✭⁎ 𝚊𝚎𝚒𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚢 *

❛  i don't believe you anymore.  ❜ ❛  i don't have anything left to give you.  ❜ ❛  i don't know how to forgive you.  ❜ ❛  i don't know how to stop loving you.  ❜ ❛  i don't know if i hate you or miss you.  ❜ ❛  i don't know how to act around you anymore.  ❜ ❛  i don't love you anymore.  ❜ ❛  i don't need your pity.  ❜ ❛  i don't need you to save me.  ❜ ❛  i don't recognize you anymore.  ❜ ❛  i don't think we can fix this.  ❜ ❛  i don't think i can survive losing you again.  ❜ ❛  i don't want to see you again.  ❜ ❛  i don't want your apology.  ❜ ❛  i don't want to be your second choice.  ❜ ❛  don't ask me to stay.  ❜ ❛  don't ask me to be okay with this.  ❜ ❛  don't come back to me just because you're lonely.  ❜ ❛  don't leave me here alone.  ❜ ❛  don't lie to me again.  ❜ ❛  don't love me only when it's convenient.  ❜ ❛  don't make me choose between you and myself.  ❜ ❛  don't make me hate you just so i can let you go.  ❜ ❛  don't pretend you're the only one who suffered.  ❜ ❛  don't say you love me unless you mean it.  ❜ ❛  don't tell me what to do.  ❜ ❛  don't tell me this was all for nothing.  ❜ ❛  don't touch me.  ❜ ❛  don't turn this around on me.  ❜ ❛  don't you dare hold my past against me.  ❜ ❛  you don't deserve me.  ❜ ❛  you don't get to decide when i'm done hurting.  ❜ ❛  you don't get to hurt me and call it love.  ❜ ❛  you don't get to mourn me after killing every part of me that loved you.  ❜ ❛  you don't get to rewrite what happened just because you regret it now.  ❜ ❛  you don't have to pretend you missed me.  ❜ ❛  you don't know how many times i waited for you.  ❜ ❛  you don't know what i gave up for you.  ❜ ❛  you don't understand what you did to me.  ❜ ❛  you don't understand how tired i am of being strong because of you.  ❜

Weeks of work had gone into arriving at this little meeting. A small park, twilight hours, just a corpse and a healer--two unlikely friends. And even to Max's surprise, he did consider Niko just that. A friend. One of the very few he'd ever allowed to own the title.

The last time they spoke, they'd argued. A rift had formed, and Max wasn't sure how to repair it. Any other time he wouldn't have cared. 'Oh well, that was fun while it lasted'. But he couldn't find it in himself to discard Niko in that same way.

God dammit.

He'd taken to introspection, reflection, trying to discern the root cause of their dispute. It all came back to touch. Max couldn't touch Niko without his power going haywire and sending alarm bells ringing through his head like a five alarm fire. He'd recoiled--some would call it rudely, but for Max it felt like self preservation.

His diagnostic magic had cost him a few too many hook-ups anyways. Nothing killed the mood like the boy you were gonna take home having a tapeworm he doesn't know about...Besides, his powers were still developing. If he found one inconvenient, he simply had to train it. Own it.

"I imagine you're wondering why I called you out," Max said as he approached. He was surprised to find he was relieved Niko had come. Had he been subconsciously worried about being rejected?

"I want to repair this rift between us. Get back to what we were," because I value this friendship. He left it unsaid, because there was no fucking way he was admitting it out loud.

"So I asked you here to participate in an experiment of sorts. There's no risk to you, I just need to test something."

The corpse had been so on edge that he had grabbed a different flavor of milkshake than usual, hardly noticing the fact that his drink wasn't even the same color as usual. He barely noticed the pieces of strawberry mixed in either. Even though he was familiar with the routine of buying his milkshake and meeting people at this small park, he was simply... scared—was that the feeling?—of what might happen this time. This park had been a place filled with good memories. He didn't want it to start becoming a painful one.

His unbeating heart felt heavy in his chest when Max moved to sit next to him, a couple feet away as per the usual distance kept between them. Niko honestly hated how far away that distance felt. Normally, he wasn't someone who minded that, but it felt different when he knew Max utterly despised any form of contact with him.

