#sslnrequests

To the entirety of Europe, or even the world, he was Cosmó, Austrian representative for Eurovision 2026, the winner of his National Selection, the pride and joy of Vienna, ready to welcome the new generation of singers in their battle for that prized crystal microphone and the chance to host next year's biggest music party in their own country.

To you, though, he was Ben. Benny, the sweetest kid who you'd met right before the hurricane of Eurovision began. You had known about him by sheer chance in a cafe, not knowing who he was, until you started seeing his name around the city and in every possible place. Your relationship was very young, but it was progressing beautifully.

A lazy sunday evening. Sunrays enter in the perfect golden hue, the most beautiful golden hour seeping though the curtains of the small apartment. Since it's late and one of those rare free days without interviews or places to be, you told him to get comfortable in the couch while you made something to eat.

There's soft music filling the apartment, but you can't hear him sing like he usually does. When you turn your head, you see his body sprawled across the couch, covered by a blanket. He must be so tired. You think it's best to allow him to rest up as much as possible. He'll need it before things get moving.

You don't really bother him much while you tend to the kitchen. Two mugs, one with coffee, the other with a beverage of your choice, and then a pot of Kaiserschmarrn, with blueberry and peach jam. You put it all on a basket tray and walk over him, leaving everything in the coffee table.

Slowly and gently, you move his shoulder to let him know food is ready. You hear him groan as he stretches his arms, waking up from his nap with sleepy eyes.

"Did I snore?" You giggle at the question as you shake your head. "Good. That would've been embarrasing... What's that?"

You let him see what's on the table and his face lights up while he grabs a fork.

"Holy shit, you made all this for me?" He blinks, grabbing some of the shredded pancake into the fork and dipping it into the blueberry jam. He immediately takes a bite and you can hear him groan in delight. "God, this is so good. Try it, come on."

He doesn't give you time to protest or speak before he's holding another forkful to your mouth until you've taken a bite. It's the perfect sweet bite. You say that you didn't expect to get it right the first time. He chuckles.

"It's pancakes, not rocket science", he kisses your temple, patting the space beside him. "I appreciate the effort you made for me. You're the best."

Ben leans in to kiss your cheek, giving it a small bite before returning his attention to the dessert pan. You made enough for you both, so you dig in as well.

"It's such a relief I don't have to travel for the contest, because I can be with you as soon as it's over and go back to meals like these", he says between bites. "And spending a lot of time with you. I feel like I've already won because we've met, you know."

When Ben sees how red your face gets, he lets out another laugh and shakes his head.

"I know, it sounded so cheesy", he sighs. "But for real, I'm thankful to get to spend this afternoon with you. Just the two of us in our little world eating shredded pancakes. Who could ask for more, right?"

You lean your head over his shoulder and now it's your turn to feed him. He immediately opens his mouth to get the bite you hold out for him, as he stares deep into your eyes with a small smile. Once he's swallowed the bite, he leans in and goes for a soft kiss, caressing your forearm and pulling you close.

"Ugh..."

A tired Lukas faceplants into the bed of the Basel hotel room. You hear him groaning as his head hits the mattress. This makes you immediately get up from the desk you had been sitting on and sit on the bed instead, a hand gently caressing his back. He isn't wearing the stage costume anymore, but his hair still looks stage-ready. You had been with him today but headed back to the hotel to talk to your friends in a video call.

You press a kiss to the top of his head.

"So tired... God, being on your feet all day is sure exhausting... Not to mention the interviews and just generally being sociable... I'm so tired of having cameras all over my face."

You smile. It was your idea to follow him to Basel - you two met at a Pre-party. You made all the first moves, and slowly crept into Lukas' heart until he said yes when you finally popped the question. The other band members had accepted you easily, especially Emilja, who was like a sister to you. Your relationship was still young but it felt like your souls were destined to be together. You cherished these moments, where Lukas wasn't Katarsis' singer, just a quiet Lithuanian boy who loved music.

His head slowly lifts up so his eyes look at you with a small smile, as you tell him it's all over now, that he can rest for the night at last. He seems comforted by the though and quickly rises to sit up and hold you in his arms. It's a loose hug, very casual, but you like it just fine.

