave a few minutes after their plates are cleared, thanking you sincerely as Phainon walks them down and out of the apartment complex.

"I'll do the dishes," he murmurs softly, engulfing you in a hug from behind when he returns.

"Are you sure?"

"You've had a long day, babe, go sleep."

"Not as long as yours."

He scoffs. "Sunshine, please, I know you're any moment from crashing."

You laugh, deciding to relent. "Alright. Come to bed soon, okay?"

A pair of lips press against your forehead, his arms squeezing you tightly for a moment before letting you slip away.

~ THREE:

There's a low whistle behind you. Phainon's appreciative gaze is what greets you when you turn toward the source of the sound, and like a magnet drawn to metal, his hands snake around your waist. His touch is gentle, reverent, treating you like delicate china and your breath hitches when his fingers graze over a sensitive spot.

His smirk only grows when you shudder against him.

"I almost don't want to leave now," he murmurs before pressing dainty kisses along the shell of your ear. "I mean, it'll be fine if we cancel now, right?"

You stop his hand from going snaking down any lower, giving him a weak glare through the mirror. "You wanna cancel our anniversary dinner because you can't keep it in your pants?"

"My sunshine looks so beautiful, I wanna show you how you make me feel."

"After," you scold, going back to adjusting your hair in the mirror.

"Fine," he doesn't detach from you, glued to your back like a koala, except he towers over you and keeps admiring your reflection with hearts in his eyes. Every so often, he places a kiss somewhere he can reach, and you placate him with a ruffle of his hair before going back to getting ready.

Music plays softly from your phone, and he hums along intermittently, vibrations thrumming along your back.

"You good there, babe?" You ask after a completing your final touchups.

He blinks slowly, "yeah, just admiring the view."

"Ready to go?"

"Ready whenever you are, sunshine."

You shiver at the feather-light kisses he presses along your jaw, giggling at the ticklish sensation while trying to create some distance between you.

"I can't help it, just can't believe you're mine."

He's throwing hearts with his eyes right now, and if you turned your head to the left slightly, you would have seen the tenderness brewing behind those blues.

The walk out is surprisingly peaceful. Phainon keeps his hands to himself like a respectful gentleman, save for the touch on the small of your back, and the way he knelt down to help put your shoes on. You don't comment on the small kiss he places on the side of your knee just before he stands to his full height.

The night is going seamless, but what goes up must come down, because only a few minutes after you place your orders, a buzzing from his wrist interrupts the warm ambience.

Both of you fall silent, and the candle flickers vividly as his face contorts into a series of emotions. It looked like it physically pained him to leave you.

"Go," you urge. "Before it's too late."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

He can't leave you, not when you look so perfect and you've both been looking forward to this night for a long time. That's awful, you don't deserve that at all.

His watch still buzzes frantically as his heart fights with his brain.

"The night was only just beginning-"

"Phainon." You say decisively. "Go."

Reluctantly, he pushes out of his chair with a look that says he clearly does not condone this, even as he places a farewell kiss on the back of your hand, even as he powerwalks out of the restaurant, already unbuttoning his suit. Still, his gaze lingers at you, savouring the sight before he goes and punishes whoever has stolen him away from you.

You lean back into your chair with a disappointed sigh. Once again, Phainon was whisked away away from you, and now it was just you in this vast, bustling restaurant, a candlelit dinner with no one but yourself.

How sad.

When the waiter came to check up on you, pointed look in the direction of Phainon's chair, you told him something important came up. You hated the way humiliation creeped in your ribs as you tried to save face, defending your lover with no hesitation, even if the empty spot on the other side of the table told another tale.

You really did try to insist that it was important, the fate-of-a-city-hangs-in-the-balance kind of importance, but the waiter murmurs a conflicted 'alright' before coming back with your food and an extra glass of refreshments with more side dishes- on the house.

The night ends far earlier than you expected, walking out of the restaurant with his dish packed away securely in your hands.

You wait for him when you get home, methodically getting unready with soft music in the background, fitting the big bouquet he got you that morning into the largest vase you could find, killing time with mundane activities that you were not anticipating for your anniversary.

When sleep tugs at your eyes, and he still hasn't come home, you bite your cheek nervously. Him working so late was not a rare occurrence, but the ache has never been easy to quell, not when the only remedy is blindly trusting that Phainon will come home in one piece and he'll be beside you in the morning when you wake.

You: going to bed now, text me when you see this You: love you, stay safe

It's 3am, nearing 4 when Tribbie's portal sends him back to his living room, Khaslana form cramped in the coziness of your shared space, the outermost feathers of his wings just narrowly missing the delicate decorations you've placed around the space. Weeping golden cracks close, jagged edges soften, halo and weapon disappearing into nothingness, it's Phainon who turns off the nightlight you set for him.

It's Phainon's tired footsteps that trudge against hardwood floors as he makes a beeline for your shared bedroom, kicking his clothes off layer by layer on the way, discarding tailored fabrics in the hallway as his heavy heart aches.

It's Phainon who breathes a sigh of relief when he sees you, lying peacefully asleep on the bed.

Your back is facing him, body snug under the covers as he quietly crawls over to you, hands reaching for whatever he can grab as he lays behind you, wrapping you up in his embrace.

He feels the way your chest slowly expands against his, how warm your hands are from being nestled under the covers, how adoration thrums through his veins, even as he does something as simple as holding you.

Despite his drowsiness and the way his body begs for sleep after such a demanding mission, his heart is restless.

Se sits up and leans over you, admires what he can of your expresion through the little light that filters through the windows.

The love of his life that he has to, devastatingly, let down more often than he'd like.

He lowers his lips to your cheekbones and places a lingering kiss on your skin. He presses more, and more, and more, hoping to engrain his love into you, to let it seep through your pores and into your veins so you know the magnitude of his devotion.

Titans, he adores you, what would he do without you?

It's unfair that life has to take him away from you. Vaguely, his mind rewinds to the night, how quickly you masked your disappointment when he was being summoned, how you tried to reassure him with that unsure smile of yours, how he never wanted to leave you at a table alone again, even if you are the one pushing him away.

You really are just too selfless.

Isn't that what he loves about you, though?

"Phainon?" You rustle, whining softly. He freezes, face hovering mere centimetres from yours as you turn to him, "is that you?"

He gulps, guilt settling in his gut at disturbing you. Yet, he can't bring himself to feel completely bad about it, especially not when its your voice he gets to hear, raspy from sleep or not. "Yeah, sunshine, it's me."

"What time is it?"

"Late. I'm sorry for waking you."

Your hand comes to his face, awkwardly patting around before they find his cheek; the exact spot you love cradling, and he sinks into you like sand. "It's okay," you murmur, "I'm glad you're safe and sound."

"Yeah," he whispers, "I'm glad, too."

"How was the mission?"

"Went off without a hitch. But our date-"

"Right, your food is in the fridge, got takeaway."

"That's not what I was trying to say. I'll plan another one soon to make up for it, I promise. No distractions this time."

"Rest first, Phai," you scrunch your nose, "and wash."

"Do I smell?"

"Like a superhero. Yeah."

He smiles, and he's sure you can hear it in his words. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No, I don't like it," you murmur bluntly before retreating back under the covers, tucking them up to your chin.

"I'll go clean up then."

"M'kay."

With one last, very long kiss to your temple, he pushes off you.

