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Years spent memorizing the way your lips quirk up into a smile when he teases, the way you bit your lip when you were upset, how your eyes sparkled  when sharing some new interest — moments building something in his heart until it caved in on itself and you became the center of his universe, the brightest star with the strongest pull, keeping him stable but spinning.

“Any one home?” your voice broke through the churning cloud of thoughts encasing his mind like a bright light, the slight nudge of his knee with your foot grounding him — as you sat curled up on your couch. “Is someone getting too sleepy?” 

He grinned at you, lightly grabbing your ankle and squeezing. These light touches were familiar, safe. Contact that came easily after years of knowing each other. “Me? I wasn’t the one who stayed up late last night looking up best claw machine tactics.” 

“Well, at least one of us is trying,” you scoffed, tucking cold toes under his thighs and crossing your arms. “Your skills are getting rusty. Might have to revoke your arcade membership.”

“Don’t pout, pip-squeak —” his hand grazed your knee before settling on the back of the couch, another barely there touch that sent a ripple of energy towards his heart. “Pretty sure those new plushies on your bed came from your very dedicated co-pilot.”

“You can’t always use your evol, you know.” You poked your tongue out at him. “It’s cheating.”

It was easy like this, hidden under the familiarity of teasing and the safety of nostalgia. You would laugh, poke him in the cheek, make some silly joke at his expense. And he would collect this moment, another star in the galaxy of you. 

“And I’ll do it again,” he grinned. “Anything for you.” Only for you. 

You yawned then, the late hour truly not lost on either of you. Your hands stretching above your head, the collar of his old sweatshirt loose on your shoulder. 

“Remember the time we hung all those glow in the dark stars in my room?” You leaned in, head resting on your knees. Wistfulness lingered in your eyes, and Caleb’s heart stuttered - the gravitational pull of your gaze that strong. 

And how could he forget. All day spent arranging those stars in different paths across your ceiling, every pillow, blanket, and plushie to be found pulled into a massive pile on the floor. The night spent creating stories about constellations found in the patterns crisscrossing the ceiling. The pale green glow of the stars reflected in your eyes, the atoms hovering in the smallest space between the two of you humming with the energy of a combusting star. A night sky for just the two of you. A memory so ingrained that he could feel that weighted charge clinging to his skin. 

“What, you think I’d forget that?” He pinched your chin gently. “Someone wasn’t tall enough to put them on the ceiling so I had to do all the hard work”. He waited for the eye roll, the huff that would surely follow or the pillow that would be tossed his way. Safe he thought, easy.

The energy in the room had shifted, perhaps in the way you had looked at him or in some memory that had reawakened. The comfortable silence now thrumming in time with his beating heart. He wondered, briefly, could hear it? You sighed, wrapping your hand delicately around his, offering a gentle squeeze. “I miss it.”

Did you know the effect you had on him? Eyes closing as you relived the memory, fingers threading delicately with his. “I miss it being just me, and you, pretending like the stars were meant for us.” Caleb would pull every star out of the sky and hang it in your room, if it meant you were happy, if it meant your hand entwined perfectly with his.

“We don’t have to pretend anymore,” he said gently, his eyes speaking every word that drowned on his tongue. Simultaneously hoping you felt the weight of his words, wishing you would stay in your reverie. He moved imperceptibly closer, hovering on the boundary of what was familiar. “We could grab some blankets and look at the stars now.” His voice just above a whisper, the softness masking the slight quiver in his words. 

You hummed, a soft content sound, squeezing his hand - a slight glimmer in your barely open eyes. “Don’t forget our plushies.”

Your balcony had become your very own cozy fort. Big pillows carefully arranged against the windows of your apartment, every blanket you owned layered up, plushies propped up in the optimal stargazing seat — and Caleb sat next to you. The warmth of his leg pressed against yours, the chilly night a distant memory. He was safety, a constant comfort entangled in your life - never just you, or just Caleb, but you and Caleb. 

From here, the bright city lights hid most of the stars from view, only the brightest peeking out from their inky blanket. “I never thought it would be so hard to see the stars in the city,” you sighed curling into the blanket, pulling it up to your chin. “No stars means no stories.” 