"You're gonna be cheering for us, right?" Lukas asks, leaning into the crook of your neck. "I've seen the odds and people don't think we'll get out of the semi. But honestly? I don't care. I know we're good. We are on top of our game, we've been since EvrovizijaLT!"

His eyes seem to shine a bit when he says that. Lukas has a limited range of emotions, but you can read him so well at this point. You say that obviously, you'll be supporting them, and that you know they will make it. All this effort must be for something else other than burning oneself out by answering stupid questions all day. He laughs a little and nods.

"It's all in a day's work, I guess... Thank you. You're the best thing that happened to me", a pause. "Don't tell the guys I said that. They'd chew me out until I die."

A moment passes where he lets himself become a bit of mush in your arms, just existing and feeling how close you are. You take this moment to pepper kisses all over his face, which he takes with closed eyes and a small purr on his voice.

"Let's watch a movie, yeah? And then we can go out for dinner."

"Where the hell is Jokubas?"

Alanas paced impatiently around the room. Lukas grabbed his phone for who knows what time, and looked for new messages, without any luck. In the middle of the room, Emilija sat on a lotus position as she took in a sniff of a incense stick she had lit up, surrounded by pink quartz.

"Do you really have to have that lit up, Em?" Alanas frowned at her. "It's the second stick you've lit."

"Well, I want to make sure the vibes are perfectly aligned when Jokubas and our guest come here, hence the pink quartz", she gestured with a hand. "They are supposed to help with love affairs."

"That's fitting", Lukas gave her a half smile. "It worked out for us, didn't it?"

"I'd say it did", she leant in to kiss the singer's cheek.

"Hey, don't leave me out..." Alanas sat down beside her to get his own kiss. "Do you think this will work out?"

"I mean... We are a polycule and they know it", Emilija stretched a hand to caress Lukas' hair. "They understand it. So it's now a thing of knowing if they want to be a part of it or if they want to date only one of us."

"I hope Jokubas isn't planning on hogging them all for himself", the guitarist joked. "He should've been here fifteen minutes ago."

"Getting places on time is really not his strong suit", the bassist laughed.

In the meantime, Jokubas had just picked you up to go go to the rehearsal room. You didn't speak much in the way there, your heart was pounding. Today wasn't a rehearsal day, so why did everyone want to meet like this? Was it because they realized the lingering stares, the touches, the small flirts thrown to one another in passing? Was it going to be a deal breaker? You hoped not - the outfit you had put on today (makeup included, if you wore some) had too much thought into it to go to waste.

The scent of jasmine incense hit as soon as you were in the hallway. Emilija must have lit some in preparation of something, you know how she is about all that. When you opened the door, all of them greeted you with waves, handshakes and even a hug.

"Take a seat, please", Lukas guided you towards a chair. "So, we have something to tell you. It's kinda important. Who wants to go first?"

Alanas raised his hand.

"So, uh, you know how all of us here have been dating for a while now, yes?" He gestured towards the band. "Okay, so... What if we told you we are thinking of adding someone new to the mix?"

You start thinking about it. Were they bringing someone new to the band? Adding a producer or a manager? Curiosity was strong in this moment, but you remained calm. You told them that whoever it was, you'd make a big effort to meet them and know them better.

"Oh, that's cool", the guitarist nodded. "What if I told you it's someone you know, though?"

How much did you know them?

"Quite a lot", Lukas shrugged. "I think you'd get along well. But we need your help. So, uh... We kinda need to figure out how to tell them that we want them to date us."

Huh, okay, you were up to the challenge, yes. You started thinking, and began saying that they should say how long they've come together, and how much you liked them, that they wanted to add a new person to their big share of hearts because love is a beautiful thing to be shared. You could see Emilija smile from her spot, from where she raised to sit beside you and hold your hand.

"Those are beautiful words", she nodded. "So, what if we told you... All those things you said are meant for you?"

There's a moment where realization sets in, and you can see all of them looking at you, slowly coming to surround you. Lukas held your forearm, Alanas knelt in front of you, and so did Jokubas.

