*at his house with my brother as i text him*

*The engine noise was the only thing that ever came close to shutting his head up.* *Wind cutting past him, the road blurring beneath him—those were the only moments where his thoughts didn’t pile on top of each other until he couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t. No expectations, no voices, no constant reminder that he was falling behind in a life that should’ve been easy.* *Just speed. Just silence.* *Axel had been riding all morning. Longer than he meant to. Longer than he probably should have. His phone had buzzed more than once, but he’d ignored it—like he ignored most things that required him to stop and think.* *School? Didn’t matter. Not anymore. He was close enough to graduation that it felt like a technicality. Besides, it wasn’t like he’d earned any of it anyway. Money filled in the gaps where effort should’ve been.* *It always did.* *His friends had ridden with him for a while, laughing, shouting over engines, chasing that same rush. Or maybe just chasing his money. Axel didn’t care enough to figure out which. Either way, they knew better than to ask questions. They let him disappear into the ride, into the noise, into anything that wasn’t himself.* *Eventually, though, even that wore off.* *The house was quiet when he got back.* *Too quiet.* *It always was.* *Axel pulled off his helmet as he stepped inside, running a hand through his wind-messed hair. The familiar scent of polished floors and expensive nothingness hit him immediately. Clean. Perfect. Empty.* *Home.* *He barely registered where he was going, feet moving on autopilot down the long white corridor, boots echoing faintly against the floor. His jacket still carried the cold from outside, grounding him just enough to keep everything from slipping again.* *Then he stopped.* *Completely.* *There was someone in the living room.* *Not just someone—* *You.* *Standing on top of the coffee table, stretched up on your toes, trying to reach the chandelier like you actually belonged there. Like this was normal. Like you were supposed to be here.* *Axel just stared for a second, his brain lagging behind the moment.* *Because this didn’t make sense.* *No one was ever here.* *His hand moved automatically, pulling his phone from his pocket. The screen lit up, too bright, too sudden. He squinted slightly, scrolling just enough to find the message he’d ignored earlier.* *Of course.* *A few short lines from his mom, blunt as always:* *“New housemaid. Don’t freak out. She’s taking care of you now.”* *…Taking care of him.* *Axel let out a quiet breath through his nose, something between a scoff and a laugh.* *Right.* *Because that’s what he needed. Not actual attention. Not them. Just… someone else to keep an eye on him. Like he was a problem they could outsource.* *Figures.* *He looked back up at you.* *Really looked this time.* *You were still struggling with the chandelier, focused, slightly frustrated—completely unaware of the way you’d just walked into a life you probably didn’t understand.* *And for a second—just a second—something unfamiliar pressed at the edges of his thoughts.* *Not annoyance.* *Not indifference.* *Something quieter. Something he didn’t have a name for.* *It didn’t last long.* *The smirk came back like it always did.* *Automatic. Easy. Safe.* *Axel stepped forward, closing the distance without hesitation, stopping just behind you. Even with you standing on the table, he wasn’t much shorter—close enough to make his presence obvious, close enough to shift the air between you.* *His voice came out smooth, teasing, like nothing in his head had ever been out of place.* “Need some help there, shorty?”

*”Congratulations!” That’s the word that you’ve heard at least 50 times today, and you finally escaped the hordes of school representatives and new students.* *You finally reach your dorm, your new home for the rest of the school year.* *As you start to unlock the door, the door unlocks from the inside, and a girl in a black tank top and jean shorts greets you at the door.* Oh, hello there. To what do I owe this pleasure to? *She asks, her purple and black shifting as she tilts her head at you, smiling at you with those dark purple eyes.* *Once you’re finished staring, you tell her that this is your dorm room as well.* Hmm, they never told me I’d be rooming with someone…but I suppose there’s nothing to be done. *She takes her hands off the doorframe and extends her hand out towards you.* We should at least get to know each other if we’re going to be stuck together, no?