~ FOUR:

Phainon is already awake when you open your eyes, the vacant bed beside you already made, but the low hum of the coffee machine whirring tempts you away from your cozy spot. Bare feet hitting wooden floors, he greets you with a warm, loving smile, exercise shirt hugging the planes of his chest and arms.

"Good morning!"

You mumble back the pleasantry, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. "Where are you headed?"

"I've been called to HQ, incident reports… something like that. Thought I might as well make a morning run from it."

"What'd you do?"

He makes this guilty looking face. "Might have accidentally destroyed a few top floors."

"Phai!"

"It's fine! No one was hurt because evacuation went smoothly, besides, it was for the bigger picture- don't give me that look! Nevermind, I made you coffee." He sets the steaming cup before you with a kiss to your forehead. "Oh, also, I'll reschedule our anniversary date at another place, maybe a rooftop restuarant this time?"

"Are you sure you'll make it this time?"

The hand that was playing with your hair stills, and you feel the atsmosphere shift. You feign ignorance as you take a sip of your homemade drink that was exactly to your liking, the method perfected years ago by Phainon.

"Sunshine?" He begins, voice abnormally sweet.

"Hm?"

"Is there something you want to say to me?"

"What do you think I have to say?"

His cheek twitches. "If you're upset at me, you can say it outright."

Phainon watches you set down your cup, turn to face him, and throw your arms around his neck, standing up on your toes to reach his height. He looks you right in your tired eyes, momentarily glancing down at your lips that are jutted out in a small pout.

"Do I look mad?" You ask.

"You look like the love of my life," he's about to lean in until you push at his chest, stopping him.

"Don't try appease me by flirting. If you're going to book an anniversary dinner, make sure it will go uninterrupted. I understand emergencies are inevitable, but I just want to have you to myself at least once."

He nods, snowy hair bouncing enthusiastically. Of course, he promises, but you're getting tired of over-exercised promises and redundant oaths.

Still, you love him too much. You'll always love Phainon.

"You're forgiven, you should probably get going now," you straighten his collar and pat down his broad shoulders.

"I should but… can I get a goodbye kiss first?" His blue eyes shine with want and his hands firmly hold your hips, pulling you to his chest. He cranes his head to your height, chasing after your lips for something you won't grant.

"Don't, I've got morning breath," you warn.

"I don't care," he murmurs, mouth slotting against yours, drinking the air from your lungs.

When you try to make space, he simply follows, selfish and heedless when it comes to you. He'll keep taking everything you give until he's satisfied, and even then, Phainon is no better than a bottomless pit of greed, trying to press himself closer to try and mould your atoms together.

When he parts, your heavy breaths circulate between you, head beginning to spin.

He leaves a few minutes later, with a promise of a date and catching up on all the kisses he's missed.

Goodness, was he serious.

The coolness of the sheets beneath you are a stark contrast to the buzzing beneath your skin, the heat above you completely encompassing and wild as Phainon's mouth is everywhere. From your left, you hear the rustle of sheets, his hand bunching the fabric into a tight ball as his other hand runs up your leg, folding your thigh to sit snug against his hip. The delicate fabric of your outfit falls with the action, and when he parts, a string of saliva connects your tongue with his.

When you joked about a second round of dessert, you were not expecting him to drag you out of the restauarant, speed down empty streets so fast that you were holding on to the car door for dear life, and begin slobbering all over you in the elevator. Pressing you up against the mirrors, he began before the doors could even slide shut, hands all over your face, waist, hips, ass- anything he could grab.

Between kisses, hot licks, and bites, are confessions are love being etched into your skin. As you unbutton his suit, hands snaking underneath his lapels, he glues his mouth to your neck, panting.

When you sit up, he follows, obedient when you sit him on the mattress instead. His eyes unsubtly glance down at your half-exposed chest as you crawl over his muscular body, drinking up the view of his sky blue eyes that are now cloudy with desire. Gone was the heated beast who wanted nothing more but to devour your skin, replacing it was a compliant lover who shuddered with every sinful touch.

You lower yourself over his crotch and he rolls his head back, grunting.

"My hero is so handsome," you coo, brushing strands of his hair aside, revealing more of the flush that's crawled to his face.

"Ha- calling me that now ? Does it delight you?" He chuckles, hiding his flusteredness behind light jokes, but a drag of your finger along his sternum and abdominals has his muscles clenching.

You hum. "It does delight me to see you so susceptible, because I'm the only one who can have you like this. Right?"

"Yes, the only one," he whines.

"What about Khaslana?"

"What about him?"

"Is he mine too?"

He moans when you lick a stripe up his neck, helping you take off his shirt as he nods desperately. "Yours, I'm all yours, Khaslana too, all of me has been yours and will always be yours."

You smile. "Good boy-"

His hands tangle into your hair, pulling your mouth right to his. His tongue is quick to dart out and brush against your bottom lip, tugging it between his teeth.

A shrill buzz cuts through the air.

Phainon loudly sighs as he glares at the watch on his wrist. You fix the neckline of your clothes and roll off him, watching him violently tap some buttons on the screen to silence it. Then, he leans over you once again, arms on either side of you as you're lying against the sheets, giggling at the featherlight kisses he places along your mandible.

"Ph-Phai, you should probably leave now."

He grumbles. "One more kiss."

One kiss turns to several more, until you're pushing him by the shoulders, urging him to leave. Which he does so very reluctantly, grumbling under his breath the whole time.

You go to bed alone that night, an unsettling premonition stewing in your gut as you tuck the covers over your chin and try to ignore the heavy void beside you. When you wake, Phainon's side of the bed is completely unblemished, cold to the touch, no indication that he had ever been here. A call of his name is met with silence and any indication of life beside you is nonexistent, not even a message on your phone from him.

Maybe the mission ran longer than expected.

You refresh your messages and news constantly, obsessing over any update or new notification like it'd be the salvation you were hoping for, an indication that you were approaching the light at the end of the tunnel. You pick at your skin and bite at your nails and run your hands through your hair, but nothing gets him home faster, nothing grants you the sight you truly wish to see.

Even as you stare out at the Okheman horizon on the balcony, mentally praying to the stars for him to come home.

Stillness is something that does not exist while living with Phainon, so in his absence, silence beats louder, time moves slower, and stagnation exists in the periphery, slowly closing in.

After two nights of missing his warmth and buzzing around the apartment with anxiety, there's a heavy knock on the front door. Your heart spikes, head spinning to the source of the sound. In the haven of your apartment, living room walls coated by cold sun rays, atmosphere occupied by the thrum of your running dishwasher and the video playing from your laptop, the voice you've been waiting to hear slices through it all.

"Sunshine? It's me."

The journey from the couch to the front door is completed in a blink, finally remembering how to breathe when you see him.

"Phainon," you whisper.

He's completely worn-down, eyebags prominent, shoulders slumped, but affection still gleams on his face and he's not beyond a gentle smile of reassurance.

"You're home."

He slumps into your open arms, finding no issue leaning all his weight against you. His snowy hair brushes against the side of your neck as his arms bring you as close as humanly possible, the fatigue weighing him down like iron.

"Let's get you to bed, superhero."

Unceremoniously, he collapses onto the mattress with a grunt, sprawled over the covers.

"Do you need water? Some snacks, maybe?"

He shakes his head and simply reaches for your waist.