He slightly turned his head towards Max, red eyes fixing onto his friend's profile, listening attentively as he spoke. He took another sip of his strawberry milkshake.

Experiment? His eyebrows rose in confusion as he coughed loudly, barely preventing said milkshake from heading down the wrong pipe.

❝ … What? ❞ he stupidly uttered after swallowing. He let out a couple of coughs to revive his voice.

Niko was definitely open to repairing their relationship, but what did an experiment have to do with it? Wasn't he supposed to be in the wrong and the one trying to make things right for all the badly worded stuff he had said before?

are you holding up all right?

thought i should stop by, see if you were okay.

you know, you haven't spoken in a minute.

you're starting to worry me.

is this thoughtful silence, or worried silence?

can i get you anything?

i'm perfectly all right.

sometimes i think about what will happen if we fail, and it terrifes me.

you can stop worrying about me now.

you had a moment back there.

what was all that yelling about?

i've worried about you since day one.

can we sit down?

you might feel better if you talk to me about it.

i was hoping we could catch up.

there's a lot more going on than i expected.

it's starting to get to me.

tell me the truth. are you all right?

i'm not a hero. i don't know why i'm doing this.

i can tell when you're lying to me, pretending everything's okay when it's not.

you're a horrible liar.

what was that all about?

i heard you yelling.

it sounded like an argument to me.

what's on your mind?

something's clearly bothering you.

can you just sit still?

you've never been honest with me.

they said you needed to talk to me?

i can tell when you're lying. i can see it in your face.

i know you better than you know yourself.

spill. everything.

that's not what it looked like from here.

i don't want to talk to anyone.

can you leave me alone for a while?

thanks but no thanks.

is this your way of checking on me?

who put you up to this?

if you'd just been honest with me from the start, we wouldn't be here.

when they said you were out here, i thought i'd stop by, see how you were doing.

you don't have to handle all of this by yourself, you know.

there are people who really care about you, who want to see you succeed.

think about the people who love you.

i don't like seeing you struggle this way.

i could use a shoulder to cry on right about now.

i just feel so lost.

everything is riding on me, and i'm not used to that.

there's too much responsibility on my shoulders right now.

thanks for letting me vent a little.

i didn't mean to word vomit.

you make it easy.

i feel like i can trust you.

no one understands me but you.

thank you for giving me a chance to speak.

thank you for stopping by to see me.

you should come by more often.

the battle's not over.

we still have work to do.

i trust you'll be ready for the final battle?

tomorrow's a big day. you should get some rest.

if you need anything, you know where to find me.

it will feel better if you just come right out and say it.

no one should ever carry the burden you do.

i think the world of you.

roleplay starters inspired by slow burn love — lingering glances, almost-touches, and feelings that simmer for months before finally spilling over

LONGING IN THE LITTLE MOMENTS

soft looks, subtle shifts, that ache of wanting more but not daring to reach

“Why do you always look away right when I catch your eyes?”

“You keep brushing my hand. Accidentally… right?”

“You don’t have to leave yet. Stay—just a few more minutes.”

“Why does being around you feel… different?”

“I notice the way you soften around me. Even when you try not to.”

ACCIDENTAL INTIMACY

hands brushing, falling asleep near each other, warmth passed back and forth

“You’re freezing—come here. It’s just body heat… nothing else.”

“You can lean on me if you’re tired. I wouldn't mind.”

“Hold still, you’ve got something in your hair—just let me…”

“Didn’t mean to fall asleep on you, but… I didn’t want to move.”

“I like it when you stand close. Even if you pretend you don’t notice.”

DENIAL THAT’S OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE ELSE

everyone sees it except the two falling in love

“Why does everyone keep asking if we’re together? We’re not… right?”

“No, I wasn’t staring. I was… observing. For reasons.”

“We’re just friends. Totally normal friends who… talk every night?”

“Why does it bother you when I flirt with other people?”

“We’re close. But not that close. Unless… you want to be?”

RISING TENSION, UNKEPT DISTANCE

the space between you shrinking, breath catching, lips almost touching

“You keep stepping closer. Are you doing that on purpose?”

“Tell me to back up. If you don’t, I won’t.”

“You can’t look at me like that and expect me to think straight.”

“If you touch me again, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself.”

