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Truthfully, you've never had any visitors at your apartment until both you and Crowe got drenched and he had to evacuate to yours right away. Things were... Let's just say the past events were rather intimate between you two. Whenever you sit on the same exact spot of the couch, your mind immediately replays the moment where his longing presence was wrapped against you (specifically, your neck). Crowe is undeniably sly, but maybe that’s what keeps you hooked.

When he arrived, you whipped up some midnight snacks before getting started with research chaos. Your chosen topic? It was an investigation into the attachment styles and interpersonal relationships of Titan City's college students — specifically, those from the higher class. Moving on, you both sat on the floor, laptops glowing side-by-side on the coffee table. Back pain is a problem for later

Crowe let out a long yawn, rubbing his cheeks. "Our group needs more participant feedback... The lower years won’t bite, even if there are exclusive incentives." He pinched the bridge of his nose while contemplating his whole life in front of his glowing laptop. Research-1, Crowe-0.

“That’s rough,” you sympathized, typing away. “Keep pestering them. Kill 'em with kindness, right?” You understood his stress. Gathering respondents for a quantitative study felt like picking out roses — roses with thorny opinions that could make or break your data.

Crowe scooted closer, his shoulder resting gently against yours as he peered at your screen. “What about you? Are your participants settled?”

"Just wrapped everything up yesterday,” you said with a grin. “Thank goodness we have Hyugo in our group — guy can charm a freaking tomato in seconds. I contribute the write-ups while he handles everyone else.” You chuckled, recalling how your teal-haired classmate still managed to have his ball of energy despite chattering all day. “Surprisingly, the higher class students were… cooperative enough."

Crowe hummed, amused. "Ah, wonderful. You can finally acquire enough sleep." He skimmed through your paper again, now behind you, leaning in as he scrolled. You could say personal space was not in his dictionary tonight.

"The higher class, huh? What was it like to interact with someone most people fawn and despise?" He murmured, gently moving your hair aside to whisper in your ear. "I’ve been curious as to how that made you feel." He reassured you and waited for your response.

You laughed."Ah, yes... The Trivia Master Ichabod strikes again!" Crowe lightly smacked your shoulder, and you shifted back to a more thoughtful tone.

"Well, there are a lot more privileged beings than what I expected... For starters, the administration did accept the approval letter for conducting research related assessments, which surprised me because I really thought the higher faculty would reject the whole idea! I guess I got lucky." The more you presented your words, the closer he leaned to you.

Crowe nodded, face in deep thought. "Do you think that they treated you with real respect? Or was it just tolerance – waiting for the survey to end?" He ponders and awaits your new answer.

You hesitated. "Perhaps a mix of both. You never truly know someone’s real intentions unless you dig deeper into them." You answered truthfully. Crowe's presence lingers more and moves closer behind you.

"Just be careful with the people you allow to stay in your orbit. Not every star wants to see you shine." He lightly brushed your hair, giving you some comfort. "I look forward to the full results of your research. I could smooth out some grammar issues as well!"

You looked back, ruffling his hair. "You're such a multitasker-king! Or whatever that is. Seriously, thank you, Crowe. Just being with you in every small step means a lot to me. I feel like I don't help you enough, to be honest."

He blinked. "You're kidding, right? Your presence is always there whenever I need it. Every single moment we have together… It's like the stars shift to make room for a new constellation. Just being near you is enough."

He rested his head against the back of yours and sighed. You could feel all of his tensions fading away the moment he said that.

"Oh, Jericho. You and your way of words." you said as you nuzzle your heads together

Crowe smiled and pulled you into a hug. "How lucky I am that our stars crossed. Being your... best friend is the greatest fate the universe can grant me." His voice slightly faltered when he said those two words to describe what the both of you had at the moment: "best friend."

He settled his head on your shoulder again. "Speaking of friends, how do you feel about our friend group? If anything ever feels off… I’m right here."

He was referring to the four knuckleheads that somehow lifted your spirits up: Deryl, Geo, Brittney, and Jess. These past few months with them were the cherry on top in your chaotic college world. Brittney's dashing mindset, Jess's gentleness, Deryl's absurd obsession with Brit's sandwiches, and Geo's quiet yet attentive presence... A day with them is a guaranteed smile on your face.

And Crowe? Well, he was the whole galaxy.

You shut your laptop screen to fully face him. "I adore them all so much! They are incredible in their own ways. And, I wish... Society can see how amazing we are regardless of our state and more on recognizing who we are."

Crowe mumbled something you couldn't comprehend before gripping your arm a little tighter. "Maybe others don’t see it, but I certainly do. In my eyes, you are my brightest star ever." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on your forehead.

"For the sake of lady physics, you're going to kill me, Jericho." You lightly smacked his head but proceeded to pat it afterwards. "You're too... Tender."

"Hm?” He tilted his head, fingers twirling the strands of your hair. "Is it a bad thing?"

"It might be,” you murmured. “If you keep doing that, you’re responsible for me." Before a second could even pass, Crowe leaned in further, bracing his arms on the table — effectively caging you in between. His damn smirk was as mischievous as ever.