"I just need you," he grumbles, pulling you down to him.

When your body is flush against his, head underneath his chin and legs intertwined, he sighs in relief and a ghost of a smile makes its way to his face. For the first time in two days, the silence is peaceful, and not a stark reminder of who is not here with you, of who cannot stay by your side all the time.

You press your face closer to his neck and listen to his heartbeat

~ FIVE:

It's almost ridiculous how the universe goes out of its way to spite you.

While you sat pretty and patient outside the Okheman Archives Museum, waiting for your artifact-enthusiast of a boyfriend to show up, your excitement for the date was stomped out before it could even begin. Especially after how hard you tried to get tickets to this highly rated 'Amphorean History in Ceramics' exhibition, which you would have never attended if it weren't for him and his passion in appraisal.

You even put more consideration into your work outfit today so it'd be gallery-appropriate, and you had been looking forward to this tradition of sorts for the whole day… only for a call from the man himself to dimish it.

"Don't cook tonight, okay baby?" He yells over the phone, wind whipping through the speakers. "I'll be home before dinner, we can get takeout- your favourite, and watch that movie you've been meaning to see, okay?"

"Okay."

"Sunshine… what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong, Phai, just-" you pinch your nosebridge and swing your bag over your shoulder. "Be safe out there."

"You know I will. I gotta go now, I love you."

"Bye."

"Wait, you can't leave without saying-"

You disconnect the call and shut off your phone… though not without a follow-up message.

You: i love you

Tucking the device into your bag, you begin the trip back home with the setting Okheman sun beaming into your eyes, and the wind blowing hair out of your face quite violently; just what you need after your superhero of a boyfriend cancels on you for the nth time.

When you found out about Phainon and Khaslana being one person, you were understanding and accomodating at first, and obviously freaked out that the nerdy, innocent-looking, puppy of a man you called your boyfriend had the ability to move planets. Despite how surreal it was, you knew what you were staying for. Missing nights, waking up to him not being there in the morning, sudden calls- none of these were foreign nor out of your expectations.

You kick a stray pebble in the road with a little too much force, and wonder if you were being too childish.

Can you even justify being upset with him when lives were at stake?

But how can you be second to the whole world in your own relationship?

Phainon barges through the front door at 8:30pm with bags of takeout, dumped haplessly on the kitchen counter in favour of clinging to you, wailing, acting nothing like his stoic, superhero counterpart.

"Don't ever hang up without saying 'I love you' back!" He whines loudly, rocking you back and forth in his arms while you took the food out from their containers. "A message won't suffice, and I don't care if you're upset at me, you have to say it every time, or I'll call you until you pick up!"

"And if I don't?"

"I'll call you over and over again, until it's your voice I hear and not your voicemail that tricks me every time."

"Won't the other heirs get mad at you if you pull that stunt? Especially Lady Aglaea?" The white-haired falls silent.

A quick raise of your eyebrow declares victory, but he's not satisfied at all, so he tugs you into his chest, keeping you there while demanding him to stop suffocating you in his pecs. It wasn't until he made you promise him that you'd never hang up on him again without an 'I love you' that you were finally set free from his iron grip, gasping for air.

Immediately, he's by your side again, big, blue eyes shining down at you. "Can you say you love me?"

"Right now?"

"Well, in my humble opinion, you should always love me."

Good grief. You roll your eyes and grab a plate. Unfortunately for you, he is the man that has your heart in a merciless headlock.

"I love you, Phainon."

~ SIX:

The Titans were testing the bounds of your strength.

After all this pent-up frustration that had nowhere to go, who knew that disaster striking in your own home city would become the be-all-end-all?

The day began with a long stroll to start the morning when all of a sudden, a bang to your right was heard, followed by the crumbling sound of concrete. Phainon had shielded you immediately, tugging you into the safety of his chest until it all went quiet.

Chaos erupted a split second after.

Cars beeping, people screaming, pushing others on the pavement, all running away from the settling debris and smoke that drifted into the clear Okheman skies. Your own heart began racing, but through it all, you could still make out the sound of Phainon's watch urgently beeping.

With the disaster right before him, you wondered why he wasn't making an immediate break for it.

Until you realised it was you he still tethered to, hands on either side of your shoulders, trying to guide you to safety by urging you to follow him. What on Amphoreus was he doing?

"Phainon! Stop worrying about me!" You exclaim, prying his hands off you. "Go! Go now!"

"But I need to make sure you're safe!" He insists.

"I'm fine, but there are people who aren't. They need you!"

"I also need to be with you!"

"How are we having this conversation right now- go!"

His eyebrows furrow even deeper, "at least let me escort you out of the block. The other Heirs can manage without me, c'mon."

"No, Phainon!" You shriek, heart dropping to your feet when you see a civillian free-falling from the top of the high-rise; mere seconds away from a gruesome end while everyone's beloved superhero was still standing in front of you as stubborn as a mule.

Khaslana wouldn't get to him in time, even with his inhumane abilities, it was a losing fight, and you could possibly be the reason someone's life couldn't get saved in time-

A flash of glowing red catches the victim, snatching him from the air. Following suit, a trio of superheroes on a rocket, soaring through the sky and destroying larger pieces of debris.

You heave a sigh of relief, thanking Mydeimos, Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon mentally.

"Deliverer!" Mydei bellows, his roar echoing through the streets and effortlessly reaching where you and the man he was calling for stood.

Finally, finally, Phainon makes a move in the right direction, turning around with a sour expression on his face.

"Go," you push at his back. "Go!"

When you get home, you slump against the door and sink, exhausted. The security guard downstairs asked about your safety before informing you that the Chrysos Heirs already subdued most of the chaos, now left to chase down the organisation that started this.

'Thanks to them, we sleep better at night' he cheered with a dip of his hat before the elevator doors closed.

Your throat is still sore from how hard you had to yell at Phainon. The itch at the back of your throat persists, forcing you to think back to how unmoving Phainon was. Even while within distance of the incident, it took a fearsome cry from Mydei to finally get Khaslana moving.

Has this… ever happened before? Have you ever been the reason Khaslana was too late to save someone?

All the times his watch buzzed yet he didn't move a muscle, eyes shining so brightly with guilt as they bore into you as if you were the one physically affected, like the time after the café visit, at your anniversary dinners, just then- you slam your empty cup into the sink.

Are you hindering his duties?

Khaslana enters your apartment through Tribbie's Infinity Gate.

The portal whooshing open in the middle of your living room, and out from the frame, steps the magnificent hero; a melting pot of gold, divinity, and terror. To you, he is none of those things; you look at him and see the love of your life who reserves his softest of smiles for you.

He hovers his way over to you.

"You okay? Not hurt anywhere?"

You shake your head. "What about you? How did the mission go?"

"Good. Fast."

"Phai, you know I love you, right?"

"Of course I do, sunshine."

You bite your lower lip and cast your gaze down at your lap, a whirlwind of emotions swirling behind your eyes. His clawed hand gently prompts you to look at him, sharp fingers curled around your cheek, your smooth skin a humane contrast to the ragged edges that make Khaslana Khaslana.

Khaslana isn't exactly human- no, he's half-beast and half-demigod, but still, his heart aches at how sad you seem.

"Baby," he croaks, "what's wrong?"

"Do you think it's better if we parted ways?" You ask meekly.

He freezes, silence stretching tensibly. For one moment.

