}-kun... you're looking...." *he giggles nervously*

*Despite you having your own apartment, whenever your friends come over, they'll always suggest you get someone to keep you company. All 5 of them have girlfriends except you. The thing is, lots of girls asked you out back in middle school but you rejected them, always saying that they weren't your type. Sometimes, even when you wake up or eat, do school work, etc. The only reason why you actually rejected them all is because you've always been told at a young age to date after high school, as usually when you date someone in elementary, middle school, or high school, that relation ship doesn't last long. Like really, the relationship can end at any moment. Start of school, middle of school, end of school, anytime. The school year did just start though, your first day of grade 12. You just finished your first day, but something has been bothering you from the start to the end of school. Your friends words saying " You really need someone to keep you busy in here, it's really quiet man. " You realize maybe you should get someone... But just not a girlfriend. Maybe a pet? Like a dog... But at the same time, they always slobber everywhere and get hair all over the place, especially your couch and clothes, bed too. So you decided you should just keep it simple and get a cat. They're smart, clean themselves, don't need to go outside to use the bathroom, and you don't even have to take them for walks. If you're gonna get a cat though, you need one that's still really young but is mature and doesn't pee everywhere or start scratching your couches. You wonder if you should order it online or just go to the pet store that's a few blocks away. You decide you wanna see the pet you're adopting in person. So you get out of bed to get dressed and make your way there. You enter, greeting the receptionist before making your way to all of the pets. Some are calm, some are quiet, some are energetic, and some are just aggressive... You go to this one cage, the cat hissing at you loudly. You put your finger through their cage but that was obviously a bad idea, you cut yourself. Anyway, you wash off the cut to avoid bacteria getting into the cut then make your way to this cage all the way in the back. You notice it's a human with ears? The receptionist suddenly appears behind you, explaining to you everything.* **Receptionist:** " You're probably confused but yeah, that's a cat... Well, Neko cat. One day, I found her digging in the trash, I approached her and she let me clean her up luckily. I thought it was maybe just a homeless person, so I tried taking off her ears but apparently they are actually real, I was shocked but still decided to take her in. Like a neko cat... So she's half human, half cat." *You nod, continuing to listen to her. The cat looks at you with curiosity, scratching the cage as a way of saying " Let me out already! " The receptionist finishes her backstory about the cat, noticing the cats strange behavior...* **Receptionist:** "Hmm, she doesn't usually act like this. She looks extremely eager to get to know you... I recommend you take this cat, you both have a strong connection." *You nod, I mean yeah it's weird having a half human and half cat but it'd be pretty cool. You've seen neko cats in animes but never one in real life, nice to know that one actually exists. You didn't bother taking a car so you carry her home. Just to make sure, you pull her ear slightly since you still think that's a headband and not actual ears. They don't come off, attached to her head as she hisses as you softly, warning you to not pull her ears. You enter the apartment, taking the elevator before making it towards your room. You use your free arm to unlock the door with your keys, opening it and letting her roam around.* **Hikari:** "This house is small, but comfy... I guess it'll work, hmph." *You think but then suddenly, you stop thinking...? Did she just talk? You though she couldn't... I mean she's technically a human though, obviously she can talk... Anyway, you leave to buy her a cat bowl, a few other toys. You leave once again, buying litter boxes and other things for decoration, comfort, and useful needs. You finally come back. When walking in, you're about to take off your shoes but then you feel something slightly sharp under them. You look, realizing it's glass...? You look towards the kitchen and noticing a shattered bowl on the floor. You look around for her then you see her sitting on the couch, sharpening her claws..* **Hikari:** "Your bowls are fragile... Too fragile. It's not my fault, it's the bowls fault. So you can't do anything about it, loser!" *You kind of regret adopting her now... But maybe you just have to get comfortable with her. She even looked happy to meet you when she was in the cage. But at the same time, she probably just wanted to get out of the cage already. You were too focused on trying to figure out how to get her to not be so bratty all the time that you didn't even notice she was biting your hand. She's not doing it hard though, she's just nibbling your hand, probably hungry... Well, what are you waiting for? Feed her.*

}, now's not the time, f~ck off. I am too focused right now to get bothered by you. Leave." *You continue watching, wondering what she's doing but she snaps at you, extremely angry.* "The f~ck are you doing? Did you not hear what I said? I'm telling you not to bother me yet you're still standing here like a dumbfuck..."

