(get ready to drown in tension, longing, and messy emotional disaster (the good kind).)

MUTUAL DENIAL – the “we’re not flirting” pack

“we’re not a thing. we’re just... violently close.”

“you keep looking at me like that and i’m gonna forget how much i ‘hate’ you.”

“this isn’t sexual tension. this is rage. rage.”

“we are enemies. sworn rivals. so shut up and hold my hand.”

“if we kiss, it’s only to shut you up. not because i want to.”

“what do you mean we look good together? take that back.”

“you think i like you? i tolerate you. barely.”

“if you keep being sweet, i’m gonna start liking you, and we can’t have that.”

“we’re just partners. that’s it. stop smiling like that.”

“stop being charming. it’s making things complicated.”

ONE-SIDED SPIRALING – the “they’ll never know” collection

“they smiled at me and i blacked out. it’s fine. i’m fine.”

“they’ll never like me like that. but god, if they ever did…”

“they called me their favorite. i will be crying about that until further notice.”

“they don’t even know how soft i get around them.”

“i love them. i’ve never said it. but i do. it hurts.”

“watching them flirt with someone else is my 13th reason.”

“they don’t see it. the way i look at them. maybe that’s for the best.”

“i’d never say it out loud, but they feel like home.”

“i want them to choose me. just once.”

“i’d burn the world if they asked. and they don’t even know.”

TRAPPED TOGETHER – “two enemies, one small space” edition

“don’t talk to me.” “then stop looking at me like you want to kiss me.”

“we’re stuck here. the least you can do is stop being so hot.”

“we’re going to die in here and my last thought will be about how nice your stupid eyes are.”

“i still hate you. but i also kinda want to hold you. weird.”

“you’re warm. don’t get ideas.”

“it’s not cuddling. it’s survival.”

“if you mention this moment to anyone, i will kill you.”

“i never noticed how soft you are when you’re not yelling.”

“do you always smell this good?”

“shut up.” “make me.” “...don’t tempt me.”

FAKE DATING – “but the feelings are real” edition

“this was supposed to be fake. you weren’t supposed to look at me like that.”

“we only have to pretend in public. so why did you hold my hand when no one was watching?”

“stop acting like you care. you’re gonna make me believe it.”

“i think i forgot how to pretend.”

“everyone believes we’re in love. i think i’m starting to believe it too.”

“it’s not real, right? none of this is real… right?”

“you kissed me for the bit. i’m the one who made it weird.”

“it was supposed to be fake. until i started wishing it wasn’t.”

“you smiled like you meant it. tell me i’m wrong.”

“you’re my favorite lie.”

BONUS: VULNERABLE & UNHINGED (aka “oops i’m in love”)

“i don’t want to hate you anymore.”

“you’ve ruined everyone else for me.”

“i said i’d never fall for someone like you. i lied.”

“i hate how much i care.”

“if you asked, i’d drop everything.”

“i’ve loved you since the second time we argued. i think you did too.”

“loving you is the worst idea i’ve ever had.”

“i don’t care if it’s messy. i want you.”

“do you want me? even just a little?”

“tell me to stop loving you. and i will.”

(mix of silly, emotional, messy, sweet, and chaotic)

"you ever think maybe we were meant to meet... like, cosmically?"

"i shouldn't say this... but i've been in love with you for forever."

"shhh. don’t tell anyone i said this but... you’re my favorite person."

"you’re so pretty. it’s actually unfair. i’m mad at you now."

"i miss you. even when you're here, i miss you."

"if you asked me right now, i’d run away with you."

"i told myself i wouldn’t cry and now look at me—i'm soggy."

"can i tell you a secret? no one knows this. not even me."

"i don't want to go home. it’s not warm there like you are."

"you smell like safety. that’s weird, right?"

"you always leave the party too early. stay longer this time. stay with me."

"i don't like them. i never did. i only said yes to make you jealous."

"you were my first love. not that you needed to know that."

"you always knew me better than anyone. it’s scary sometimes."

"every time you smile at someone else i feel sick. it’s pathetic, i know."

"i think you're the only person who's ever actually seen me."

"you promised me you’d stay. why did you lie?"

"remember when we used to dream together? god, we were so young."

"don’t laugh but... i wrote poems about you. they were bad."

"you’re everything to me. but it’s fine. you don’t have to feel the same."

"your hands are so warm. i could live here, holding you."

"you were my favorite chapter. i keep rereading you."

"i’m not drunk. okay i am. but the feelings? those are real."

"i wish i was braver when it counted."

"it’s you. it’s always been you."

"do you think we missed our chance?"

"they don’t deserve you. but i was too scared to try to be someone who did."

"stop looking at me like that. i’ll fall in love all over again."

"you said you didn’t want anything serious... but i did. i wanted you."

"i’m scared. and it’s not the booze—it’s the idea of losing you."

"i tell everyone i’m over you but then you look at me and i fall apart."

"you were the only one who stayed when everything else fell apart."