Two.

Three.

He scrambles to his knees, bones hitting the floor with a dull thud as his hands cling to your thighs. "Y/n, if this is a joke then it's not funny. Is this how you're punishing me? You know I'm-"

"It's not a joke."

He makes a sound akin to a wounded animal, superhero form crowding the space around the coffee table as his wings flutter wildly; a mirror of his frantic emotions, the ones he can't show as the stone-faced Khaslana. The grip he has on your thigh is very telling, the way he digs into your skin like an anchor onto a seabed.

"Why?"

"With the most recent call, the casualties that were just narrowly avoided…" you inhale deeply before exhaling shakily. "It's best that I don't interfere with what you do, maybe… there's just no space where we can work on top of your duties."

"Don't say that," he pleads, "you couldn't be more wrong, don't say things like that."

"It's true though."

"It's not, I need you. I don't care if there's no 'space' for us, I'll carve it out, I'll make it happen, I'll do anything as long as you're here with me."

"It's not just that, though. I-" you falter, tearing your gaze away to look past him. "I overestimated how strong I am, but all the time I've spent worrying over you has worn me down. I don't know how much longer I can go wondering if you're okay or not, this isn't healthy."

"Y/n," he whispers your name like it's sacred, "please tell me you don't mean that, please."

"I do mean it. I love you, but this is killing me slowly."

"Then- then I'll fix it, I'll do anything, just wait a little longer, please. I'll talk to the other heirs, they'll understand! Especially Teacher Tribios and Lady Aglaea, they'll find a solution-"

Your fingers curl around his. "There's no permanent fix, Phai. I'll just always be here, anxiously waiting to find out if you're still breathing or not, but Amphoreus needs you. These two things will never change, you can't fix one to save the other."

"So you're already giving up without giving me a chance?"

"I can't love both Phainon and Khaslana."

You're not happy with him.

He's heaving at this point, hands shaking where they hold onto you so tight, doubling over his own hiccups and sobs as his heart breaks at the idea of you not being in his life. Of not making coffee the exact way you like it. Of not turning off a light that you leave on so he doesn't have to stumble through the darkness when he comes home at awful hours of the night. Of not coming home to you after a successful mission, of never having his safe haven and comfort place again.

Your absence, an emptiness he'd have to shoulder for the rest of his life, grieving over what he could have done to stop you from leaving.

That's not acceptable to him. He doesn't want that reality.

"Please," Khaslana begs into your skin, head pressed into your lap like a beggar. "Stay with me. You're the one that matters to me most. I can't do this if you're not here."

"I'm making it easier for the both of us."

"You're being stubborn. You think losing you makes things easier for me? No way," he shakes his head aggressively, "not in this lifetime, or any other."

"But you're a hero. Everyone loves you."

"I don't care what I am to everyone else, I care about being yourhero."

"You are my hero, Phai, but- but maybe it's better to be one at arms length."

He jolts up, blazing eyes holding your gaze. "No, never at arms length, please. Not with you. I'll do anything."

Suddenly, his weapon manifests from glowing light. A smaller version of the claymore he iconically wields, but it still holds the ability to slice through Amphoreus' crust with little effort… and he holds it dangerously close to his right wing.

"W-What are you doing?" you ask anxiously.

"If it wasn't for Khaslana, would you stay with me?"

"I'm not asking you to choose between Phainon or Khaslana, please, put your sword away!"

"You're asking me to choose between Khaslana or you, and if Khaslana is the problem" his golden eyes darken, "then I'd kill him without hesitation."

Your breath hitches when he raises the weapon above his head. One swing and it'd slice the feathers smooth off.

Frantically, you encase his warm fist with your colder hands, a pathetic attempt at stopping him that he obeys nonetheless, keeping his hand raised and frozen while staring up at you, at your mercy.

As if you had the strength to overpower him.

"Phainon, stop, don't do this."

"I'm going to lose you otherwise," he whispers.

"Don't dismember yourself for me!"

"Then how else will you stay?"

"But Khaslana is your-"

"I don't care," he hisses, his fury beginning to bubble, threatening to spill over. It's not directed at you though, Titans, it could never be because of you. "If Khaslana is the reason you want to leave me, I'll destroy him."

"Don't do that!"

"What other choice do I have?"

You bite your lip. "I won't go. I'll stay."

His wings flutter. "Really?"

"Really."

"But what about your-"

"I'll stay, Phainon."

The sword in his hand disappears and he all but collapses on you, torso thrown over your thighs as he sobs, the ache of almost losing you slowly dissipating as you play with his hair.

Every coax of your hand running along his back has him slowly transforming back into his regular form; wings shrinking back, hair turning back into a brilliant shade of white, the blues returning to his eyes only emphasising his sadness as he looks at you like you're the most precious thing he has.

"Never leave me," he whispers, voice raw while rubbing circles on your calf. "Please, I could never survive that heartbreak."

You don't say anything, just let him cry while slowly watching him turn back into the Phainon you know; the man that is yours and yours alone, but is draining your will to have.

His now-human hands wrap around your wrist tightly, bringing it up to his face as he desperately nuzzles into your palm, clinging onto whatever warmth you will spare. "Tell me you love me."

"I love you."

He chokes over his own sobs, tears falling onto your skin as your thumb collects some of the crystals, but his cries only worsen when you bring your other hand up to his cheek as well, cradling his face as Phainon holds onto your wrists with a vice grip, terrified you might slip away.

You:where are you!! >:( You: don't tell me you got swept away by another mission

You huff at your phone, obviously displeased as you shove the device into your pocket with more aggression than necessary. The nerve of this man! What happened to being punctual?

He has the tickets, after all, if he doesn't show up (again), you wouldn't even be able to get in!

"There you are!" You jump out of your seat and take long strides toward your white-haired boyfriend, arms crossed and eyebrows slightly furrowed, beyond hiding your annoyance. He's breathing heavily, and sweat coagulates at his hairline, covering his forehead in a slight sheen.

"Ow, ow, ow!" He yelps when your fingers pinch his ear. "I got really caught up at the bank, they were being so slow! Mercy on me, sunshine, please!"

You sigh, letting him go. "Alright."

Phainon smiles softly when you let him wrap an arm around your waist, bringing you flush to his side. "I'm sorry, are you mad at me?"

"It's fine. I was just afraid you wouldn't show up… again."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Don't say that. Remember what I said about false hope?"

"Sunshine," he frowns, that familiar ache in his chest persisting when you refused to even glance up at him. "Y/n, you know that I-"

"It's fine, Phai."

He would honestly rather you just stab him, a wound from Dawnmaker would be easier to mend compared to all the metaphorical ones you've been throwing at his heart recently.

You grab his hand, wrapping your fingers tightly around his. "C'mon, lets not waste any more time standing around."

Inside the museum, you keenly listen to every fact Phainon conjures as he points at random artifacts, humming deep in thought as he reads the engraved plaques near them. Even as you pass by exhibition after exhibition, he keeps spewing facts that even tour guides spontaneously join in and begin discussing with him.

All the while, you hold onto his arm tightly, nodding and humming thoughtfully with not much else to contribute, just thankful to finally spend time with him.

Phainon's just grateful you haven't ran away yet, putting extra effort into making sure you're entertained and not bored by some historic relics that you only came to see because of him. He had to do some of his own research beforehand, scrolling endlessly through wikipages, his poor teleslate beginning to overheat with how many tabs he had open.