When you told both Daniil and Valentyn that you couldn't decide who you liked the most, you thought it would end up with you not seeing them anymore as a result. Who in their right mind would be okay sharing a special person? They usually teach you that you have one chance at a soulmate, not two, and probably they wouldn't be into it.

Instead, it ended up like this, in a couch where the three of you fit perfectly, and a cozy afternoon. You're in the center, and each of the twins is at either side. The TV is turned off, an instead, a record player fills the room with music. Some 70's rock, as usual.

You feel Valya lean his head on your shoulder lazily, and Danya chooses to lay his on your chest, so you can run your fingers through his hair. Seeing this, you hear the guitarist scoff.

"Really? And then I'm the one hogging them?"

"It's not hogging, I'm just making myself comfortable, right, darling?" His eyes go up at you, while Valya rolls his in annoyance.

"The audacity... Can you invent a more credible lie?"

"You're just jealous because I'm having my hair pet and you aren't."

"Danya, I swear-"

You quickly cut the argument short and your free hand immediately goes to Valya's head while you say that there is no need to compete. If you chose them both, it's because you like them the same. There's no need to be at each other's throats for such a trivial thing, right?

The two of them fall silent at once. Danya lifts his head to kiss you. After a bit, you feel Valya tapping your arm so you turn and kiss him too. Then the both of them hold you just a bit tighter.

"We aren't so used to sharing things anymore", Valya seems to melt as he speaks. "I mean, we've had to deal with this our entire lives, and when we grew up, we thought that we could make different things. And look at where we wound up, liking the same person."

"Guess the whole twin connection thing is something you can't run away from, even if one dyes its hair blonde and cuts it short", Danya chuckles a little. "Make no mistake, darling, we are still very close and like each other quite a bit, but you know... Twins tend to be compared and mashed together into a single entity so often, one grows tired of it. Still... I think dating you is the best decision we've made."

"We have only the greatest taste, you see."

You can't help but wonder, if you chose to marry, what would the arrangement be? But you won't still bring the issue to light - wouldn't want to kill them too soon with such perspective.

Danya brings your hand to his lips to kiss the back of it, and Valya chooses to press his lips to your cheek. After that, you hold them closer, telling them to stay like that for just a little while more. That you want to enjoy their company as is.

"Oh, you're here already!"

Jakob smiles at you when he sees you come his way. He's beaming, as usual, just like he was when he asked you out. His eyes look at you from head to toe, you can tell, and somehow his smile widens once he's done.

"You look fantastic! Ah, by the way, thanks for coming with me... We're leaving for Basel tomorrow and I was kinda scared I wouldn't be able to see you one last time."

Kaj were getting progressively busy as a group, ever since they won Melodifestivalen, it was all interviews, rehearsals, Pre-parties, shows... They were understandably tired but always showed smiles on their faces. Probably it was because they were all too used to this hectic lifestyle, but also it was because they loved what they did so much. Still, Jakob remained kind, cheerful and healthy, as usual. Nothing could change your feelings towards him.

He offers you an arm, so you can hook onto it.

"Shall we go, then?"

When you nod as a reply, the both of you start walking the streets of Stockholm. It was a place you didn't know that well, but you didn't mind getting lost, because you knew Jakob would be there for you anyway. And the thought is comforting. To have someone to love so much that getting lost in a foreign city doesn't even sound half bad.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to do?" Is the first question out of his mouth. "I mean, I know we planned for a date but we kind of never really decided what to do, right?"

That was true - you just set a time and place and agreed upon it. After some thought, you describe what your perfect date would look like. The entire time, Jakob is looking at you, eyes wide and fixed on you. He's focused on your words, so as not to miss any detail.

"Oh wow, that sounds like a plan", he nods in agreement. "But I also want to add my part. I saw there's a cafe that opened downtown, and they got great reviews for pastries and hot chocolate. If you want, we can go get some."

The idea doesn't seem half bad, so you agree. He sounds so happy, so enthusiastic.

"It's because I'm with you! I feel extra recharged. And I want to make sure you're as happy as I am to have you here, with me."

Jakob leans in and kisses your cheek for a moment. Then he grabs your hand and puts it to his lips, to kiss your knuckles as well. Small gestures, but you can tell they mean a lot to him.