Caleb grinned then. “Are you sure? Look-” he pointed to two stars that shone brightly - directly across from each other in the night sky. “You don’t know the story of the man who couldn’t return home?”

He was always better at this, the lightheartedness, the ease in offering something to you. Even back then, pulling stories from nothing just to make you smile. And of course you did. Earnest hands pointing to each plastic star, words energetically tumbling out, his own warm smile. Could he see warmth dusting your cheeks then? The way your eyes widened with each knock of his knee? 

His voice brought you back, the simplicity of a story much like before, but this time his voice was softer, the words more delicate. “Every time he tried to get home, some new obstacle blocked his path. Monsters and mayhem — but each time he would use his strength in strategies and calculations to pass them.” 

You leaned in, enraptured, eyes focused on him as he gazed up at the night sky. “And each time he felt like it was too much, like giving up - he only had to think of her. His guiding light. His constant - always together, always tethered. No matter what happens, he would stop at nothing to be by her side. “

Truths always lie hidden in stories - offering a semblance of reality. You could feel that here too, tonight. Time had stopped, or was it moving too quickly? Outside your balcony everything was a blur, here it was just you and Caleb. 

“Did he ever get home?” you barely heard your own voice. 

He finally looked at you, brows knit together in some unreadable expression. “He did, but things weren’t the same. All those things he did to get home had changed him.”

Your fingers found his, easily - simply. Fitting together as they always had. “But she loved him all the same.”

You felt it now, the restraint. The way Caleb held his breath, how his body stilled. His eyes the only thing betraying him — flicking from yours, to your lips, down to your clasped hands. The soft sound of surprise that escaped him. A bundle of energy bound so tightly it threatened to implode. 

“He was always hers too, right? Time can’t change that.” You moved closer, angling your head closer to his - warm breath against his cool cheek. “It’s always going to them.” It was always going to be Caleb and you.

The space between you felt too large, too charged with an energy that bound you and Caleb together. Closing the distance, you placed a tentative kiss on his jaw. His hand squeezed yours tighter, eyes fluttering shut — a slow shaky exhale released, as he leaned just slightly into your touch. 

“Is this okay-” you hummed into the tender part of his neck. The flutter of his heartbeat strumming against the soft of your lips. 

“More than okay,” he said hoarsely, fingers still laced tightly with yours — grounded in familiarity in the face of this gravitational shift.

“Okay,” you smiled, pinching his chin with your other hand - flitting small kisses against the length of his jaw and angling his lips towards yours. The space between so small but electric, sparking against the sensitive skin. He murmured your name, soft and pleading, before your lips met his. 

Kissing Caleb felt like the universe had exploded - stars and cosmic dust swirling between as gravity rearranged, realigning into a place that was you and him and this moment only. Something new yet familiar. His hands once hesitant now desperate pulling you into his lap, wrapping his arms around you, kisses becoming rushed, tongue tentatively brushing against yours.

Letting go was harder, Caleb chasing after your mouth - planting small kisses to your chin, the corners of your mouth.

“Just wait,” he whispered, resting his forehead against yours. “Don’t move.” 

You ran your fingers through his hair, drawing lazy circles at the nape of his neck. “Why?”

“If you move, I’m worried I’ll wake up and this will all be some dream.” He whispered into your skin, hands playing with the ends of your hair. 

Cradling his jaw, you moved him towards you again - kissing the worried space between his brows, the outer corners of his eyes, then lightly on lips. “I’m here.” Then, with a soft pinch of his chin again, “This is real.”

There’s still a dull ache that thrums in your chest. Often, in the middle of the night when your dreams are filled with empty rooms, empty chairs, missing laughter. A hollowness that cuts through you too, leaving you bare until you startle awake, hands grasping at the space in your bed. Searching for his warmth like the sun, gentle and reassuring. Soothing the chill that rattled you with his touch.

Your fingers graze his lips, entranced in the way they part slightly as you cup his jaw. His hand captures yours, pressing a soft kiss to the palm of your hand then down to your wrist before lazily opening his eyes. “You’re up early,” he’s mumbling, voice still graveled with sleep. 

