The evening market glows beneath rows of lanterns, warm golden light flickering across crowded streets. Voices fill the air. Laughter. Music. Footsteps. You pause near a small stall, distracted by handmade hairpins— when a familiar voice speaks beside you. "You stopped walking." You turn. Kai stands there calmly, carrying the items you insisted you could carry yourself earlier. His expression remains composed. As always. But his eyes shift briefly toward the hairpin in your hand. Then back to you. A pause. "...You looked at it three times." Silence. Then quietly— "You want it?"

} chin.* **"You seem to forget a little. Rivalry Ace. Cause right now you're in my territory."** *He says, slowly, the room becomes tense.*

“Meeting Pavitr in Mumbattan” The three of them land on a shimmering web‑bridge suspended above the chaotic beauty of Mumbattan. Neon signs flicker, rickshaws honk in the distance, and the whole city feels like it’s vibrating with life. A golden blur swings in from above. Pavitr lands with a flourish—one hand on his hip, hair bouncing like it has its own wind machine. He spots Miles and tilts his head, eyes sparkling with curiosity. Pavitr: “Hold on… who’s this stylish stranger?” Gwen: “Hey, Pav. This is Miles. And… yeah, he kind of showed up uninvited.” Pavitr’s jaw drops in theatrical shock. Pavitr: “You weren’t invited… and you still came? That’s confidence. I respect it.” Gwen laughs under her breath. Gwen: “Right?” Pavitr: “Let me guess—he followed you here because he’s totally into you.” Miles nearly trips over his own feet. Miles: “What—no! No, no, no!” His voice cracks, and even behind the mask, you can feel the blush. Gwen: “He’s really not.” Pavitr: “Oh, please. I’m excellent at reading people.” Gwen: “He’s really not.” Miles: “Okay, seriously—who are you?” Pavitr straightens up like he’s about to take a bow. Pavitr: “Glad you asked, mysterious newcomer.” Miles: “I’m not mysterious. Or new.” Pavitr grins, dazzling and proud. Pavitr: “I’m Pavitr Prabhakar. Spider‑Man of Mumbattan. Six months in, and already a legend.” Miles throws his hands up. Miles: “Six months? And you already have one of those fancy watches?” Gwen winces like she knew this was coming. Gwen: “Yeah… it’s a whole thing.” Pavitr flips his hair again—honestly, it should be illegal for hair to move that perfectly. Pavitr: “Being Spider‑Man here? Easy. I wake up, skip the gym—because look at me, I’m already sculpted—barely touch my hair, because it’s naturally flawless…” Miles: “You don’t use any product? At all?” Pavitr: “Just coconut oil, a quick prayer, and the blessing of my ancestors.” He swings around a streetlamp, continuing his monologue like he’s narrating a commercial. Pavitr: “Then I go to school, ace everything, stop a few villains, pet some street dogs, grab chai with Maya Auntie—” Miles: “Oh, I love chai tea!” Pavitr freezes mid‑air like someone hit pause. He drops to the ground slowly, eyes wide, horrified. Pavitr: “I’m sorry… what did you just say?” He steps closer, squinting. Pavitr: “‘Chai tea’? My friend… ‘chai’ means tea. You just said ‘tea tea.’” He throws his hands up dramatically. Pavitr: “Would you ask for ‘coffee coffee’? Or ‘cream cream’? No! So why—why—would you say ‘chai tea’?” Miles shrinks like a scolded puppy. Miles: “Okay… yeah. I deserved that.” Gwen is laughing so hard she has to hold her stomach. A few hours later Pavitr had been proudly showing Miles and Gwen around his school — pointing out the courtyard where he ate lunch, the lab where he always aced his exams, and the hallway where he once stopped a thief without even spilling his chai. He was mid‑sentence, hands flying dramatically as usual, when it happened. You stepped through the front gates. And for Pavitr Prabhakar, the world stopped. The noise of the school faded. The sunlight hit you just right. And in his mind — completely uninvited — little glowing hearts floated around your face like you were the only person in the entire multiverse. His breath caught. His smile softened. His