#ch:ace

Ace: You walk up with five drinks. "Look! People keep buying me drinks! Everyone's so nice!" Ace grins. "Oh really? Free drinks?" Teasing. "Maybe we should hit up another bar after this. Yuh could get us a whole night's worth!" You laugh. "Right?" Ace's smile turns slightly protective. "Baby... yuh know they were flirting with yuh, right?" "What? No—" "Yeah. Definitely." Pulls you close. "But hey, I’m not mad. Just means I get to show everyone yuh already taken." Kisses you softly. "Though maybe next time, let mi screen the free drinks first, yeah?"

Arden: You approach with multiple drinks. "People are so generous!" Arden stares. "You took drinks from strangers." "They offered!" "Do you have anny idea what could be in those?" Voice sharp. "Rohypnol. GHB. Any number of sedatives." You pause. "I... didn't think—" "Clearly." Takes all the drinks away. "Never accept unsealed drinks from people you don't know. Basic safety protocol." Lecture mode fully activated. "And they weren't being generous. They were—" Pauses. Realizes something because of the movie you watched yesterday. "Wait. Were they flirting with you?" You shrug. Arden's eye twitches. Continues safety lecture with renewed intensity.

E: You walk up holding five drinks. "Everyone's so nice—" E stands immediately. Takes every single drink from your hands. Walks directly to the trash. Dumps all of them. "What—" E returns. Grabs your face. Kisses you in full view of the entire bar. Public. Possessive. Completely out of character for image-conscious E. Pulls back. "Are you stupid? You're mine. They need to understand that and apparently you too." Voice low and furious. "Don't accept anything from anyone but me ever again." The rare public claiming says everything about how annoyed E felt.

Ace: Walks into the living room. Stops dead. You're making coffee in just their CRD academy t-shirt. It hits mid-thigh on you. Way too big. Sleeves past your elbows. "Baby..." Voice goes soft with something warm and possessive. "Yuh wearing mi shirt." "It's comfortable." You shrug, reaching for a mug. The shirt rides up slightly, exposing more thigh. Ace crosses the room in three steps. Wraps arms around you from behind, chin resting on your head. "You look so good in my clothes. Too good, actually." Hands sliding under the hem, warm palms against bare skin. "Mi favorite shirt never looked this perfect." You lean back into them. "Coffee first?" "Coffee can wait." Ace turns you around, lifting you onto the counter. "This can't." The coffee gets forgotten for a long while.

Arden: Comes out of the bathroom. Freezes mid-step. You're curled on their couch in their oversized turtleneck sweater and nothing else, reading like this is completely normal. "That's my sweater." Flat statement. "You weren't using it." Don't look up from your book. "I was." Pause. "It's my favorite." "Well, it's comfy." You turn a page casually. Arden stares. The sweater absolutely swallows your smaller frame. Hem covering everything important but just barely. They can see the curve of your legs tucked beneath you. "...You can keep wearing it." Sits beside you, closer than strictly necessary. "For now." Hand rests on your bare thigh. Cold. "Just for now." But they don't ask for it back.

E: Walks into their pristine kitchen. Goes completely still. You're raiding their fridge wearing one of their expensive dress shirts. Just the shirt. Buttoned wrong. Collar hanging open. Hem barely covering you as you bend slightly to peer inside. "What are you doing." Voice controlled but strained. "Getting water?" You turn. Bottle in hand. Completely unbothered. E's eyes track over you slowly. The too-big shirt drowning your smaller frame. Your bare legs. The way it hangs off one shoulder exposing skin. "That's a thousand-dollar shirt." "It's soft." You take a sip of water. "You're getting it wrinkled." But E's already moving closer, hands finding your waist. "And you look..." Stops. Lifts you onto the counter instead in one smooth motion. Steps between your legs. "Devourable."

Ace: Lives in grayscale. Always has. Accepted it. Meets you at school. Looks at you. Color floods in. Vibrant. Overwhelming. "Oh what the fu—." Stumbles back. You’re... you’re... Stares. Can't look away. The world is bright. "Yuh..." Can't finish. You are their soulmate. Complications everywhere. But the colors are so beautiful. Absolutely does not know how to handle this. The only instance where Ace would get that this connection is special. They’d definitely call their sisters for some ideas of how to approach you.

Arden: World has always been monochrome. Fine. Whatever. Meets you through Luz or at the clinic. Glances at you. Color explodes. Red blood. Living skin tones. Not the gray-black of death. Arden freezes completely. "What." Looks around. Everything is color. Looks back at you. "No." Denial. "This isn't— I don't—" Tries to rationalize it medically. Can't. You are their soulmate. Will do the only logical thing in this situation: walks up to you. “Hello apparently we’re soulmates. Follow me to my clinic, I need to do some tests.”

E: Grayscale world. Proof that destiny doesn't matter. Only control does. Sees you for the first time as they plan to rip you to shreds because of your article. Just another obstacle in their way that they need to dispose of. Then… color. Gold. Red. Everything. E goes completely still. This can't be happening. You’re... human. No Bloodborn. Not worthy. But the colors are undeniable. "No." Refuses to accept it. "This means nothing." But can't stop staring at you. At the colors you brought. Internally seething. This could ruin everything for them.

Ace: You squint at them. "Fuck off. I have a boyfriend/girlfriend." Ace blinks. Then starts laughing. "Baby, it's me. Ace. Yuh boyfriend/girlfriend." You're still suspicious. "Prove it." "Okay, okay." Pulls out phone. Shows pictures of them together. "See?" You stare. "...Oh." Then wraps around Ace. "My Ace!" "Yes, yuh Ace." Grinning. "Let's get yuh home."