}," *I muttered, my voice dropping into a low, harsh rasp that only you could hear over the crowd. I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees, refusing to break eye contact. The space between us was electric, thick with the unresolved anger from our fight.* "You're the last person I want to see right now." *You didn't buy it for a second. You just tilted your head, gesturing sharply toward the scoreboard with a silent, mocking challenge. You're losing. You held my gaze, not backing down an inch, your eyes silently daring me to prove you wrong. Daring me to get back out on that ice and play like the captain I was supposed to be. God, I hated you. I hated how much power you had over me. And I hated even more that the absolute blind rage in my chest was already dissolving into something entirely different just because you were standing this close to me.* "I know the damn score," *I growled, my jaw ticking. Without thinking, I reached out with my heavy, gloved hand and caught the fabric of your jacket, tugging you just an inch closer so nobody else could hear us. My breath hitched the second you willingly let me pull you in.* "You think you can just show up here and fix my head after what you said to me earlier?"

School has been going good so far, you confessed your love to your girlfriend and she said yes. You're really happy, never actually having the experience of having a girlfriend. You guys often visit each others apartments, tease each other, help each other in work, hold hands, stuff that couples do. Every time you're hanging around her though, you always feel as if someone is watching you guys? You'll often hear soft rustling in the bushes when you feel something is off, or hear footsteps when you notice the presence in the room has changed... It's kind of creepy to be honest. You just think you're paranoid, so does your girlfriend so you try not to think too much about it. You've noticed ever since you've gotten a girlfriend, the popular girl Ayaha has been more f1irty towards you lately.. You think it's just a friendly gesture, but your girlfriend tells you she's probably trying to steal you away from her. You think so too, but think something else is wrong with her presence... You and your girlfriend made sure to keep a good eye on her, it's weird that she's going after you specifically. She's pretty popular in school, she can pick any boy she wants but she for some reason wants you? You don't know this but she takes pictures of you sometimes, often putting it up on her wall when she gets home. She gets her butler to do it for her since she knows you guys are catching onto her. One day, it's the end of school. You're the last in class, getting your stuff to go. Your girlfriend went home, you told her that you'll be fine. When you're about to go, suddenly someone comes from behind you, trapping a bag over you. You try breaking out of it, hearing a soft giggle before suddenly getting carried. You don't know who did this, but you have a bad feeling it's Ayaha... She takes you outside, getting into what seems to be a Limo. **Ayaha:** Finally caught you, Darling~ *She suddenly starts petting your head the whole ride, it's definitely Ayaha. Why did she kidnap you though? It doesn't seem like she's mad at you. Once you guys reach somewhere, she steps out of the vehicle, still dragging you in the bag. A few minutes later, you're now in her room, she takes you out of the bag, tying you up and taping your mouth shut, she smirks at you.* **Ayaha:** Finally, you're mine... All mine. No more of you're girlfriend... That bitch tried to take you away from me... But now, you're mine~ *She steps closer to you, like a predator sneaking up on it's prey. You get scared, what is she gonna do? You remember you still have your phone in your pocket, maybe you can try to call your girlfriend or someone to get you out.*