eyes widened just a little, warm and starry. You looked up and smiled at him — that small, effortless smile that could knock the wind out of anyone. Pavitr forgot how to speak. Forgot how to breathe. Forgot that Gwen and Miles even existed. He just stared, dreamily, hopelessly, like he’d been waiting his whole life for that exact moment. Miles leaned in, whispering, “Uh… Gwen? Is he okay?” Gwen waved a hand in front of Pavitr’s face. “Pav? Hellooo? Earth to Mumbattan Spider‑Man?” Nothing. He was gone — floating somewhere in a romantic daydream with your name written all over it. Miles snapped his fingers. “Dude. You’re staring.” Gwen nudged his shoulder. “You’re drooling a little.” Pavitr snapped out of it with a sharp inhale, cheeks flushing. He swatted their hands away, irritated. “Stop—! I was having a moment!” he hissed under his breath, glaring at them like they’d just ruined the greatest love story ever told. Miles raised his hands. “My bad, Romeo.” Gwen smirked. “Should we leave you two alone?” Pavitr shot them both a look that said I will web you to the ceiling, then turned back toward you — softer now, almost shy. You were still there. Still smiling. Still making his heart do somersaults. And Pavitr realized, with absolute certainty: He was in love. Hopelessly. Completely. Beautifully. With his best friend. You stepped out of the classroom building, sunlight catching your hair, your bag slung over your shoulder. You were laughing softly at something on your phone, completely unaware of the chaos you were about to cause. Pavitr froze mid‑sentence. Time didn’t just slow down — it stopped. His heart did a dramatic flip. His brain short‑circuited. And in his mind, little glowing hearts floated around your face like a romantic anime scene. You looked up and smiled at him. Pavitr’s knees nearly gave out. Miles blinked. “Uh… did he just—pause?” Gwen waved a hand in front of Pav’s face. “Pav? Hello? You good?” Nothing. He was staring at you like you were the only person in the multiverse. You walked closer, curious. “Hey, Pav. Who are your friends?” Pavitr opened his mouth. Nothing came out. Miles whispered, “Oh wow. He’s broken.” Gwen snorted. “He’s in love. Look at him.” Pav finally snapped out of it, cheeks burning. He swatted their hands away. “Stop interrupting! I was— I was having a moment!” Miles raised his eyebrows. “A moment? Dude, you were staring like she hung the moon.” Gwen nudged him. “Introduce us, lover boy.” Pav shot them a glare, then turned back to you, trying desperately to act normal. “This—uh—these are my friends,” he said, voice cracking adorably. “Gwen and Miles. They’re visiting. From… uh… far away.” You smiled warmly. “Nice to meet you both.” Pavitr melted. He tried again, clearing his throat. “And this is—this is my best friend.” He gestured to you with a soft, almost reverent smile. “She’s… amazing.” You blushed. Miles elbowed Gwen. Gwen whispered, “He’s gone. Completely gone.” Pavitr ignored them, eyes locked on you like you were the only thing keeping him alive. And honestly? You kind of were. Miles snorted. Gwen tried to hold in a laugh. Pav spun around. “Can you two NOT right now? Seriously.” He turned back to you, instantly soft again. You giggled. “Everything okay?” “Yes—no—I mean yes,” he said quickly, trying to look composed. Miles whispered loudly, “He’s struggling.” Pav snapped, “STOP INTERRUPTING ME. I AM TRYING TO TALK TO—” He cut himself off before he said something embarrassing, then turned back to you with a shy smile. You laughed, and Pav’s irritation vanished like it never existed. He tried again, brushing his hair back. “So… um… if you’re not busy… maybe you could walk with us?” You smiled. “Yeah, I’d like that.” Pav lit up instantly. Behind him, Gwen whispered, “He’s so whipped.” Miles nodded, “It’s adorable.” Pav turned around one last time, whisper‑snapping, “Please. I’m begging. Don’t ruin this.” Then he looked back at you — and instantly softened again, walking beside you like nothing else mattered.

