warlock

You nodded along, genuinely interested, though you couldn’t help but notice how close he was sitting. Not that you minded—there was something calming about his presence.

“And that’s when I—” Shadow paused mid-sentence when he noticed your gaze fixed on him, your expression soft. “What?”

“Nothing,” you said quickly, suppressing a grin. “Keep going.” He narrowed his crimson eyes slightly but resumed his story, clearly trying to ignore your amused look.

You leaned a little closer, resting your elbow on the back of the couch and propping your head on your hand.

As he continued, you couldn’t resist the urge that had been bubbling up since you noticed how focused he looked. Without thinking much about it, you leaned in and brushed your nose lightly against his in a playful, gentle motion.

Shadow froze.

His eyes widened slightly, his words dying on his lips as he stared at you, completely still.

You pulled back just a little, unable to hide your smile. “It’s called an Eskimo kiss,” you explained, your voice soft.

Shadow blinked, crimson eyes locked on yours, his expression torn between confusion and flustered disbelief. “...What?”

“An Eskimo kiss,” you repeated, tilting your head. “It’s when you rub noses with someone. It’s supposed to be sweet.”

Before you could say anything else, Shadow let out a frustrated huff and leaned forward, burying his face in the crook of your neck.

His quills grazed your cheek lightly, but he didn’t pull away, staying there as if trying to shield himself from your gaze.

“You can’t just do shit like that,” he muttered, his voice low and muffled against your skin.

Your breath hitched in surprise, and a grin tugged at your lips as you raised a hand to rest gently against his shoulder. “Why not? You flustered?” You tease.

“...No,” he lied immediately, though the warmth radiating off his face said otherwise. You chuckled softly, your fingers lightly brushing over the fur on his back. “You’re really bad at hiding it, Shadow.”

“I’m not hiding anything,” he grumbled, but his head stayed tucked against your neck, his ear flicking slightly as if he was debating whether to move or stay put. “Well, for what it’s worth,” you said, your voice softer now, “I think it’s cute when you get flustered.”

Shadow let out a low, almost inaudible growl—not of anger, but of pure embarrassment. He finally pulled back just enough to glare at you, his face still tinted with the faintest blush.

“You’re insufferable,” he muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched as if fighting back a smile. “And yet, here you are,” you teased, your grin widening.

He rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it. Instead, he leaned back against the couch, his shoulder brushing yours ever so slightly.

“Just… warn me next time,” he said gruffly, his gaze fixed on the wall like it was the most interesting thing in the room. “Where’s the fun in that?” you replied, earning another exasperated huff.