“We’re either about to kiss or make the world’s worst decision.”

LATE NIGHTS THAT LEAD TO CONFESSIONS

quiet rooms, tired voices, guards slipping

“I shouldn’t say this, but… I feel safer with you than anyone else.”

“You’re the first person I think about in the morning. And the last at night.”

“I don’t know when it happened, but you’ve become… important.”

“Why do I only tell you the things I’m scared to say out loud?”

“Stay up with me. I don’t want this feeling to fade yet.”

FEAR OF RUINING EVERYTHING

the hesitation, the trembling, the hope

“If I told you the truth… would it ruin us?”

“I’m scared of losing what we already have.”

“I care about you too much to risk it unless you feel the same.”

“Don’t lie—there’s something between us. You feel it too.”

“Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll pretend none of this happened.”

FINALLY CROSSING THE LINE

the moment where holding back isn’t possible anymore

“Come here. I can’t pretend I don’t want you anymore.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to make the first move.”

“If we’re doing this… don’t pull away.”

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for months.”

“Tell me this isn’t just one moment. Tell me we’re choosing each other.”

She knew they normally went out for their dates, so the change of pace to do something at home was definitely different enough to be special for Valentine's Day. Not to mention, it would be the mark of one year since they officially started dating too.

When Alex arrived after his shift, Reanne had just finished setting the table for them to eat, her cooking apron still on as she led him to her spruced up cheap dining table. The table was covered with a red and white checked tablecloth and in the middle sat two cheap plastic candle lights. The plates on each side of the table held a delicious and decadent surf and turf entrée consisting of a filet mignon and shrimp with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans. Honestly, a home cooked meal was nothing like the intended homemade chocolate, but hopefully her feelings would still be conveyed.

❝ I'm glad you made it, ❞ she said, pulling out a chair for him to sit at, ❝ I've been looking forward to this all day! ❞

The girl couldn't help but let her smile stick on her face. After all, she never tired of seeing her boyfriend when she had the chance. Even if it was one of her least favored holidays, she could never have her mood ruined if she had the opportunity to see him and whip up a nice meal for once. Cooking for herself was one thing, but cooking for Alex had her all excited to show him what she was made of. She wanted to know what he thought of her cooking, as he was a guy keen on cooking himself.

❝ I know this isn't chocolate and I know you prefer to be the one cooking all these things, but I wanted to show my stuff too, ❞ Reanne went on to explain with a bit of a sheepish twirl of the ends of her shortened hair, ❝ that and I actually suck at making chocolate. I'm not much of a baker. ❞

Moving around the table, she turned on the mini candle lights that she set at the center, ❝ Happy Valentine's Day, Alex. ❞

Left work early? Done. Pretty packaging? Check. Clothes all changed and free of any flour? Check, check, check. This had to be Alex's greatest feat of the year, and it had only been the second month of the year so far. The fact that he had managed to finish this painstakingly long task on time was a miracle in itself, and he still looked good enough for the rest of the evening. Maybe there is a slight tinge of smoke on his shoulders, but the scent of strawberries should mask the disaster that threatened to be born from his oven. Everything was fine, and that poker face smile on his features wouldn't give away his little weakness with baking. Reanne didn't have to know the details that took place before he arrived, not one bit.

He certainly would not have minded a night-in with her. Of course, it was Valentine's Day and Alex would be an absolute idiot if he grew complacent like he had in recent months. A machine can always have improvements, and the man swore to deliver. Then again, Reanne did beat him to the punch before he could even think to bring her out for the holiday. As if that would stop him from getting her a new fresh batch of sunflowers, even amidst the cold transition from winter to spring. Eyeing her apron as he slipped off his shoes to the side, Alex swallowed as the scent finally registered into his sense.

He blinks with surprise, almost caught off guard by the gesture. Hadn't he been the chef in this relationship? Swallowing the sudden build up of saliva between his teeth, he attempts to hide the flustered blush on his face with his hand that held the bouquet. "Am I at the wrong place? I'm supposed to be at my girlfriend's place, not a restaurant." He wonders if she hears his nervous stammer, but there is no doubt she could see the grin he had been fighting to conceal as he sees the set-up. It's cheesy, but in a good way that makes him giddy on the inside. His hands grow sweaty as he sets the flowers down nearby in sight, and quickly, he spirits himself behind her.