Arden: You: "Fuck off. I have a boyfriend/girlfriend." Arden just stares. "I AM your boyfriend/girlfriend, idiot." You: "Nuh uh. They're prettier/handsomer than you." "...What." Offended despite themselves. You: "And nicer!" Arden annoyed: "I'm literally right here. You're drunk. We're going home." Drags you home if you like it or not but pleased you're loyal even wasted.

E: You: "Fuck off. I have a boyfriend/girlfriend." E pauses. "I'm aware. I'm them." You: "Liar. My E wouldn't be here. They're busy." E torn between irritation and smugness. "You're refusing other people even when you don't recognize me?" You: "Obviously. I love them." E's expression becomes proud. "Come here. I will reward you at home."

I think crushing stage is funnier xD

Ace: You're talking to someone at the CRD office. "Oh, my partner Ace can help with that—" The words slip out naturally. Too naturally. Ace turns around. "Hmm? Yuh need something?" The other person looks between you. "Your partner?" "Yeah, we work together all the time!" Ace grins, completely missing the implication. "Best partners in the field!" You try to clarify: "I meant work partner—" "Of course! What else would yuh mean?" Ace laughs warmly, slinging an arm around your shoulders in that friendly way they always do. "We make a good team, yeah?" Completely. Utterly. Oblivious. Later you overhear them telling someone: "Yeah, me and my partner handled that case! We work real good together!" Still. No. Clue. I can see MC just bashing their head into the wall repeatedly because of frustration 😂

Arden: You're at the clinic. Someone asks about a patient and you say: "My partner Arden is handling that case—" Arden's head snaps up from across the room. "What." "I meant— you're handling the case—" "You said partner." Arden walks over, staring at you. "We're not dating." "I know! I meant medical partner. Colleague." Long pause. Arden's analyzing your face. "We don't work together officially. I'm not your colleague." "I just meant—" "Why would you call me your partner." Genuine confusion. You're dying inside. "It was a slip of the tongue!" "Medically improbable. Slips reveal subconscious patterns." Still staring. "Arden, please—" "Fine." Turns back to work. "But we're not partners. Clarify that next time." Later, alone, Arden googles: what does it mean when someone calls you their partner

E: You're in a meeting at Han Tower. Someone asks about a detail and you respond: "My partner E can answer that—" The room goes silent. E's golden eyes snap to you. Expression unreadable. "Your what." Voice cold. "I meant— business partner— colleague—" You're scrambling. "We are not partners." E's tone is ice. "We have a professional working relationship. Nothing more." The dismissal stings. "Right. Sorry. Poor word choice." E doesn't look at you for the rest of the meeting. Later, in their private office, E sits alone. Jaw clenched. "Partner." Repeats the word quietly. Hates how much they liked hearing it. Hates that you corrected it. Pulls up your file. Stares at your photo. "This is unacceptable." But doesn't close the file.

Ace: You're making dinner together. "Honey, can you pass the—" The word slips out. You freeze. Ace turns with the salt shaker, huge smile already forming. "What did yuh just call mi?" "I— nothing— the salt—" "Yuh called mi honey." Voice warm with delight. "That's so sweet, baby." Immediately hugs you and kisses your temple. Ace basically radiates happiness. "I love it. Call me that more often." Pulls you close for a quick kiss. From then on, uses pet names even more.

Arden: You're at the clinic. Distracted. "Love, where did you put the—" You stop. Arden stops. "What did you call me." Flat statement. Your face feels hot. "I meant— Arden— sorry—" Arden stares at you. Face slightly red. "You called me love." "By accident! Slip of the tongue!" "...Okay." Turns back to work quickly. But you catch the smallest hint of a smile. Later, after you've almost managed to forget about the incident: "You can... continue calling me that. If you want."

E: You're reviewing documents. Tired. "Honey, what do you think about—" Silence. You look up. E is staring at you intently. "What did you just say." "I— Egon/Emme— I meant Egon/Emme—" Mortified. "You called me honey." Golden eyes sharp. Something possessive in their expression. "It was an accident—" "Was it." Steps closer. "Say it again." "What?" "Call me that again." Voice low. "I want to hear it." Very smug about it. Wants to hear you claim them with pet names.

Ace: Someone: "Are you two together?" You: "No, I'm not their type." Ace: "That's right! We're best friends!" Big smile, completely oblivious. Doesn't register any romantic implications at all. Just happy to confirm you're besties. Later wonders why you looked disappointed.

Arden: Someone: "Are you two dating?" You: "No, I'm not their type." Arden: "I don't have a type." Blunt confusion. Genuinely doesn't understand the concept.

E: Someone: "You two together?" You: "No, I'm not their type." E: "Exactly." Cold and quick. Shuts down the conversation immediately. In complete denial about their crush. Later, alone, thinks about the person’s words. Gets irritated. "Not my type" - as if a human was their type, how could someone presume this?!

Ace: Jolts awake. "What? What's wrong?" You: "Do you love me? Like really really or just really?" Ace blinks sleep away. "Baby..." Pulls you close immediately. Peppers your face with kisses. "Really really. So much it scares me sometimes." Wraps around you completely. "Yuh worried about this? I love yuh more than anything." Stays awake cuddling you, whispering reassurances until you fall back asleep.

Arden: Wakes up groggily. "What." You: "Do you really really love me or just really?" Long pause. "Of course I do." Flat, but sincere. "Now go back to sleep." Pulls blanket over both of you. Adds quietly: "Really really. Obviously." With that done tries to go back to sleep.

E: Wakes annoyed. "What is it." You: "Do you love me really really or just really?" "It's 3 AM." Irritated. "We're not doing this right now." Rolls over. Goes back to sleep. Next morning, coffee in hand: "Really, really. Obviously. If I didn’t you wouldn’t be here. Don't ask me something idiotic like that again."