"Now, let's go make some more memories before tomorrow, yes? I want to take as many as I can with me... And more when you're in them."

Despite his words, you can tell there's a hint of shyness behind them. He's good with words, but somehow still seems nervous to mess up. It's adorable.

And it'll be more adorable when you surprise him in Basel, you think. He has no clue you're going to rehearsal with him, and you are sure he'd love to see you again.

Cameras were finally off, and the show was over - Eurovision ended, at last, and Lucio got the honor of being a part of the top 5 in the final ranking.

You certainly didn't know who was prouder, Tommaso, his team or you. Everytime you got mentions about how cool Lucio looked on stage, you couldn't help but grin. It was your boy. Your Lucio. He made Italy proud and managed to beat the odds that had thrown him into the pit for so long.

Tommaso texted you when Lucio and him finally got back to Maremma. And you didn't need to think it twice. You were already in Italy, waiting for his return, so you made your way back to his house as soon as possible. That small town still felt so refreshing to visit. You just couldn't get enough of it.

Your steps took you back to that home you knew so well. As soon as they saw you, Era and Ennea started barking in excitement. It wasn't long until Lucio, clearly just awake, and shirtless as per usual, came out to see what the ruckus was about.

His eyes widened with excitement when he saw you, and immediately ran towards you, holding you as tightly as humanly possible in his arms. Then came the kisses, one after another, not letting you even talk. You can tell he missed you, just as much as you missed him.

"God I missed you!" He finally says, smiling. "I know we saw each other through screens but, fuck, it's not the same! It can't be the damn same!" He kisses your forehead, guiding you inside. "Come on, guys, let them breathe!"

Stepping inside feels like traveling to a distant past, even when it's only been a couple months since you last saw each other. The house is still a mess like usual, but you like it anyway. If it wasn't a bit of a chaos, it wouldn't be Lucio's at all. It's his personal seal, not doing things a hundred percent perfect all the time.

"Sit down, sit down, let's have coffee with sfogliatelle... Grandma brought me some, freshly baked..." Lucio gets the coffee machine running in no time, and starts putting things together. "I also have butter and prosciutto if you want a sandwich, with freshly made bread, of course... Or I could get some eggs..."

You laugh at such show of energy. It's like if you've zapped him back to life. At that comment, the singer can only laugh back and do a Frankenstein/Zombie walk towards you to kiss your cheek.

"I needed to see you. This journey was great, but I think I feel much better when you're with me. You're still like the morning for me..."

He wraps your arms around your waist, holding you from behind, and you hear him sing. You are the morning, a door to Mars... His voice is soft and intimate, unlike his usual self that likes to give it all on stage. This is a personal gift. Something just for you.

As he finishes to sing the verse, he leans in to kiss your lips. They taste like coming back home, like the first waves crashing against a calm shore in the sunrise. Like freedom, and adventure. They taste like home.

Like Lucio.

Lucio downed his drink with a frown and looked over the crowd. He didn't like parties much, they were too noisy and the music wasn't much to his taste. Still, he had chosen to tag along with you and Tommaso to one of them, because he wanted to spend more time with both.

But you were nowhere to be found, and his frustration was visible.

"Tommà, did you see my partner?" He asked, and got a shrug in response.

"I think I lost sight of them a while ago. They should be near the drinks or so."

"I'll go look for them... If I get home too late, Era and Ennea get annoyed at me, so it's best if we get going soon."

"That's okay, man. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure, Tommà. See you."

A pat on the shoulders ended the meeting, and Lucio slid into the sea of people to look for you. And he did, soon enough... But saw that someone else was talking to you. Someone he didn't know, but the way they got close to you and made you smile upset something in his mind. And he had to do something about it.

"Hey, where had you been? I have been looking for you for ages", he remains calm, but you can feel a possessive arm around your waist and a brief kiss in your lips. You introduce the person to Lucio, without really clarifying their ties to you, and he politely greets them. "I don't mean to cut the fun short, but I think it'd best if we go. If we make it too late back, my dogs might be upset. And there's something I'd like to talk to you about."