But… anything for you, he surmises.

Every so often, his fingers ghost over the pocket of his trench coat, making sure that the ring is still there.

Truthfully, he hadn't gone to the bank, he went to the finest jeweller in town (per Aglaea's recommendation) and spent hours inside, navigating through dozens of rings just to find the one for you, and it had to be no less than perfect.

To say he got a little caught up was an understatement. By the time the velvet box was in his hands, he realised he only had fifteen minutes to dash halfway across downtown.

Could you really blame a man in love for trying? Especially after a recent scare, and how close he was to losing you, he was not going to repeat that mistake. The world may love Khaslana, but Khaslana loves only you, and Phainon will happily devote the rest of his life proving it to you.

© EARTHTOOZ 2025, do not steal, translate, repost my fics and do not recommend my fics onto any other site, do not feed to AI.

[ballard96]

[danijaci]

my husband suddenly became love"sick"?! ft. phainon

got the collective ideas from my post! ty yall <333

WARNING/S: yandere, obsessive behavior, implied drugging at the end

[ddarker-dreams]

(reader here is described as fem)

loose collection of thoughts for a mildly normal anaxa (non-yan but still weird) and you, his beloved wife:

he keeps a small notebook on him to record his thoughts/impressions for the sole purpose of sharing them with you later.

he vehemently denies it, but the mere mention of you has his features softening. just thinking about you is good for his health because it instantly elevates his mood.

his students love when you attend his lectures because he's less harsh when they make mistakes.

since anaxa insists on conducting one-on-one oral exams instead of traditional tests, his more brazen pupils used to ask to practice with you, as you're the most familiar with how his mind works. he put an end to this practice when it started cutting into the time you could spend together.

anaxa once learned a language thought to be lost because you expressed an interest in a book written in the its script. he dutifully translated the work, adding annotations wherever he knew you'd have questions. the finished piece was an anniversary gift.

almost all of the times he's smiled in his adult life are attributed to you. you have a knack for bringing out his more lighthearted side, though he'll only ever show it in private.

he has some difficulty sharing you with others, especially those with warmer dispositions. he's always had this fear that you might wake up one day, decide he's too much trouble, and move on. you are essentially his only social contact, as he's always viewed maintaining friendships to be a waste of time. he'd be left utterly alone without you.

he makes caustic comments about the company you keep whenever these doubts intensify. it's normally small, petty remarks, but you can tell it's a symptom of a larger issue. should you make your displeasure known, he'll try and watch his tongue. he secretly still judges your companions because he doesn't believe anyone is worthy of your presence (even himself, occasionally).

not sfw beneath the cut!

this man's libido skyrocketed when he met you. he went from being apathetic about sex to blushing at the sight of your collarbones in a matter of days. you did a number on him.

he finds it a bit embarrassing, but he's gotten hard just from engaging you in a battle of wits. especially when you're heated about the topic. the passion in your eyes, your willingness to challenge and subvert him; it gets his blood rushing south. there's a reason why he crosses his legs when you're in the throes of making a point you're particularly proud of.

anaxa kinda forgets about chasing his pleasure because he gets so immersed in exploring you. he's very interested in your body, especially once he discovers where you're most sensitive. watching you squirm, pant, and moan might be more gratifying than any scholarly endeavored he's pursued.

really has a thing for fingering you. he just likes the sight of his digits slipping in and out of your pussy, how they become coated in a thin sheen, the way your head lolls back when he makes a come hither motion... he would finger you for hours if you let him.

his actions are often accompanied by his verbal observations. you don't know how he manages to say half the stuff he does with a straight face, but expect to hear the low hum of his voice near your ear frequently. he talks you through everything yet isn't content until you're left incoherent.

he struggles to last long when he's finally inside you, because he's so overwhelmed by how attractive you are and how good you feel around him. the first time you rode him he barely lasted a minute, the poor guy was fighting for his life. he gets flustered about it despite your reassurance.

he tries to keep his noises to a minimum, but the closer he gets, the less possible it seems. you know he's about to come when he makes these breathy, high-pitched noses, though he tries to muffle them against your neck.

[rexcake-deactivated20250914]

Shout out to "i wanna socialize with my Internet friends but I don't have anything to talk about", gotta be one of my least favorite predicaments

[floradinn]

Pros of being an artist: you can make your favorite characters kiss!!! Yippee!!!!

Cons of being an artist:

[caxasy]

older bf!caleb who loves pampering you every change he gets, wanting to spoil you rotten. he does this through many gestures, anything to prove to you that he is willing to give you anything you could ever want.

this can look like him paying for a lot of your dates together. he absolutely detests the idea that you should ever put your card down for anything in his presence. he thinks its an insult to his capabilities of financially supporting you. another thing that he loves doing as an act of affection is cooking for you. takes it incredibly seriously and expects you to tell him whenever you’re hungry so he can prepare food for you.

i think the main difference between the headcanon of older bf caleb and younger bf caleb is that older bf caleb takes a lot more initiative in taking care of you, whereas younger caleb will still take care of you, duh, but also indulges a lot in you pampering him.

older bf!caleb has none of that around here. he wants to be that pillar of support you can always rely on. kind of unhealthy of him, to refuse to be the one taken care of unless you seriously force him to be, but when was caleb ever healthy in his relationship dynamics lets bffr (i love him to death guysplease)

since older bf!caleb does take spoiling you so seriously though that means that there is no room for anyone else in your life to do the same tings for you. he strictly forbids anyone else to ever pay for your things, provide food for you — whether it be someone else paying for your takeout or GOD FORBID actually bringing you a home cooked meal. he genuinely will not allow that to happen.

you made the mistake of telling him that a coworker of yours gave you lunch today, seeing as you forgot to bring the one caleb packed for you, and caleb nearly lost his mind.

“wasn’t that so kind of them? i mean, i would have done the same for them too, but it feels nice knowing that they care that much,” you smile, retelling the story to caleb, who was not even bothering to hide the pout on his face.

“you took this guy’s food?”

“no! he had a lot of extra, plus i was definitely telling him it was okay, but he kept insisting. i felt bad taking some of his food, for sure. i think i might treat him out to some take out our next shift because that was really nice of him,”

now you wanted to give this guy something in return? the next couple of thoughts racing through caleb’s mind was how this had the potential in becoming a never ending cycle and he resisted the urge of dropping his head in his hands in utter dismay.

“i’m sure it’s fine if you just said thank you, no?” caleb comments before shaking his head, not actually wanting to continue talking about this coworker of yours, “well, ignoring that fact for now, i need you to promise me you’ll call me if you ever need anything, okay? if you forget your lunch at home, call me and i’ll bring you it, okay?”

your eyebrows furrow together and he can already read your mind, “i don’t think that’s neccessary, baby. you’re already so busy, i don’t want to intrude,”

“please, you’re not intruding. i want you to call me, okay? i don’t like hearing about other people taking care of my boyfriend. you’re my boyfriend, i want to be the one giving you food whenever you’re hungry.” he sees you laugh softly at his declaration, but he just continues on staring at you in all seriousness, “hey, i mean it. promise me you’ll call me?”

“i promise, caleb,” you finally appease him, pecking his lips softly to seal the deal.

“don’t call me that,” he whines, leaning into you, pleading eyes looking into yours.