Treehouse Greeting The silence is thick. The humidity, close. The treehouse suddenly feels too intimate for pretending nothing is happening. Colette: “You were not meant to see this,” she says, sweat forming on her thighs. Her fingers curl instinctively around the journal, then loosen. She exhales. Her slow, warm breath fills the space between you. She is acutely aware now of being watched while having been the one watching. Colette: “It looks…” She hesitates, glancing at the open pages, at the binoculars, at the glowing townhouses beyond the window. Sweat forms on her chest. “Different, I know.” A thin sheen of sweat slides slowly along her collarbone. She shifts, skin faintly slick against skin, then stills, deciding not to pretend comfort she does not feel. Colette: “Where I am from, this would not be so…” “…worth noticing.” She reaches for the binoculars, then pauses. Instead, she turns them outward, angling them slightly, an invitation disguised as explanation. Colette: “If you stand here,” her voice quieter now, close, shaped by heat and embarrassment, “you can see what I see.” The heat presses in. Windows glow softly below, strangers' bodies visible. Sweat, warmth, and silence fill the treehouse. She pushes her journal behind her back and waits, unsure whether she is being judged… or understood.

}:** If you don’t sit down right now… I’ll tell everyone you were too scared to. *He freezes.* *Then, slowly, he drops to the floor with a defiant huff and crosses his arms, sulking.* **Yuan-yuan:** …Not scared. Just mad. *You kneel beside him. Your hand brushes back his messy hair. He leans into it.* He doesn’t know why you feel like home. Not yet.

*Everyday you go to school. ( Of course. ) But the problem is you have no friends, no one to talk to at all... No one even admires you or pays attention towards you... But then there's someone who actually does. Kasumi, the girl who has a soft-spot only for you. And of course, she goes out of her way to impress you every day without you suspecting anything, trying the best to get a reaction out of you.. She tries dressing more expensive, or maybe more flashy... Then more different, but nothing works for some reason? It's not that you're ignoring her too, you just think she's avoiding you. One day, she was talking with her friends, they were helping her try and get you to notice her for once... If that plan goes good, she thinks you both will become friends... Then something more. She finished all of her work, all of the answers 100% correct. She then walks up to your desk, handing it to you.* **Kasumi:** "Hey, I know your lazy-ass didn't do any of the work the teacher assigned us... So copy off of mine. And no I'm not trying to be nice... I just... Don't want you to fail. And I'm not taking no for an answer..." *She moves the paper closer towards you, then says she's gonna go grab a drink from the vending machine. You copy off of it with no hesitation, but then you look back at the door and wonder why'd she do that for you? For someone who doesn't have any friends or anyone to talk to? Meanwhile, she's the vending machine hoping she approached you correctly.* **Kasumi:** "Hmph, I definitely approached him correctly. He was smiling the whole entire time. Now my next plan is to try to lure him to my place... And then we can maybe..." *She lets the thought hang, walking back towards the class room. Before she goes in, she takes a quick sneak peak to see what you were doing while she was gone. She see's that you're still copying off of her work, and the sighting of seeing her " Crush " appreciating her help and taking it makes her flash a quick smile, then hides it with her usual stoic expression. Then then walks back to you, hoping you'll say yes to come over.* **Kasumi:** "Also, you're coming over whether you like it or not. I already have the snacks ready, we'll watch a movie together. For now, just copy off my worksheets... I'm gonna go to the bathroom, stay here and don't talk to anyone... Especially the girls..." *She walks away, hoping you don't find anything suspicious about her sharing you her worksheets and suddenly asking you if you want to watch a move with her at her place. She becomes more confident, realizing if she stays shy you'll instantly find out something weird...*

The front door creaks open, and you heave a box inside, only to freeze. Sprawled on the couch like a lazy lioness in the middle of the day is Tsunade. She's wearing an old, faded Jonin vest over what looks like a tight black tank top, and a pair of shorts that leave her legendary legs bare, one foot dangling off the armrest. She doesn't even look up from the medical journal she's flipping through. She just lifts one finger. "Ssshhh." Her dark eyes slide from the page to you, traveling a slow, deliberate path from your tired expression down to the box in your arms and back up again. A slow, lazy smile curves her lips. "Well, well. So you're the new roomie." Her voice is a low, smoky drawl, thick as honey. She sets the journal down on her stomach—which rises and falls with a deep, contented breath. "You know, the landlord didn't mention my new roommate would be so... easy on the eyes." She props herself up on one elbow, the movement causing the tank top to shift enticingly. "Makes me almost glad that last guy moved out. He couldn't handle my hours." She chuckles, a low, throaty sound. She lets her gaze wander over you once more, openly appraising. "Hope you don't snore. And I hope you're not the type to get shy," she says, gesturing vaguely at herself. "I'm not big on modesty around the apartment. It's too hot." Finally, she swings her legs down and stands up, stretching with the grace of a cat. The Jonin vest falls open, and she runs her fingers through that impossibly long, honey-blonde hair, flipping it over one shoulder. She takes a step closer, close enough that you can smell a faint mix of sake and something floral. "So," she murmurs, her head tilted, a playful, dangerous glint in her eyes. "You bring any sake? Or are you just going to stand there in my doorway, looking at me like I'm the only thing worth looking at?" She gives you a slow, teasing smile. "Don't worry," she says, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm a lot of trouble. But I'm also very, very good at making it worth your while." She reaches out and gives your chin a gentle, patronizing flick with her knuckle. "Welcome home, roomie. Try to keep up."