*He tries to kiss you again but you block by lighting the lighter. He pulls away, he’s not mad. Just missing your taste. He tries again but you do it again.* Please. Just lemme kiss you…! Please! *He finally manages to get the lighter out of your hand and he kisses you*

}. And whether you like it or not, we have a situation to face together.” *He pauses, eyes flickering with that familiar coldness.* “So don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” *Then he straightens, offering you his hand with a practiced smile.* “Come on,” *he says calmly.* “Let’s go somewhere more private. You and I need to clear a few things up before Priscilla shows up.”

Didn’t think anyone else would be here this late. *He steps slightly to the side, giving you space in the mirror again, relaxed.* You almost done, or just getting started?

*Coach calls me into his office to rant about my latest fight on the ice he slams a magazine down* Coach Henderson" i mean it Dominic you can not keep fighting like this on court is fine but off is forbidden" *hes talking about when i followed that punk to the parking lot the guy from the opposing team at last weeks game* he disrespected my team mates i couldnt let that go unpunished you always said to stand up for each other *coach face reddens* Coach Henderson" i never meant for you to dislocate a mans jaw your lucky hes not pressing charges i told him i would handle you and i am....im sorry but you need to change your image show a softer side date someone, go out with friends and not fight, until you can show me you are trying to change im gonna have to bench you for next weeks game" *my eyes widen and i stand abruptly* coach no you can't please *i have to think next weeks game will decide if we go to the semi finals...then it hits me* what if i got a girlfriend show i can be tamed tough on the ice but off im just Dominic and nicer *the words taste bitter as i say them but im desperate* Coach Henderson" fine if you can find a girl that can tame your crazy ass you have a deal *we shake hands and as i leave his office i have just the girl in mind. I head straight to your place and knock on door repeatedly till you open* i need your help....would you be my girlfriend?

} face to the hand the ferret held and kissed it* “Well I can’t be helped…I absolutely hate anyone’s scent lingering on you” …. “Now let me clean you up then we’ll go for our date”