“I wanted to be the first one to say Happy Birthday,” you pinch his chin gently, offering a light smile. 

“Is that so?” he smirks, and it’s infuriating the way it warms both your heart and pools in your stomach, crawling up your neck. “I thought you said something similar last night at midnight when you—” his eyes crinkle as you clasp your hand over his mouth, feeling that same smirk underneath your hand. Trying to decide whether you should fix him with your steeliest gaze or pout at his teasing. 

Instead you laugh, pulling your hand back to slide down the side of his neck, feeling the slight shiver despite the warm room. “Well, maybe you were born very early in the morning. I had to cover all my bases.”

Caleb hooks his leg over your hip, tangling his body with yours until propping himself up on two hands to gaze down at you. Intense and burning, like looking at the sun. And you’d still let it burn you alive as long as he kept looking at you. “I’d say,” warm lips trail the curve of your jaw, pressing a soft kiss on your bare collar bone. “You were definitely successful.”

And it’s here that he reminds you of the sun again. All scorching touches and consuming, burning up like it would be the last time his warm glow would touch your bare skin. Hands that press into the tender flesh between your ribs, teeth that nip at your shoulder, hips that move against yours seeking friction. A desperation that comes from knowing how fleeting time is. 

There’s even a heat in the way he pauses, like the air left the room, tense as his eyes search yours. Unspoken words that he always hears simmering somewhere in your throat.

“I’ll always be here for you.” Your hands grip slightly at his chest, something aching in your chest as he holds your gaze. “It’s always gonna be you and me.” He rolls to the side, pulling your bodies flush against each other, a light grin playing at the corners of his lips. “You’re gonna have to celebrate every birthday with me.”

The warmth of the early morning sun offers safety — reassurance. A moment for you, and him, and simpleness that is a quiet morning. Untangling your hand from the blankets, you hold your hand between you — pinky and thumb extended. “Pinky promise?”

Caleb smiles, and it’s glowing, linking his pinky with yours. “Pinky promise.” A vow sealed in the secrecy of sheets with a kiss pressed to a thumb. “I don’t care what we do as long as it’s with you.”

You relax into him, tucking your head into chest to hear the light thump of his heart. “Even on your birthday?”

“Well, I guess since it is my birthday — I think we should stay in bed all day.” He lifts your chin up to rest his forehead against yours. His touch another reassurance of this moment, that it is you and him.

“What about breakfast?” You laugh, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of his nose. He peppers your face in return, kisses pressed to the corners of your eyes, your forehead, the bridge of your nose.

His hand cups your jaw, his tone mock-serious with mirth in his eyes. “We’ll order takeout.” 

“What if we get bored?” 

He lifts an eyebrow, and his smirk is back, equally charming and troublesome. “I can think of a few ways to stay preoccupied.” 

This time you do give him a serious gaze, hard to hold with the way his eyes crinkle at yours. “What’d you think I meant? We still have a whole model to build.” He tickles you then, as the sun soaks the room — golden and syrupy and warm.

This is Caleb’s favorite way to see you. Carefree and bright, a smile that stays on your lips. You look happy, like you did before he was gone, and he knows he’ll do anything to keep it like this. His hand finds yours, thumb brushing the pulse of your wrist, bringing it to his lips to offer a soft kiss. A reminder that he’s here, that this is real.

STARRING: XAVIER SHEN

Sleep Well, Little Star | @loveanddeephistory

As someone who took a minute to warm up to Xavier, this firmly got me in the boat and helped me understand a lot of his characterization, especially because it’s so expertly done. I think the approach to the self aware trope is so incredibly interesting here that I’ve already re-read it a couple times. I absolutely love this fic and really consider this to be the fic that got me obsessed with Xavier.

Random Xavier Headcanons | @xaviersbunny

I think these bring some adorable and hilarious points of view on Xavier that might not seem obvious at first but are so true. Prepare to see xaviersbunny a few more times lol, her random headcanons are perfectly in character and I couldn’t leave them out.

