A mere mortal. A magicless one at that. One could elevate her to the level of a goddess. Give her a suffocating title. Until it severes her mortal breath.

Such was the situation. The girl who played like god—no. The girl who was given the role of god.

A candlestick in hand, Hayley scoured the shadowy hallways. Not a soul in sight; the hour was late. Word has it that a new installment was meant to be placed at the foyer. She had a very good guess, but she prayed to be mistaken.

"You were meant to be revered, Miss Adams. Such filthy hands meant more harm than good." Words that carry the weight of the heavens. "Staying amongst them will only taint your divinity."

Dismiss it merely as protective instinct mixed with adoration. Measures to keep her safe from the dangers of the magic world. Just until the gilded chains slowly gnawed into her flesh.

Hayley reached the foyer. A portrait hung against the wall before the staircase. Hands gently caressed the cloth enveloping its form, its painted canvas concealed.

Reveal its surface. She gently tugged at the covering...

"It's unbecoming of you to be wandering this late."

The candlestick she nearly dropped to the carpet, Hayley swiveled around. Her eyes held by a piercing gaze. "Rollo-senpai..." Her voice scraped its way out of her throat. Eyes held by the male's piercing gaze. "I wasn't–"

"I'm certain you weren't." Leaving the grounds without permission, that is. Hayley ceased to count the number of times she had been caught.

At her state, why would she ever not leave?

"I'm not a trophy for you to keep," she said. "I demand to be let go."

Rollo narrowed down his stare. "You mistake my intentions for being shallow," he murmured. Lethal. "Never have I referred to you as–"

"You exaggerate!" The face of his angry god. "You will let me go–"

A swift movement was all it took for the candle to fall unlit. Rollo had lost control of his grip on Hayley's wrist. The strength was enough to elicit a pained wince amidst surprise.

"I'm afraid you leave me no choice..."

Once did he vow never to actively use magic against her. But it was devotion that borderline on misguided reverence. At that moment, he had fallen blind.

A sleeping spell he cast, his saint fell limp on his arms. The consequences be damned. The world shall not have a single sliver of her holy light.

The portrait loomed above his sinful figure. Rollo could only pay it a final glance.

Fleur City at night. Such a magnificent view. Its beauty best observed from the top of Noble Bell College's bell tower.

It's one of Rollo's chosen areas to frequent in. And as it looks like, Hayley has taken a liking to the solace it could offer as much as he did. There she stood with her face basked in the evening glow.

"I didn't think I would find you here," Rollo remarked, to which Hayley responded with a delighted expression.

"Good evening, senpai!"

"And I to you, Miss Adams."

A few steps forward before Rollo stood beside her. The distance between their arms immediately closed when Hayley inched closer like it's the most natural response to his sudden appearance.

One he could never get used to. Not when his breath hitched mere seconds ago.

"I've grown to be familiar with the night sky." Hayley pointed against the vast darkness above. Follow where her finger was pointing at. "Especially the placement of stars. Like a map. They're scattered in a fixed group with a fix pattern."

"Are any of these... patterns of stars familiar to you?" Rollo asked. A hum he received; Hayley shook her head.

"This world is different from mine. And so should its outer universe. It's what makes worlds unique."

Her face was comparable to the stars adorning the evening horizon. Glowing like the shine of holy light.

"This feels exactly like that night," she said with a tone so light. Rollo furrowed his brows in wonder. "When you kissed me at this same bell tower."

Realization felt like a bucket of ice water. Rollo had to chase after the balance that was slipping away.

That fateful night. A moment he wouldn't dare recall. May God forgive him—may she forgive him—but a sinner such as him did not deserve such clemency.

"F-Forgive me..." Rollo ran his hand across his face, disperse the guilt etching on his skin. He might as well tear his own sinful lips. "I wasn't... I wasn't myself at the time..."

An open advantage he had taken—she wasn't in the state of sound mind. What immorality.

"Senpai..." Her voice, no matter how soft and near silent, rang against his ears like the heavy toll of a bell.

Warmth. On his cheek. On his lips. Miss Adams initiated the kiss this time. God forbid he crave the warmth she gave him when she pulled away. "The stars above as our witnesses." A whisper. Sacred. His salvation.