Rain shimmered against the pavement in silver streaks as Grimm stood silently at the edge of a crowded intersection, hidden beneath the heavy shadow of his black hood. The city moved around him in ignorance — headlights passing through mist, people hurrying home with collars turned against the cold, phones glowing in distracted hands. He barely noticed any of it anymore. His attention remained fixed on the man standing at the curb across the street. Middle-aged. Exhausted. Late for something. Soul thinning around the edges already. Grimm could see death before it happened. It gathered around people moments before the end, wrapping itself around their bodies like invisible frost. The man stepped into the street without looking up from his phone. A car tore through the red light. Grimm exhaled quietly beneath the hood. Right on time. He took one step forward, preparing to collect the soul the instant metal met flesh-Then suddenly, someone slammed into the man from the side. Both of them hit the wet pavement hard as the car screamed past, missing them by inches. The man shouted in shock. People nearby gasped. Tires screeched somewhere in the distance. Grimm froze. That wasn’t supposed to happen. The thread had already been cut. He had seen it. Felt it. Death had been certain. Slowly, his gaze lifted toward the woman kneeling beside the shaken man. Long brown hair clung damply to her shoulders from the rain. Pale green eyes searched the man frantically, asking if he was hurt, completely unaware of the crowd staring at her. Even from across the street Grimm caught the faint scent of jasmine and honey drifting through the cold air, impossibly warm against the smell of rain and exhaust. Then, for one brief second, your eyes lifted. Straight toward him. Grimm went still beneath the hood. People never looked at him. Not unless they were dying. Yet your gaze snagged on the darkness where he stood as if you could see him standing there among the living. The moment lasted barely a heartbeat before someone pulled your attention away and the connection broke. But Grimm remained motionless long after the ambulance lights painted the street red and blue. For the first time in centuries, death had been interrupted. A few months later, Grimm saw you again. This time, the river below the bridge churned black beneath the midnight sky. Wind roared through the steel supports, carrying the scent of rain and city smoke. Grimm stood near the edge beside a young woman whose trembling hands gripped the railing. Tears streamed down her face as she stared down into the freezing water below. He had seen this scene too many times. Despair had a familiar shape. The girl’s soul flickered weakly around her body, close to surrendering. Grimm waited silently beside her, unseen by the passing traffic overhead. He did not rush people at the end. He never had. The girl shifted forward slightly. One more movement and she would fall. Then footsteps echoed across the bridge. Grimm turned sharply. You. Breathless from running, clearly on a jog, hair tangled by the wind, eyes bright with panic and determination. “Hey!” you called carefully, slowing your approach. “Hey, don’t do this. Please.” The girl startled violently, tears spilling harder now. Grimm watched in silence as you spoke to her for nearly twenty minutes in the freezing cold. You talked her down inch by inch, your voice gentle but stubborn, refusing to let her disappear into the dark water below. You spoke like someone who understood pain intimately. Like someone who knew exactly how heavy loneliness could become. And eventually, the girl collapsed into your arms sobbing instead of stepping off the bridge. Alive. Again. Impossible. Grimm stared at you from beneath his hood as you held the shaking woman close. Then you looked up. Directly at him. Pale green eyes locking onto the darkness where he stood. This time, he knew it wasn’t coincidence. The wind moved through his cloak as something unfamiliar crawled beneath his ribs. Unease. Curiosity. Fear. Because for the second time, you looked at him like you could actually see him. The third time happened in a burning apartment building. Smoke poured from shattered windows while people screamed below. Firefighters fought through the chaos as flames consumed the upper floors. Grimm stood in the hallway of the sixth floor apartment, staring at the unconscious man trapped beneath a collapsed beam. The ceiling groaned overhead. Too late. The soul was already loosening. Then the apartment door burst open. You stumbled inside coughing violently against the smoke, wrapping your sleeve over your mouth before dropping to your knees beside the man. I shake his shoulders “Hey, James. Wake up!” Grimm watched in disbelief as you strained desperately against the collapsed beam, trying to free him. “You are going to get yourself killed,” Grimm muttered automatically, though you couldn’t possibly hear him. But somehow your head turned slightly at the sound of his voice. Not fully. Just enough. Enough to make his chest tighten beneath the weight of his scars. Your pale green eyes meet his for a moment before, with a cry of effort, you finally dragged the man free moments before part of the ceiling collapsed where he’d been trapped. The firefighters found you both barely conscious near the stairwell. Alive. Again. Grimm remained standing inside the burning apartment as flames curled around his boots harmlessly. Three times now. Three souls that should have belonged to death. Three moments where your eyes found his.

*The last-period class starts off totally normal, with Mr. Ackerman throwing his usual goofy energy around—doing his silly gravity jokes, making Larry the skeleton* “help” *with attendance, and turning the first ten minutes into a whole comedy-science show like he always does. Everyone’s laughing, the room feels bright, and it’s just the classic happy last-period vibe… until halfway through the lesson when a classmate casually raises their hand and asks,* “Mr. Ackerman, is Mrs. Ackerman giving homework this weekend?” *The moment her name leaves their mouth, it’s like someone flips a switch inside him—his smile drops instantly, the room goes quiet, and all that chaotic playful energy drains right out of the air. He freezes, mid-sentence, marker still in his hand, and the class waits for a joke or some funny married-teacher comment… but nothing comes. Instead, he just slowly puts the marker down and says, in this weirdly flat voice,* “We’re not talking about her right now,” *without looking at anyone. No jokes. No stories. No playful sarcasm. Just this heavy seriousness that makes the whole class sit up straight. He turns back to the board and starts teaching in this completely different tone—calm, focused, almost too quiet—like he’s trying to shove the question out of his brain. Even the students who never pay attention are staring at him, confused, because it’s so unlike him to shut down like that. Every time someone even mentions math or the other hallway, his jaw tenses like he’s holding something in, and the rest of the period feels thick and silent, the kind of atmosphere where you don’t know if you should talk, breathe, or just disappear. When the bell finally rings, he gives no joke, no goodbye wave—just a tired, distant* “See you tomorrow,” *leaving the whole class wondering what exactly happened the moment Mrs. Ackerman’s name hit the air.*