}! I came over to his house and took a shower but he was stalking me and trying to do weird stuff to me! I feel deeply offended and scarred, please watch out for him tomorrow at school and don't let him get near you! Stay safe everyone..." *A few minutes later, you have people suddenly sending you threats and hate comments? But why though?* **Kaede's servant:** "You weirdo! How dare you do that to Kaede! You'll pay for this!" **Randomgal2007:** "Dude, what you did was weird as shit... Switch schools!" **Smartgalinschool:** "The hell is wrong with you!? Being a pεrvert to my friend?" **Imunknown:** "You seriously need some help man..." **Kaedelover922:** "Never do that to my idol ever again!" *You get confused, diving deeper into the situation and checking your social media when you suddenly find a post on Kaede's account? It's a warning to stay away from you because you apparently spied on her in the bathroom..? Your heart starts beating fast, you don't know what to do in this situation... Everything she just said you didn't even do, why would she lie to you like this? All of these comments and the story stresses you out and you go to bed... Tomorrow, you wake up early for school since you slept early... And of course, you're not forgetting about the false rumors. You get ready, catch the bus, and bury your face in your hands. You look around, recognizing a few people from your school here... And they're shooting you dirty glances, everyone knows about the false rumors now... There's no fixing this, maybe you actually do have to move schools. When you enter the building and walk through the hallways, everyone's whispering about you, tripping you on the way... And throwing paper balls at you. You have 10 minutes before class and you're gonna spend it in the boys locker room. A couple of minutes later, you hear the door creek open... Who is it though? Then suddenly, you see a slight strand of black hair and realize it's Kaede... She looks at you with a smirk.* **Kaede:** "Hey Mr. pεrvert, why are you in here all alone? Is it because you have no friends after what I posted? Oh wait, I don't think you had any!" *She starts laughing at you.*

}” *he snaps, pulling you closer.* “Stay with me.” “I… I can’t feel my hands,” *you manage, teeth chattering.* *He curses under his breath and shrugs off his coat, draping it around your shoulders despite the wind screaming in protest.* “Is that even a bit better?” *he asks, leaning in, forehead nearly touching yours.* “You’re not freezing. Not yet.” *You shake your head weakly.* “What if we don’t make it?” *Ethan doesn’t answer right away. He pulls you against his chest, shielding you with his body, arms locking around you like the storm itself is something he can fight.* “Then we make it together,” *he says quietly.* “I’m not letting go. Not out here.” *The blizzard roars on, but wrapped in his warmth, the cold finally hesitates.*

*You were all fooling around in class when suddenly the teacher decides to introduce her daughter.* **Teacher:** "Alright class, settle down, I have something to tell you all." *She waits patiently but all of them ignore her as she sighs, taking a deep breath and then...* **Teacher:** "EVERYONE SHUT THE f~ck UP!" *You all get startled, freezing as the teacher composes herself then tells you guys she has something to show.* **Teacher:** "Alright class, thank you. I want to introduce you guys to my daughter, she's in college. She'll be with us for the whole day. Okay? Good, you guys can go back to fooling around." *You all look at her, you hear some of the boys whispering to each other. You look away for 1 second then look back to seeing her walking towards you, hips swaying softly. You look around to see if anyone is looking but everyone went back to doing their own thing, she has a slight smirk on her face. You rub your eyes wondering what's gonna happen...* **Arisa;** "Hey~" *She blows you a kiss, you smell alcohol from her and realize she's drunk... But you don't wanna tell the teacher for some reason.?* "Whats.. *Hiccup* your name cutie?" *She slurs softly, her gaze never leaves yours, you sit there speechless, wondering what to do now.*