His arms twitch with this urge to engulf her in an embrace, but Alex hesitates before he could. A clenched fist behind his back, he only hovers and allows his warmth to radiate behind her in a complex translation of want and a need for closeness. Too close, he thinks to himself in a gesture of restraint. He could have moved away to give her some space, and he does pull away— but not too far, only enough for him to set that pretty box on an empty space on the table.

"I ain't that much of a baker either, but that's never stopped me from trying. I hope you still like fruit tarts, sweetheart." Lips curled into a slight smile, he sets down the carefully boxed tarts onto the table. He remembers that conversation from ages ago when they had barely known one another. Reanne had not explicitly given him a preference on the sweets she had liked, other than mentioning she enjoyed a lot of it. He couldn't have been anymore grateful for his strong memory, practically having memorized what she had listed down on the things she would have liked.

An assorted set of six small fruit tarts, and he would keep an eye on what flavors she seemed to gravitate towards for future reference. Not that he would ever get better with baking, but for her, he would try. His exes would throw a fit if they knew he had been reduced to this.

There was no other way to hide the way his jaw falls slack when he studies the plating. She even bothered to make the presentation look so fancy. "Filet... mignon? This stuff is what you see in those expensive restaurants. Even the butcher don't give cuts like these for cheap. You didn't have to, darling." His heart is accelerating at the thought of a homemade meal that was not done by his hand. Was he sweating? Shit, he was. Dark blue eyes were trained onto Reanne, flickering down to the cut of meat already on the fork. Why would he not have a bite now? He could barely contain his nerves as he bites, then takes another of the shrimp, then the potatoes without another word.

All manners were thrown out the window now, his tongue too eager to express his immediate thoughts after sampling her cooking. "I really liked what you did with the searing of the meat. How long did you have it on the pan for? It's so soft inside too..." He manages to say in-between chews. Alex does not devour the dish entirely, taking his time to savor the flavors rather than vacuum the entire thing like he does when at home. Everything is taken much more slower with Reanne, not that he minded at all. It was his way of prolonging his time with her, especially after his periods of absence.

After a slight gulp of water, Alex sighed and smirked at the girl in concession. "I think you had me beat with the shrimp. I honestly think you'd do better than me in the seafood department." He sings the praise so easily as he bites down onto another piece of shrimp, gesturing for her to join him in eating. "Have you tried it yourself? I'll have you try out my version of the dish so you can see just how well-done your seasonings were. What's the secret?" The man teased, itching to wipe the plate clean. The thought saddens him though, knowing that there could only be so much bites for him to savor and burn to memory.

Then he paused for a moment, digging into the pocket of his jacket to pull out a much more smaller box. "There's also this," His voice was much more quieter now, uncertain as he slides the item to her across the table. Careful to not knock down the candlelights, he pulls back his arm and glances away. He did not think himself to be the best when it came to gift giving, compared to doing favors and making things happen with sheer determination and luck. Within the box, a set of small hair clips with the likeness of small sunflowers. He imagined they'd look nice on the crown of her head where she would do her pigtails, but the technicalities of hair accessories were very much lost on him.

Alex could not bring himself to look her in the eye and gauge her reaction. "Don't hair clips make your scalp itch? I tried them once out of curiosity and I thought they were going to grow roots on my head." He had known that Reanne liked her hair accessories, often donning ribbons early on in their friendship. He hasn't seen them in a while, now that he thought of it. He swallows to himself, wiping his lips on a napkin before clearing his throat to salvage his diminishing courage.

"I kept seeing those at a windowsill. Thought about you every time I passed by. I mean, I think about you all the time I see sunflowers." The confession is quiet. A part of him wants to go die in a hole for how cringe he sounds, but he keeps rambling anyways. "They're so bright, and you're the brightest thing I see all the time. Prettiest girl in the world, but so bright it puts my headlights to shame." God, I sound so stupid. A dreamy-like sigh leaves him as he loses himself in thought. "I sound like an idiot, but that's what effect you have on me. I can't articulate how weak my knees get when I see you happy."

KEITH AND REANNE, MY BELOVEDS! I LOVE THEMMMMMMMMM!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️