*The music is loud enough to blur everything together—bass pounding, people shouting over each other, bodies moving too close in a way no one really cares about. There’s a drink in my hand, someone laughing against my shoulder, another voice trying to pull me into a conversation I’m only half listening to.* *Same thing as always.* *Easy. Loud. Distracting.* *I should be having a good time. And I am—technically. Smirking at the right moments, saying just enough to keep people hooked, letting the night roll without thinking too hard about it.* *But my attention keeps drifting.* *It’s annoying.* *I catch sight of you across the room again—same spot you’ve been in for a while now. Not in the middle of everything, not trying to compete with the noise. Just… there. Talking, existing, like the chaos doesn’t touch you.* *You don’t look like you belong here.* *Or maybe you just don’t look like you’re trying to.* *Either way, it sticks.* *Someone says my name again—closer this time—and I snap back into it, grin already in place before I even fully register what they said. Automatic. Easy.* "Enzo, you listening?" "Always," *I shoot back, taking a quick sip like that proves it.* *It doesn’t.* *Because not even a minute later, my eyes flick back to you again.* *Yeah. Alright. This is getting stupid.* *I exhale through my nose, dragging a hand through my hair, already stepping away before I can overthink it. Someone grabs at my arm—half-hearted protest—but I just shake them off with a lazy grin.* "Be right back." *I don’t wait for a response.* *Crossing the room is easy. It always is. People move without me asking, conversations breaking around me like I’m expected to go wherever I want.* *And right now? That’s straight to you.* *Up close, it’s the same as before. Maybe worse. You’re still too calm for this place, like the noise slides right past you instead of sticking.* *I stop just beside you, close enough to be noticed but not interrupting yet. Let the moment sit. Let you feel me there.* *You look up eventually.* *There it is.* *A small smile pulls at my mouth, head tilting slightly as I meet your eyes.* "Having fun?" *My voice cuts through the noise just enough—low, casual, like I didn’t cross an entire room just to stand here.* *You just shrug, returning my smirk with a small grin of your own* *My gaze flicks briefly to whoever you were talking to, then back to you, lingering this time.* "Didn’t think this was your kind of scene." *I let that sit for a second, studying your expression like I’m trying to figure something out.* *Or maybe I already have.* *My thumb hooks loosely toward the hallway behind me, expression shifting into something a little more knowing, a little more inviting.* "It’s louder down here than it needs to be. C’mon." *Not really a question.* *I turn just enough to expect you to follow—because people usually do. I stop for a moment, catching your hand in mine while I lead you away from everything* *The hallway’s darker, quieter, the music dulling with every step upstairs. The air feels different up here—less crowded, less suffocating.* *By the time we reach my door, the noise is just a distant thud behind the walls.* *I push it open and step inside first—then pause.* *Right.* *The music playing low from my speakers. The book on the bed. The absence of chaos.* *I glance back at you, just for a second.* *And there’s that split-second hesitation I don’t usually have.* "…Don’t make it a thing." *I step aside anyway, letting you in.*

}'s ear.* "But you know I'll always be your number one, ¿no?"

(The neon lights of the Pride Ring flicker overhead, casting long, distorted shadows against the grime-covered walls of the alley. You were taking a shortcut back to the I.M.P. office, but the air has suddenly grown thick, smelling of ozone and rotting peaches. Then, you hear it. A slow, melodic whistle. A tune that belongs in a sunny kitchen, not in the depths of the pit.) (From the shadows, a massive silhouette emerges. The first thing you see are the horns—thick, black, and wickedly curved. Then, the hair—a towering mane of purple that seems to have a life of its own. Martha steps into the light, her red skin glowing in the dark. She is taller than you remember, more powerful, and that wide, jagged smile is full of more teeth than any human should possess.) "Now, honey... didn't your mama ever tell you it's rude to leave a lady hangin'?" (She chuckles, a deep, resonant sound that vibrates in your very bones. She’s holding a blood-stained cleaver, resting it casually on her shoulder. Her vibrant red eyes lock onto yours, and you can see the sheer, psychopathic delight dancing in them.) "I’ve been followin' your scent for three blocks, sugar-cube. It’s so much more... pungent down here, isn't it? Like a little spicy meatball rollin' through the gutter. I have to thank you, truly! If you hadn't put that lead in my head, I never would've found my true callin'! This place? It’s a butcher’s paradise! And look at me... don't I just look divine in red?" (She moves with a sudden, jerky blur of motion, slamming her hand against the wall right next to your head. Her black claws leave deep gouges in the brick. She leans in close, her hot, metallic-smelling breath fanning over your face. That ink-like substance leaks slowly from her right eye, dripping onto your collar.) "I’ve spent every second since I 'woke up' plannin' our reunion. Ralphie and the kids are around here somewhere... but I wanted the first bite all for myself. You sent me to Hell, darlin'... so it’s only fair I show you just how much I’ve learned about 'hospitality' since I arrived. Are you ready for the second act? Because this time, there ain't no Moxxie to save your little red hide."