Despite you not really wanting to leave, something inside you tells you to get going, so you quickly apologize and say goodbye to your acquaintance. In reality, this person was someone you hadn't seen in a long time, but didn't have time to catch up so far. But Lucio didn't know that. Still, you enjoyed the way his arm wrapped around your waist and how he kissed your temple, as his eyes surveyed the room.

You two make it outside, right to where Lucio's bike is parked. But as soon as you're alone, he pulls you in for a deep kiss against it. A long, intense one, with tongue and teeth involved, that soon trails down your neck to leave a small bite on your shoulder. He's shivering by the end of it, and you can feel one of his hands on the back of your head.

"Just a brief reminder that you and I have made a deal to be with each other for life", he says, before biting your lower lip. "And I hope you aren't going back in your word so quick."

You're about to say something, but he hands you your helmet, as he puts on his own and invites you to ride with him.

Today was the day. You were going to have that date with Valya and Danya, even when they didn't know it was one. You hadn't yet disclosed details about the nature of this meeting, but you knew this was the day where you made up your mind. Who would your heart choose? The dreamer Daniil, always on the clouds, or the sensitive Valentyn, down to earth but kind?

This was going to be a tough decision. Ever since you met the twins, your heart had started beating in a different frequency, everytime you spent time with them. Danya's hand on yours, Valya's head on your shoulder, the laughter, the trips to go window-shopping, the songwriting sessions, and late night conversations that lasted until dawn... It all felt precious. You treasured it with all you had.

And something told you those feelings were very well returned. Maybe it was something in the way they looked at you, or in a simple slip of the tongue in a phrase, or a hug that lasted a second longer than the acceptable hug for a friend, but you knew that somewhere there was a chance your feelings wouldn't go to waste. Now, to choose who would it be... That would be a hard task.

"Oh, there they are!" Danya's voice snapped you out of your thoughts, as he grabbed your hand. Valya was quick to grab the other.

"Looking great", he smiled. "We prepared a picnic for the evening, we hope you don't mind."

"It was a little bit of a last minute idea but we hope you have a great time."

"Yeah, absolutely. Let's go!"

Just then you see the picnic basket Valya has on his other arm. You enter the park where the date was supposed to happen, and set up your picnic underneath a tree. You notice dandelions growing nearby, as the twins set everything up - drinks, charcuterie, fresh fruit, snacks, all that you like. They even brought fancy glasses to have a drink out of.

The afternoon goes on between laughter, conversation and music. In the meantime, you notice their gestures towards you - how they hold your hand, or put dandelions on your hair, and the way they smile at you. You can't help but wonder if one twin is trying to one-up the other or if they're working in tandem. This is making the decision so difficult...

After a while of silence in a particular conversation about relationships, you realize that this is the moment where you have to make your move. But if you make a move on one of them, you will leave the other. And you don't really want that. This makes you feel so conflicted you stay silent for a moment too long.

"Hey, are you okay?" Danya looks at you, and Valya follows suit.

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

You look at the both of them and end up sighing as words start exiting your mouth - you have to say this, risking to lose them in the process. You talk about your feelings, and how they have done nothing but rise and rise, like a boiling pot of water. And now, you were at this point where you had to make a choice, but... You didn't want to. You wanted them both. You wanted the twins to love you, and love them the same, because they are too special, and you can't let them go. And you know this is all wrong, and greedy, but... The heart wants what it wants.

After a moment, Valya hugs you with an arm, and his twin does the same.

"Hey, no, come on..." The guitarist starts speaking. "Listen, we're not going anywhere. Not without you."

"Yeah, come on, you think we didn't know what was going on?" Danya's half smile looks so charming now. "We were fully aware of this. And this was all our plan."

"Yeah. We wanted you to get a glimpse of what your new life was going to look like..."

"... If you want it to be like that, of course."

You stare at them dumbfounded for a minute. So, they had already made agreements? They had talked about this possibility before? Your heart races as you feel their lips on your hands at the same time, in the same spot on your knuckles.

"Say... Do you think there's enough space for the both of us in your heart?"

"We are twins. We are so used to sharing, it doesn't bother us anymore. So please..."

Valya is the first one to go for a short kiss of your lips, and then Danya does the same, before the two of them say the same phrase in unison.