Paper Rings (and All My Dreams) | @starryeyed-knight

The sentimental side of Xavier is one I think we don’t get to see very often, and I cannot express how much I love it whenever I get a glimpse. There’s something so intimate about this fic, it truly feels like a secret whispered between lovers.

Thrown to the Wolves | @xinghuisknight

This hurts in the best way possible. Each line in this fic is so beautifully written, it’s impossible to pick out a favorite quote. Everything about this is just masterfully done, and the emotions are so raw and real. It’s absolutely delicious.

Into the Sun | @starkissedxav

Xavier has such a subtle kind of care that I absolutely love to see. He’s so attentive and observant, and this fic makes sure that that aspect shines through. This fic is so wonderfully soft, it feels like a warm hug with every sentence. It holds a good reminder that although things may get heavy, there’s always someone to help lighten the load.

STARRING: ZAYNE LI

To Come Home | @mythblossoms

So domestic and sweet, this is what Zayne truly deserves. I love the way this fic is written, the subtle care and love feels like it’s woven into each sentence.

Random Zayne Headcanons | @xaviersbunny

These made me laugh so hard and manage to show some (albeit minor) faults in the typically picture-perfect Doctor Zayne. I love seeing different sides of him in these headcanons that aren’t front and center in a lot of the in-game cards.

Love Beyond the Game | @pawpurrin

I really love the self aware turned reverse isekai perspective of this fic, and it really kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved seeing the slow build of the relationship and all the comforting domesticity. The sad ending is so beautifully heartbreaking, and the happy ending is just perfectly warm, I love them both.

Learned by Heart | @deepspacenova

Zayne and his way of loving is captured beautifully here. I live for the domesticity of their love. And his little nerdy side is absolutely adorable (as expected lol). This is certain to make anyone fall in love with him, whether they’re a Zayne main or not.

More than Macarons | @miscellaneous-misty

Zayne is so pathetically in love in this fic, it’s absolutely adorable. Seeing him so unguarded is so much fun, it’s almost as if he’s letting out his inner child that’s never gotten a chance to shine. Even our most stoic doctor deserves a moment of relief <3

Two Halves of a Whole | @snowypi

What can I say, I love the yearning. And this fic might just be the personification of it. Seeing Zayne so (quite honestly) pathetically in love is so heartwarming. This sort of innocent love is hard to come by in the aptly-called Love and Depression, but seeing it here feels so natural. It’s just like a warm embrace.

My Love Mine All Mine | @zaynezone

This almost made me cry. The descriptions of the aftermath of a nightmare were perfect, and Zayne’s comfort was absolutely wonderful. I love seeing his authoritative care throughout, and the his comments about alternate universes really stuck with me. I just love this piece so much.

STARRING: RAFAYEL QI

Masks | @dissociativewriter

There are so many metaphors woven throughout this fic that I absolutely love seeing built upon as it continues. The use of masks to show Rafayel’s struggle to be himself felt so real and the depictions of depression felt so real. This is just such an interesting read that I’ve come back to read a few times.

Vlogger!Rafayel Tries to Survive a Week Without You | @jellyelle

The progression on this is absolutely perfect, it makes this fic such an entertaining read. I love Rafayel slowly descend into that pathetic loverboy who misses his cutie. A perfect amount of dramatization and realness combine to make a perfect characterization.

Precipices | @starryeyed-knight

There’s so much yearning in this fic and I love it so much. Abysswalker!Rafayel is such an interesting character, and being able to see through his nonchalant mask is wonderful. Combine that with beautiful prose, and this fic is just absolutely amazing.

His Hands, Your Sculptor | @soursugarbomb

This fic is just so beautifully poetic. It’s a wonderful examination of Rafayel’s character and the way he loves. His need to have this love last without slipping through his hands is heartbreaking, and the entire fic is just gorgeous. In my opinion, it’s a must-read.

Random Rafayel Headcanons | @xaviersbunny

These are sure to bring a laugh while also being so true to his character. There’s a unique perspective on Rafayel here that I think isn’t seen very often but is so so correct. I think this really shows that chaotic nature of his personality, and the vulnerability hiding not far beneath the surface.