"It doesn't make you any sinful when you love someone."

Fresh and a stark red in color. A basketful of apples sat on the kitchen counter. Inviting.

"Grapes again, senpai?" It was a fixed routine Rollo religiously followed—the same contents of his midday meals.

Never once did the thought of having another menu cross his mind. Change meant opening to more bothersome adjustments. Not until...

"Don't you want to consider eating a different fruit?"

Rollo remembered those words as vividly as day. Very much like it had been mere minutes ago when it was last spoken. Of all who tried, Hayley owns the success to get him out of his grind.

He picked up an apple. A good size, perfectly fitted within his palm. Peel the skin with a small knife.

"I was told apples are treated with chemicals," her words echoed, "so peeling the outer part would make it safer to eat." Silly girl. Noble Bell caters only fresh harvests. Yet his own hand obliged to the memory of her voice nonetheless.

"There's a saying that goes like... 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away.'" Rollo was not familiar of such a claim. "And it's kind of hilarious considering I aim to become a doctor, yet my mother usually serve me sliced apples."

That's right. She attends a high school affiliated with a known medical university in her world. An interesting detail he committed to memory.

Hayley would make a fine medical worker. A highly skilled one, at that. It's a vision Rollo could see. A doctor who likes her apples sliced and diced.

And sliced and diced the apple he held would be. Placed in a bowl. The same way she had introduced him to change.

"Tastes amazing, right?"

Apples might be his new favorite fruit. How he remembered the glow of her smile that day. Remembered the sweet taste.

He remembered. God, do he wish for more than mere memories.

"I don't want to go back."

Believable words he held on to. So did she. Her hand he held for the last time. Firmly. Desperately. Because the rule of worlds refused to submit to their prayers.

"Suppose the sky swallowed me whole..." Words meant to be mere metaphors. It filled him with great disbelief to see it unfold into reality. Promises made empty—she would stay with him forever. But not anymore when her world forcefully robbed her away from his hold.

It had been a month since.

Rollo bit into a slice of apple. Sweet. And kind of salty in its aftertaste. He might be tasting tears.

Final prompt list:

“Halloween?” Yubel questioned. He’d never heard of it, really… Not that it had much time on earth TO hear of it.

“Yeah! It’s one of my favorite holidays,” Mutt explained. “You can dress up in costumes and get candy!”

Yubel nodded, its tail flicking a little, and her head tilted a little as they thought. “What are you going as?”

“Me?” Mutt grinned sheepishly. “I’m going as you.”

Yubel blushed, her tail starting to wag without it fully realizing. “Me?”

“You,” Mutt repeated.

Yubel huffed slightly, wrapping its wings around the two of them. “That’s no fair! I can’t dress as you!”

“You could try?” Mutt suggested, sticking his tongue out. Yubel paused, nodding.

“That’s true, I could. Still, it flatters me that you’re going as me. Why?” Yubel questioned.

“Because I love you,” Mutt replied simply.

Prompt list so far:

“Watch.”

Kunisaki perked up, hearing Mutt, watching his paws intently.

Mutt picked up Kunisaki’s phone, and, in one quick motion, he threw it in the air and it turned from a phone to a cloth, which gracefully fell to the ground.

“Wh-”

“Just wait,” Mutt purred, interrupting Kunisaki. He pulled out a sealed cereal box, and handed it to Kunisaki.

“It’s closed, right? Completely sealed?” Mutt asked. Kunisaki looked the box over for a moment, before nodding in response.

“Open it,” Mutt said with a grin.

Kunisaki slowly picked at the cardboard, opening the box, then pulled out the plastic bag of cereal. The bag, too, was sealed.

“Is my phone in there?” Kunisaki asked quietly.

Mutt’s grin only grew. “Open the bag. But first: it’s sealed, right?”

Kunisaki nodded. “It’s never been opened.”

Mutt nodded in reply.

Kunisaki opened the cereal bag, digging in it, and gasping when he felt his phone.

“How did you-?! I was watching you the whole time-” Kunisaki stammered.