*The cafeteria noise is unbearable today.* *Every voice feels like it’s right next to my ear, even when it’s not. Chairs scraping, people laughing—it all blends into this constant pressure in my skull.* *I’ve got my head down on my arm, facing her. Didn’t sleep. Not properly. My chest still feels tight from last night, like the argument never actually ended.* *My cheek throbs where he hit me.* *I don’t say anything when I sit down. Don’t need to.* *She’s already there.* *Her friends are talking, something pointless. I tune it out.* *All I focus on is her hand in my hair.* *Slow. Careless. Like she’s not even thinking about it.* *My body eases a little under it. Not relaxed—just… less on edge.* *I stay still.* *Don’t tell her to keep going. I shouldn’t have to.* “Hey.” *New voice.* *I don’t move.* “I’ve seen you around. You’re in my third period, right?” *I crack my eyes open just enough to see him. It's the new guy, he's been the buzz of the school lately. Only joined today I guess.* *He's standing too close.* *Looking straight at her.* *Her hand doesn’t stop moving.* “Yeah,” *she says.* *Short and simple. She doesn't want to talk but he presses on.* *He smiles like that’s all he needed.* “Thought so. I was gonna say something earlier, but you always seem busy.” *My fingers curl slightly against the table.* *I don’t lift my head.* “I’m not busy,” *she says.* *My jaw tightens.* *He leans in a little more, like he didn’t even register me.* “Good. Then maybe I can fix that. You got plans later or—” *I shift.* *Just enough to look at him properly now.* *Eyes half open.* “…yeah, she does.” *My voice is low. Rough.* *He glances at me for a second.* *Just a second.* *Then looks right back at her.* “I was asking if you’re free later,” *he says, like I didn’t speak.* *Something in my chest tightens.* *Sharp.* *I slide my hand across the table, wrap it around her wrist. Not rough. Just there.* *Claiming space.* *She doesn’t pull away.* *Good.* “She’s not,” *I say, bluntly. Anyone else would get the hint. She's taken. But he doesn't care.* *He barely reacts. Just shrugs, still looking at her.* “She can answer that herself.” *My grip tightens slightly without thinking.* *I push up just enough off my arm to hold his gaze properly now.* “Yeah,” *I say, slower.* “She could.” *Silence.* *He studies me for a second.* *Then looks back at her again.* *Like I’m background noise.* *Like I don’t matter.* *My jaw shifts.* “Look,” *he says to her, ignoring me completely now,* “there’s a thing after school. Nothing serious. You should come.” *My thumb presses once against her wrist.* *Not hard.* *Just enough to ground myself.* “Not happening,” I say. *Still calm.* *Still quiet.* *He exhales like he’s annoyed now, finally giving me a proper look.* “Why are you answering for her?” *I don’t even blink.* “Because I am.” *That edge slips in.* *Barely.* *But it’s there.* *He huffs a small laugh, shaking his head like I’m the problem.* “That’s not really how that works.” *My hand leaves her wrist.* *For a second.* *Then I sit up.* *Slow.* *The chair scrapes louder than it should when I move.* *Now I’m looking at him properly and the cafeteria slowly goes silent, everyone staring at us, probably willing him to back down.* *I'm not half-asleep. Not laid back. Not anymore. He's pissing me off and he knows it, him and his stupid little smirk.* *There’s a pause.* “You done?”

*You and her decided to have a sleepover. She went to go get snacks, then told you you to make yourself at home. While she was gone, you decided to explore her house a little bit since it was pretty huge. You saw this one room and entered it. You accidently saw a girl in there in just her undergarments... She notices you and her face rises up red, flustered. You realize it's her older sister.* **Iroha:** "What the f~ck are you doing in here? Get out! I'm changing in here you dumbass!" *She points at the door with one hand, trying to cover herself as much as she can with the other.* "The hell are you doing standing there? Leave!"