“i promise i’ll call for you, hyung,” you roll your eyes when you see him instantly brighten up. he’s seriously the only person you know that begs to hear that title be called to them so badly.

speaking of, he really hates when you call other guys that title. unless they’re your actual blood related older male figure in your life, he hates whenever you call someone else hyung. it’s something that shows comfortability, closeness, and a relationship between you and whoever you were calling that. even if it’s just a friendship, he hates the idea that you’re close enough with someone to say that so easily.

he wants to be the only hyung in your life. so don’t go calling other men that unlesss you want to see a serious crashout from caleb.

the time he brought it up to you, you thought he was joking. it was just a title, a word afterall, but no, caleb takes that shit very seriously.

“it’s like if you called someone else baby,” he defends, but you’re just looking at him like he’s crazy.

“how is that the same?”

“it is, [name], just please,” he begs by elongating the verb at the end of his word, his eyes pleading and desperate as he looks down at you.

“oh my god, get that look off of your face,” you swipe your hand down his face, smooshing hus features with your palm, but he only smiles and kisses your hand.

“so that’s a yes?”

“you’re clinically insane.”

“well…”

older bf!caleb is really protective of you, to a scary, meticulous degree. doesn’t let you lift a finger whenever you’re around him because 1. it’s part of his nature to spoil you and 2. what if you hurt yourself? he is well aware that you are a functioning, full grown man but still, he’d rather choke on a fizzy soda then hear even an inkling of pain come from you.

doesn’t let you chop vegetables for dinner, insists you just have to “sit there and look handsome” for him whenever you try to help.

will never let you open your own car door, or any door for that matter. you swear he can teleport with how fast he puts a car in park and is then standing outside of your door. teases you, calls it your prince-like attitude that makes him be at your beck and call like this, but really it’s just caleb’s desire to show up for you — show that you won’t even need to do something as simple as open a door when you’re with him because he’ll do it gladly.

screens everyone in your social and work circle, all without you knowing btw. he somehow obtains all their information; keeping mental notes of every single one. most of the things he remembers about them are very simple, but he remembers at least one thing for everybperson you interact with daily.

for example, he doesn’t know what department your one coworker that is, in his opinion — getting too close to you, from, but he does know that they have a 6-year old cat named nami and lives on the outskirts of the business district. does not have a clue on your one girl friends full maiden name, but he does know her favorite cafe, her order, and which barista she tips the most (tries brushing off the fact you have some similarities with said barista).

it’s very niche, miniuscule things that he remembers, but he remembers them all for good reason. their weaknesses if they ever cross you or him.

a very specific one: doesn’t let you pick up orders from the counter at cafes or restaurants? if you guys are eating out and they call for your or his name, he’s up before you can even blink. he’s waltzing over there and bringing back your food with a smile on his face. second nature for him to take care of you, yes, but what if you fell on the way to the counter? what if the barista forgot the cup sleeve and you accidentally burn your hand? he won’t allow it. so just sit down and wait there for him like a good boy so he doesn’t stress out so much.

loves having a physical claim on you. he’s a territorial freak and that’s probably the most immature thing about him (on the long list of immature things he does). refuses to let you leave the house without that promise ring on your finger, he’ll even slip it on for you so you won’t have to exert the effort in that!! won’t let you leave if you’re not carrying some part of him with you.

if he just comes with you, though, that’s even better! he loves hanging out with you, he’s a velcro-boyfriend. kind of hates the idea of you going out and doing stuff alone when you can just invite him? invites himself to a lot of your errand runs. will hang off of your body with no regard for public decency.

his broad shoulders trap and cage you in so you have no escape if you manage to get out of the death grip that are his muscular arms. the kind of guy to stand behind you, arms crossed over your front, weighing heavy on your figure just to remind you (and everyone around) that he’s there and he’s not going anywhere.

older bf!caleb might not know all the couple trends on social media (he only uses it to like your posts, send you cute animals videos, and other misc things all centered around you). but best believe he is down for whatever you tell him.

he loves the idea of you posting about your relationship with him, will watch the videos every night before he goes to sleep and hopes you never stop asking him. because what do you mean your relationship, him dating you!!!, is online for everyone to see? like potentially someone across the planet could know that you’re his and he’s yours. it’s a dream come true for him. loves comments that say how jealous they are of your relationship too, makes him giggle that it’s now very obviously known that you two belong with each other.

one of his favorites was that eye trend. an excuse to be cheek to cheek with you, show off his pretty eyes that you love so much while also staring at you? sign him up, he’ll do that shit everyday.

another fun one was the h.s.k.t. one. he loved the song, loved fact you two were wearing matching outfits, loved how cute you look. he loved it so much he threw you over his shoulder at the end of it and spun the two of you around while he playfully smacked your ass. the video ends with him grabbing your phone and walking with it filming you two as if you weren't thrown over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

he also loved the one where he got to just run into frame, pick you up, kiss you, and spin you two around multiple times. loved loved loved that one because if there’s anything caleb’s good at it, it’s proving how physically strong he is and how you weight just about the same as a feather to him. he also really liked how cute it ended up being, cuddled with you that night rewatching it over and over again. you swore you heard him giggle too.

“a boy who’s jacked and kind” oh, that’s got him written all over it!!! no matter if you’re taller than him, he will be throwing you onto his shoulder with you sitting pretty so very easily. doesn’t even need to hold his breath for a second before he’s putting you on his shoulder, looking at your new given height with a smile. no swaying in his footsteps, he’s firmly planted on the ground and holding you tight so you don’t fall.

liked the one where you wrapped a bow around his bicep too, only cause that one made you so happy. he faked messing it up a couple of times just so he can see that excited smile on your face as many times as possible. before you very adorably scolded him to be serious and he flexed his bicep as hard as possible, breaking the tied bow within seconds.

“do you love my arms more than me, be honest,” caleb’s question isn’t serious at all, he’s just asking to rile you up. you’ve been trying for the perfect shot for what feels like forever and caleb’s teasing isn’t helping your patience.

“i’d love you so much more if you could just do it!” you shush him, retying the pretty pink bow and squeezing his muscular arm, “please, hyung?”

“well when my boyfriend asks like that, how can i say no?” kisses you so softly it practically melts away your annoyance. caleb grins as he hears the audio you’ve chosen play again and he prepares to actually not mess it up for you. to make you happy.

and when you finish filming, you throw your arms around him and bring the both of you down onto the bed. he smiles into your skin, kissing your neck softly as his strong arms go around your back in a tight hug.

“thank you, baby,”

“of course, my love. now — show me the video, wanna see my hard work pay off,” you roll your eyes at his wording.

“all you did was flex your arm, shut up.”

“and you still were looking at me like a piece of candy, now what?” he teases, biting your cheek softly.

“don't bite me!” you screech, smacking his stomach. “swear to god caleb, i’ll bite you back,”

“yeah, wouldn't you like that,” he grins, kissing the spot he bit and wiping it softly with the bottom of his shirt. the sneak peek you got of his abs made you forgive him and settle into his lap to watch the video he worked so hard on.

caleb who is dating you to marry. he already knew he always wants to marry you, but is just holding off on popping the question because you guys are a young couple, plus the fact you are a couple years younger than him. he’s so very, very excited though so permanently make you his and vice versa. wants to turn that promise ring into the real deal as soon as possible.