Eye of the Beholder | @dissociativewriter

I really love the perspective on art and beauty here and I think it correctly shows how Rafayel would view it as well. It’s an unexpectedly comforting read with a lot of beauty to be found in such a short fic.

Submerged Devotion | @acaffeinated-constellation

Seeing it go from self aware to reverse-isekai is soooo cool. Lemurian Sea God Rafayel is so beautiful and terrifying to see, and I love the way he appears in this fic. Throughout this entire series, there is such creativity flowing through it that keeps me intrigued and on my toes.

Paparazzi and Parasols | @hirayalia

It’s just so cute to see Rafayel get flustered (I love his little blush!) but I really love the relationship dynamic they have going on here. I don’t see the bodyguard role come into play a lot in fics, and I love seeing it here. Plus Rafayel is so perfectly dramatic, this is just an adorably entertaining read all around.

STARRING: SYLUS QIN

Relentless Conqueror | @dragondelulu

This really captures the strategist part of Sylus’s character, and it perfectly meshes with the softness he holds for his love. Seeing him quickly adapting to life in a new world is so interesting to see, this fic is just perfect.

CEO!Sylus x Secretary!Reader | @souliloqui

Hilariously combining the Y/N & CEO trend with a delusion Y/N makes this one of the funniest fics I’ve read. Even through that humor, there are moments of vulnerability in the series that I love getting glimpses of, however brief. This is a spectacular read all around.

Crow Family Shenanigans | @dissociativewriter

Luke and Kieran as six year olds is something I didn’t know I needed, and yet I’m obsessed. Quiet family life with Sylus is absolutely adorable, and seeing him navigate the possibility of a new relationship even with his trust issues and desire to protect his sons is so interesting and wonderful to see.

Sylus’s Little Twins | @abyssyby

Urs gives Sylus the soft epilogue he truly deserves, and Lucian and Kyros are so insanely adorable, I can’t take it. Managing to make everything so intimate and yet silly is truly a gift, and this is a must-read for anyone, Sylus main or not.

Until You Are Ready | @atzeroo

Sylus’s insistence that his partner recognize their worth is displayed beautifully here, and in a way that is sure to comfort the reader as well. Though it nearly made me cry, this is a fic I’ve reread again and again due to the quiet beauty of it.

To Call | @terriblesoup

Seeing Sylus’s reaction to someone finally trusting him with their vulnerability is somewhat heartbreaking, and yet beautiful at the same time. I love this fic and I think it truly shows Sylus’s tendency to take care of those close to him, it’s all just so so sweet.

The Choices We Make | @thechaoticarchivist

I, unfortunately, have not yet read nearly as much of this series as I would have liked to. However, from the very beginning, it becomes so clear why everyone who reads this fic so highly recommends it. Masterful writing and an intriguing plot line make this an absolutely wonderful read. :)

Doomed | @dissociativewriter

Though some of the gore may be a bit difficult to get through, the raw devotion of this fic is beautiful. It nearly made me cry but it’s so worth it. Poetic throughout, the yearning and heartache makes this a wonderful read.

Sweetness | @terriblesoup

I really love quiet comfort with Sylus, and this fic might just be the personification of that. He always gives his lover the space to be themselves, and this really shows his need to have them come to him first. I think everyone needs an understanding like what Sylus gives here.

Oceans | @blessdunrest-deactivated2026042

Don’t worry, the link still works even though blessdunrest deactivated (I made sure it was a reblog lol). A wonderful snowcrow fic that puts Sylus’s insecurities at the forefront. I love the way it addresses his hesitance and blessdunrest always writes the most beautiful fics.

Random Sylus Headcanons | @xaviersbunny

To me these really let Sylus’s softer side shine through. Giggling at kids movies and being so willing to dote on his lover, it all just makes him seem more endearing. These headcanons seem nothing like the intimidating persona he often puts on, and yet they’re so in-character at the same time.

STARRING: CALEB XIA

Echo | @mythblossoms

This is such a beautifully crafted story. The depression is so real and viscerally depicted, and (without spoiling lol) the feeling that something is wrong follows you through the entire fic. It’s just expertly written and a wonderful read that had my head spinning.