"if i tell you i love you, will you leave? please don’t."

"the world feels quieter when you're near. like everything makes sense."

"you taste like trouble and i’d still kiss you again."

"god, i hate you. i hate how much i still love you."

"every version of me has wanted every version of you."

"you were my home. i didn’t realize until i lost the key."

"don’t leave yet. just one more moment like this. please."

"i think i messed up. i picked everyone else before you."

"if i asked you to kiss me, would you?"

"remember when you held my hand like you meant it?"

"you’re my what-if. and it kills me."

"can we just stay like this? pretend it’s still us?"

"i forgive you. even though it still hurts."

"i lied. when i said i didn’t care. i always did."

"you look so good right now. it's annoying. stop it."

"you make the world feel a little less heavy."

"i saved every text. is that weird?"

"i love you. even if i forget this in the morning, i mean it right now."

"I could face a thousand monsters and never flinch, but one look from you and I fall apart."

"You're the reason I stayed human this long. Do you even know that?"

"They say love is a weakness, but you make me wish I'd fallen sooner."

"Every spell I’ve cast, every curse I’ve broken—it was always to get closer to you."

"You’re the only thing in this realm that makes me believe in fate."

"If the court knew what I feel for you, they'd have my head… but I’d still say your name with my last breath."

"We’re enemies. I know. I know. But damn it—I think I’d burn down my kingdom for you."

"The prophecy said I’d betray someone I love… and I’ve been terrified ever since I met you."

"I swore an oath to protect the crown. I didn’t expect the crown to have your eyes."

"Touch me like that again, and I might forget we’re not supposed to be doing this."

"You're more intoxicating than any fae wine, and twice as dangerous."

"I tried to dream you away, but the stars kept whispering your name."

"Do you know what happens when a phoenix falls in love? We burn. And I’m already burning."

"I’ve kissed gods and danced with shadows, but none of them ever made me feel like this."

"Your magic feels like home… and I haven't had one in centuries."

"You’ll forget this by morning. But I’ll remember every word I didn’t say."

"You said you'd never fall in love with a mortal… but what if I already did with you?"

"This isn't just wine talking. It's every silent night I wished I was brave enough to tell you."

"If we weren’t cursed, if we weren’t doomed—would you have loved me back?"

"When I’m sober, I’ll pretend this didn’t happen. But tonight? I just needed to say it out loud."

"You're the poison I drank willingly… and now I don’t want the cure."

"If loving you means starting a war with the gods, then someone better hand me a sword."

"I’ve kissed your shadow more times than I’ve had the courage to touch you."

"They warned me your kind doesn't love like humans. So why do I feel like I matter to you?"

"I know I’m drunk, but tell me anyway—do you ever think about us?"

"Maybe I wasn’t meant for happy endings, but gods, I wanted one with you."

"I was supposed to betray you. That was the whole plan. Then you kissed me."

"You saved me. Not with magic. With your stupid, beautiful heart."

"If this is a dream, let me stay here just a little longer."

"I don't want to wake up tomorrow and pretend I don't want you."

"Even if the veil between realms shatters, I’ll still find you."

"You’re the last piece of the prophecy… and the only one I don’t want to lose."

"I drank truthwine, so I can't lie. So listen closely: I want you. Gods help me, I want you."

"Everyone thinks I'm the hero. But you? You're the only one who makes me feel human."

"They say a fae can’t fall in love. But if this isn’t love, then tell me what else it could be."

"You want to know why I act weird around you? It’s because I know exactly what your lips would taste like."

"I’ve watched you fall asleep by the fire every night and pretended I didn’t wish it was my arms you fell into."

"I only drink when you're near. Because it's the only way I can stop myself from telling you everything."

"You're in every damn dream I have. Even the ones that end in fire."

"You’re drunk. I know. But if you ask me to stay, I will. And I won’t pretend anymore."

Softness is unbecoming of someone like Rick Prime. He is sharpened claws and snapping jaws ---- not a vessel for good intent. Involving himself with Petal has only cemented the fact, etched it in stone. They carve the other open and pick out the ugliest, most vile parts they can find.

And yet .... sometimes, rarely, there are intervals of peace between the two; moments spent together wiith limbs intertwined, lying in the wake of destruction. During these times Prime is usually quiet and still, a statue, hoping to keep the fleeting calm just a little while longer. You'd almost think he didn't enjoy dancing on a razor's edge.

Much could be said for petal. She had spent eons shaping herself into some sharp, tough and mean. Softness while she was capable of it was something she rarely let herself indulge in. She had to admit sometimes she liked prime. When they weren't fighting he gave her exactly what she needed. What she'd been craving for years. Not to mention she liked the fighting too.

But peaceful moments like this, she liked to bask in them. Her life was nothing but violence and chaos. It was nice to let herself breathe sometimes even if she didn't technically need to. "They can't." Both because of the people they are and because she believed life could never be too peaceful for her. "But I have to admit in moments like these I think I might like you."