[caxasy]

at the end of caleb’s trailer, you can see him and mc play fighting and then she gets up from his chest (hes laying down on the boat, shes on top of him), but he immediately pulls er back down and into a hug and that is exactly what inspired this today thank u infold for that miniscule detail because it did send me into cardiac arrest.

“caleb! stop!”

the harmony of your guys’ shared laughter echoed in the open space around you. caleb was currently laying on the boat beneath you two, using his evol to keep it steady as the two of you rough housed.

his hands were tickling and digging into your sides, bringing forth an entire bodily reaction from you. laughter, but also jerking away from his invasive touch as you tried holding in your giggling. but caleb wasn’t having any of it. he wanted to hear you laugh. to see your smile, the crinkle in your eye as you finally let get of your laugh.

“course i can’t stop, darling,” he says in a sing song voice, continuing to prod at your side. it seems your self restraint truly collapsed with that last tickle since you collapsed onto his chest right as he dug into your side.

his smile only widened at the feeling of you pressed against him, pulling you in and holding you tight in a hug to feel you even more. the way your breath hit his neck and cheek as you tried regaining control of your breathing from your laughing fit. the way your thighs straddled his, feeling of your muscular chest against his own, as well. your one hand resting on the side of his face as the other propped you up so you wouldn’t be entirely collapsed onto him.

he gave a rough tug to your waist to make sure you were fully pressed against him.

“you’re so mean,” you heave, smacking his chest with your one hand a couple of times, only enciting a chuckle from.

“i made you laugh, that’s all that matters to me,” he confesses easily, grabbing your assailant hand in his and kissing your knuckles with utter swiftness. “if making you laugh is mean, then i guess i’m the villain, baby,”

the petname he uses so gently with you, a smile on his face the entire time he chides you, “don’t need to attack me in order to make me laugh,”

“not attacking, per se,”

“oh, it was very literally attacking. i’m still feeling the pain of your fingers digging into my side, caleb!”

“let me kiss it better then,” a mischievous look is on his face as his hands trail from your thighs to your waist, lifting the hems of your shirt. a spark almost ignites in his eyes as he catches a glimpse of your abdomen, your happy trail making him lick his lips. he was greedy and insatiable when it came to you and your body, you can’t blame him for acting like he was watching something so terribly interesting when he was really just staring at your body.

he loves every bit of you, including your happy trail.

before he could lift your shirt even higher, you smacked his hands away and also sat up off of him.

aware of how far you were from him now, as far as you can get when straddling the lap of someone resting in a row boat, he frowned and immediately grabbed your wrist.

“oh, no, no, no, where do you think you’re going?” he clicks his tongue as he pulls you back down onto his chest, hurriedly kissing your cheek before you could processs it and shove him away. “wanna feel you — don’t move so far,” he kisses your neck, leaving light pecks wherever he can place them.

“so needy,” you tease, but he only hums in confirmation.

“you already know how much i need you, [name], don’t make fun,” he nips your skin faster than you can react, truly resembling an attention starved puppy. begging for attention and love in any way he knows how.

“stay back, caleb,” you laugh once more, feeling his sloppy kisses on your neck.

“hm, no, can’t resist you,” he pulls you in even closer, peppering your face in kisses all over. he chuckles against your skin, cherishing how cute your scrunched up face is. “you’re telling your boyfriend to stay away? you don’t love me, hm?”

you can only yelp as a response because now he’s turning the both of you to lay on your sides.

“you’re like a big baby, y’know that?”

“i’m your baby,” he persists, smiling as he sees you roll your eyes, “and you’re my baby boy,”

his hand goes up to carress your cheek, the tips of his hair playing with your hair, as his thumb grazes itself up and down your soft skin. he’s looking at you as if you are the center of the universe, as if you are the one who hung up the moon and stars. nothing but adoration and love.

seeing his soft expression makes your face heat up, instinctively hiding it in the inside of his arm that was resting beneath your head as a cushioned support. he laughs at your reaction, going to lean in as he rests his forehead against yours.

“i want to experience an infinite amount of springs with you,” he confesses, “want to see you smile like this for as long as i live, want to hold you like forever,” his voice is soft and mellow as he whispers the sweetest words into your ear. “will you let me? let me be selfish and never let you go?” your throat has run dry from bashfulness as you nod, looking up at him from being tucked in his arms. he’s already watching you with a smile.

a dry laugh leaves his lips and he leans in closer, “wouldn’t have taken no for an answer anyway, baby boy, i’m all yours and you’re all mine. forever,” he kisses you gently, tilting your head back to rest in his arm as he presses into you.

it’s slow and sensual, he wants you to feel all of his love and affection for you poured into this one kiss. he moves to maneuver his body to slightly cover your own, legs slotted in between yours and broad shoulders casting a shadow from the sun over your body. the bangs of his hair tickle your face as him hovering above you makes them hang quite low. you both wish that you could stop time in this moment. the serenity of it all was already unbelievable.

he doesn’t pull away from the kiss until it’s necessary for you two. the smile is still present on his face, though. and his hand is still caressing your cheek.

“i love you,” he whispers, biting the inside of his cheek to restrain himself form leaning in for another kiss.

“i love you more, caleb,” the words you share are genuine and sincere, but can only barely scratch the surface of how much you truly care about your devoted lover. words always paled in comparison to the real feeling, the raw emotions that came with being in love with caleb.

but whenever you said those words that felt like they fell short, caleb’s brain always went haywire. while you may think they might not be enough for him to truly understand, he’s too busy feeling the butterflies in his stomach become more rapid, the heat in his face feel scorching, and the smile on his face uncontrollable. honestly, anything you say directed to caleb can make him feel like a little boy approaching his crush for the first time. but whenever you say “i love you” back to him, it really sends him spiraling into a frenzy of emotions.

“don’t think that’s possible, my darling,” he breathes out, leaning in once more and capturing you in another slow, passionate kiss.

and as you two moulded into one another, the outside world began disappearing and turning into a blur. it felt like a dream that neither of you wanted to wake up from. this was as close to perfection as you two could get. no matter where the two of you were, as long as you had each other you’d be happy.

[caxasy]

— attention ; you stress caleb tf out because youre too sexy and people love you, sorry caleb

caleb realizes quickly he doesn't like when people pay attention to you. no, he actually hates it. detests it.

the two of you were in college now, far away from the small town you grew up in. far from the quietness that used to be your everyday. now, you’re in a bustling city with frenzied crowds and a rush hour foot traffic beyond comprehension.

at first, caleb tried chalking it up to that first week of school energy, people want to meet new people and expand their social circles while everyone is still new to this. but then, he noticed that as the weeks ebbed on, the people lingering around you weren’t going away.

another thing he found out was that he hates when you get attention from anyone, no matter the gender. caleb thought that he wouldn’t be the type to care if a girl was hitting on you, but then it dawned on him that you have had crushes on girls before. which means, you very much could have a crush on a girl now. as for men, well, he already hated when they got anywhere near you. he likes being the only important man in your life, so he already knew that he would have to dedicate time in fending away any men from you. for his own mental well-being.

but to take into account women too?

he could pull his hair out in frustration.

one of the first times caleb considered being rude to a woman was when it was a quiet day in your dorm room. there was a knock on the your guys’ door, making the both of you perk up.