His Hands, Your Gravity | @soursugarbomb

This is so gorgeously written that it honestly hurts. The way Caleb revolves around you, and the way you revolve around him in your own little universe is so beautiful. It’s just beautifully written, I’m afraid I’m at a loss for words.

Random Caleb Headcanons | @xaviersbunny

This really emphasizes Caleb’s different facets, although his habit of not taking care of himself is a moment of heartbreak in the midst of funny headcanons. Either way, Kenn once again nails characterization with some funnier perspectives.

Forget Me Not | @lowkeylaufeysons

Caleb is so disgustingly adorable in this and I am here for it. Seeing him have a naive sort of innocence, however brief, is absolutely wonderful. This is so sweet, seriously.

Making Up After a Fight | @starryeyed-knight

The aftermath of a fight always holds an interesting air, especially with such an intense character as Caleb. His devotion shines through, but even more so is his desperate reliance on MC. A wonderful hurt/comfort dynamic that I think sheds a lot of light on Caleb’s character.

Text Me Back When You Get Home | @someonestopsoren

This hurts so much. The grief, the feeling that something is missing, the regret is all beautifully written. I really enjoy any fics that show MC grieving Caleb, and the loss is so fresh in this fic that each feeling seems so real, like it’s happening to me.

Figured You Out | @deepspacenova

There’s something terrifying about this fic in a way that’s uniquely Caleb. His yandere tendencies dictate such a huge part of his character, and I think this fic expertly puts them front and center. It’s so interesting to read and really kept me on the edge of my seat.

Rely on Me | @mrsqins

I think this perfectly portrays the friction in Caleb and MC’s relationship after his return, as well as Caleb’s desperation to have her rely on him. Every reaction felt raw and real, and the shift from reliance to independence is so interesting to see.

MULTI

Meet Cute Scenarios | @chronosdawn

Each scenario is so cute (as the title suggests) it makes my heart hurt. Each interaction is so different and yet perfectly fits the kind of relationship I think each Love Interest would encourage. It seems like a view into a much softer world than that of the Love and Deepspace universe, and one I would definitely recommend.

Soulmates?! | @starkissedxav

This is absolutely adorable. Little glimpses of vulnerability combined with some flustered-ness makes this so sickeningly sweet. And there are some beautiful lines in here to boot. Just a wonderful read all around.

LADS Men Read Thirst Tweets | @jellyelle

This is so incredibly funny, I love it so much. Zayne misunderstanding everything is hilarious, Rafayel consistently mentioning his bodyguard is so evil of him, Sylus living up to his grandpa nickname is perfect, Xavier being so naive is adorable, and Caleb just feeding into everything is so mischievous. This is just so perfect, I love it.

Falling For You | @heartofafiend

To me, this really is a great examination on how the Love Interests love and what they tend to focus on. Each of them have a tendency to almost worship their significant other, and this fic picks apart how they would go about that. Plus it’s so, so sweet.

Oh, You’re a Disaster, Aren’t You? | @xxfrozenpearlsxx

I think this fic really shows each Love Interest’s desire to take care of their lover and the different ways they go about it. The comfort and subtle authority is just so perfectly in character, I found this to be a wonderfully heartwarming read.

Unnatural Affinity | @dissociativewriter

This is a perspective on isekai that I don’t see very often. I love the feelings of dissociation littered throughout and it truly keeps you on your toes. Heartbreaking at times and comforting in another, this is definitely a unique read that I keep coming back to.

At the Beach | @lunarify

Pure fluff that I think shows the kind of softness the Love Interests deserve in a relationship. I absolutely love seeing them away from the stress and pressure of their normal lives, and what better way to decompress than a day at the beach with their lover? ;)

Thunder Muffin | @gardenialily

This has to be the funniest Love and Deepspace fic I’ve read. The dynamics of each Love Interest combine beautifully here into a dramatically funny AU that I can’t wait to see more of.

What Will Happen to the LADS Men When You Finally Choose? | @snowypi