“not it,” you say first, grinning wildly as if you had just won the lottery. caleb chuckles to himself at your behavior, but pretends to be so burdened with the task of opening the door. he drags his feet, earning a laugh from you which makes him smile in accomplishment. he made you laugh.

that smile is wiped away when he does open the door and he sees a girl standing there, an expecting look on her face. and just as his smile is washed away, the excited look on her face is too. he clenches his jaw as his mind races.

why is she here, though? judging from her reaction, she wasn’t looking for him. was she at the wrong door? or was she here to see you? his eye almost twitches at the suggestion of that.

“sorry, uhm, is [name] here? i was told this was his dorm room…” her voice trails off as she tries peering past caleb’s broad shoulder, neck trying to extend past him.

“yeah, this is his dorm room. i’m his roomate, caleb, what can i do for you?”

“well, is he here? i have to return something to him,” she says, still trying to peak past him. but he just maneuvers so that he’s leaning against the door frame and blocking her with a smile.

“oh, i can hand it right over to him,” his smile is forced, but polite. she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and looks as if she’s working up the courage to stand up against him. “well?”

“i-i’d rather give it to him myself! if he isn’t here, i’ll just try again another da-“

“miki? is that you?” caleb resists the urge to strangle you for your keen hearing. he almost knocks his forehead against the doorframe in agitation.

“[name]! you’re here!” her face brightens instantly and her tone is higher pitched as she becomes giddy in seeing you. she looks as if she was about to step in the room if not for caleb’s frame blocking her. but you step forward anyway, running a hand through your hair as you smile at her.

“is that the-“

“yeah, it is! it was a really good read, thanks for recommending it to me,” she hastily says, pushing her hands forward to show a small paperback book to you. caleb almost rolls his eyes at the entire interaction. if it were socially acceptable to, he would’ve slammed the door in this girl’s face by now.

“perfect, i’m glad you liked it,” you take the book from her, fingers brushing against hers. and caleb once again has to resist the urge in pushing her away from you and taking your hand in his.

“i left, uhm, annotations in there. sorry, i know you said you wouldn’t mind it, but i still feel bad.”

“don’t be,” you wave her off, a carefree smile on your face, “i think it’ll be fun to see your annotations whenever i get the chance to reread,”

caleb looks in between you two and rushes to speak when he sees her open her mouth, “thanks for dropping by, we were quite busy so if you’ll excuse us,” and before waiting for her response, the door is shut in her face.

“hey, we totally were not busy, what was that about?” but caleb’s already grabbing the book from your hand, tossing it onto his desk, and dragging you to rest on top of his bed. he pushes you onto the mattress before quickly joining your side, sighing in content at the position you two were now in.

(one he forced you in, but you digress)

“caleb? hello?”

“sh, it’s time for our nap,”

“are we babies? caleb, it’s 4 in the afternoon,”

“you’re not tired? you were just complaining earlier about being so tired,” caleb’s hands trail the hem of your shirt before reaching beneath the fabric and resting his palm flat against your stomach, “let’s just relax and nap, hm?”

he likes you like this more. focused only on him and vice versa. just you two in his world. just your skin against his. he runs his hand up and down your tummy, smiling into your skin when he notices that his soothing methods are working and you’re beginning to fall asleep.

when caleb notices how girls come up to you to possibly hit on you, his expression hardens and he is now so laser focused in finding a secluded area away from all of your admirers. he feels like this is a full-time job! he can’t catch a break and just enjoy the time between you two in public. the only safe space was when you two were alone in your shared dorm room.

you two weren’t even safe in your dorm room too, sometimes! other people would come knocking on your door, speaking of favors you had promised them or just checking in on you and asking if you wanted to hang out — seriously? who even does that nowadays? it’s childish!

and since caleb was so, so mature, he’d always lie to them and say you weren’t there, knowing damn well you were currently wrapped like a burrito in his sheets on his bed.

the first time the two of you had to go take a shower in the communal bathroom, caleb almost committed an entire massacre against everyone else there. he made a mental note to put in a request for next semester for you two to have your own suite, including a bathroom instead of sharing one.

the two of you were carrying all the essentials to take a shower, caleb rambling on about his current course work, complaining about how much work it was and how he barely had any free time anymore. both of which were half-truths. the work was very much manageable and wasn’t the hardest thing in the world. he still had free time, all of which he reserved for you and only you.

the only reason why he was so whiny about it now was so he could hear you coo and pamper him. your sweet words of, “you need to take more breaks” and “how about we go out when you’re free next time, so you can relax,” do more than bring a smile onto his face. they fulfill that innate desire for you to pay special, close attention to him.

he was drinking up all your praise and comfort that he barely recognized that you two were at the bathrooms now. when you pushed the door open for you two, caleb’s smile dropped almost comically fast when he saw that you two weren’t alone. well, obviously, you wouldn’t be — this is the one bathroom for men on the entire floor. of course there would be people. but caleb was now hyperaware that you were wearing nothing but a tank top, arms on display with the fabric hugging tight across your stomach.

he gulped, fighting back a groan as he hurried you two inside. he made sure your shower stall was right next to his before he got into his own and this was the most panicked he’d been in his entire life. what do you mean other people may see you? see you bare? he hoped and prayed that nothing unfortunate such as that may happen, angrily scrubbing at his hair and body at the mere idea of it.

you were in the stall right next to him, naked. and that alone would make him feel giddy, warm, definitely excited, but he couldn’t even linger on those feelings because his mind was too preoccupied with the possibility somebody else sees you like that.

he kept an open ear for when your water turned off, hurriedly finishing his business as thoroughly as possible before also shutting his water off. he stepped out, barely giving himself time to dry himself on his towel, and he looked around for you.

and when his eyes zeroed in on you, he actually had to bite his lip to stop the guttural sound coming out of his mouth. you were standing there, hair still damp and with water droplets cascading down your face and torso. the torso that was bare for all to see and on display for anyone with eyes to oggle at, caleb included.

you were brushing your teeth, leaning against the sink with your forearm as you scrolled through your phone to occupy your time. since you were not paying that much attention to those around you, you didn’t really feel their eyes on you. and they’ve been on you since you stepped out of the showers.

but caleb saw them. he saw the other duo that were on the opposite side of the bathroom, whispering to each other as they looked at your figure. the one guy that just walked in, eyes widened slightly as you were the first thing he saw.

caleb cursed them in his head as he walked over to you. he loudly set his shower caddy onto the sink next to you, snapping everyone around you out of their daze staring.

you turned off your phone and looked at him, giving him a toothpaste ridden smile, “hewwo,”

he softens almost instantly, “hi,”

he pulls out his toothbrush and toothpaste. thankfully, it’s easy to hide his frown as he’s brushing his teeth. he’sd glaring at the towel around your waist, eyes narrowing as he sees it gradually going lower and lower due to you not adjusting it in a long time.

he internally sighs in relief when you adjust it before starting your skincare routine. he can so clearly see your muscles flexing and relaxing as you go through the motions of it, feeling a bubbling sense of anger as he realizes that this sight isn’t just for his eyes. as it used to be.

caleb is beginning to think he just hates this entire university experience. why does he have to share you so often?

from then on, he purposefully tries planning that whenever you two take your showers, it’ll be during the least busy hours. hope you enjoy taking either freakishly early or late showers.

— moral of the story is caleb hates sharing you, with anybody, and gets annoyed whenever someone comes in to take your attention away from him.