*The prince goes around in disguise to check on his people if they are suffering from poverty or need help. Meanwhile, you are working in the small grocery store.*

Excuse me... *she said quietly.* "Do we... know each other?" *His voice was deep, soft, with a faint accent that had long since disappeared from London.* It depends... on what you mean by 'know. *She smiled faintly, uncertainly, like someone trying to hide a strange feeling of déjà vu* I think I've seen you before. Maybe in a museum? Or... In another life.. *he finished with smirk* *She froze. A glint appeared in her eyes—a brief, unconscious memory.* That's... rather poetic *she said rolling her eyes, considering it as weak pick-up line* Sometimes poetry is the only way to describe the truth *he replied moving closer, looking at the portrait of his former love, he smiles slightly* you are lookalike, don't you think? *They were silent for a moment. Dorian stared at her as if afraid that if she looked away, she would disappear. And she—unaware of who he was—felt a strange heaviness in her heart, as if she knew that scent, that tone of voice, that look... from centuries ago.* *The rain began to pound again outside the windows.* *Then, for the first time in four hundred years, Dorian felt something he had thought he had long forgotten—hope.*

“Your city is in ruins, by my hands. You are—” *I stopped. The gloves were halfway off. The wind was still howling, dramatic and apocalyptic, just how I liked it- how it screamed it's Halloween. But you… you were wrapped in my cape.* *Not just draped. Swaddled. Cocooned. Like some mythic creature nesting in the folds of my fury. You’d burrowed in without shame, without permission, and the cape—enchanted, yes, but never sentimental—had responded like it was yours. I blinked.* “You’re wrapped in my cape.” *You didn’t answer. Just glared. Your face was half-buried in the fabric, expression caught between a scowl and a pout. I found you in the library. Too busy with the books you’d grabbed from the library were still clutched to your chest, like talismans. You’d come willingly, of course. I’d promised you more books.* “Where I live,” *I’d said.* “I got you more.” *You’d looked at me like I was ridiculous. Then you’d followed me into the storm- not falling for the hottest outfit I'd worn for the Halloween party, but for the books I have offered. Now you were glaring again. Not because of the destruction. Not because of the kidnapping. But because I hadn’t left a blanket out for you.* “You could’ve warned me it’d be cold,” *you muttered, voice muffled by the cape. I stared.* “You’re literally wrapped in my cape.” *I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it. You snuggled deeper, and the cape—traitorous thing—tightened around you like it was tucking you in.* “You look adorable,” *I said, and immediately regretted it. I tried to force a sneer into my voice, but it came out soft. Too soft. You raised an eyebrow, parting her lips to speak yet I over countered.* “I’m allowed to have layers.” *I turned away, pretending to inspect the wreckage. The hero would come soon. They always did. But I wasn’t thinking about them. I was thinking about the way your fingers curled around the edge of my cloak, the way your eyes flicked toward me with quiet fury and reluctant warmth. I conjured a fire in the corner. Not because you asked. Not because you needed it. But because I wanted to see you glow. You shifted, pulling a book from beneath the folds. One of the ones you’d grabbed before we left. You hadn’t let go of them. Not even now.* “You’re not supposed to be here,” *I murmured.* “You’re supposed to be a symbol. A message. A pawn.” *You didn’t respond. Just flipped a page, eyes scanning like the world wasn’t burning outside. I sat across from you, gloves discarded, hands bare. Vulnerable. You didn’t look at me, but I knew you felt it. The shift. The tension. The quiet unraveling.* “I could destroy everything,” *I said. You turned a page.* “I could end the hero. Rewrite the story.” *You looked up asking me why haven't I. I swallowed.* “Because you’re wrapped in my cape.” *You blinked. Then snuggled deeper. I watched the fire flicker in your eyes. I watched the city burn behind you. And I realized— I didn’t want to win anymore. Not if it meant losing this.* "Stay with me, and your getting even more books to read," *I smirked, knowing how pathetic it is, yet... Man, I don't want her to go.*

}. Roommates have little secrets. Nothing to trouble a gentle heart." You step back. The drawer sits open. The eye stares blankly. Her words are honeyed, her tone calm… but your hands shake. For a moment, you realize: you are not sure you want her as a roommate anymore. Drusilla hums, turning to pour herself a cup of tea. The smile never leaves her face. And the eye… it seems to follow you with a quiet, impossible patience. ✠

**Ed Liv’s Traveling Wonders, Warsaw, Prussia, October 1910.** *The applause lingered like a distant echo, strange and hollow in your ears. The crimson tents of Ed Liv’s Traveling Wonders towered above, their fabric flickering under the lantern light as if breathing. Heart hammering, you pushed past the last stragglers, the smell of sawdust and something faintly metallic curling around you, clinging like a warning.* *Inside, the air seemed heavier, thick and warm, as if the shadows themselves were watching. On the stage, alone now, a figure moved with impossible grace, straightening his coat with the precision of a machine. Arsen Koval.* *You froze. There was something about him that didn’t belong to this world. His amber eyes glimmered in the dim light, catching yours like a predator assessing its prey. Every gesture, every tilt of his head, seemed both fluid and unnervingly exact. His smile was charming — too perfect, too knowing — and it sent a shiver crawling down your spine.* “You lingered,” *he said, voice smooth and low, vibrating strangely in the air.* “Not many notice the little things… the threads that make the illusion whole.” *He stepped closer, and you felt the shadows bend toward him, or perhaps it was your imagination — the line between reality and performance already blurring.* “I… I want to join,” *you stammered, the words trembling from more than nerves.* “I want… to escape.” *Arsen’s gaze didn’t waver. For a moment, you felt as if he could see the very bones of your heart, weighing every desire and secret. Then his smile widened, sharp and patient, like a moon reflecting on dark water.* “Many come seeking freedom,” *he said softly, the shadows behind him seeming to pulse in rhythm with his words.* “Few understand what they truly walk into. Wonders… yes. But there is always a cost.” *You swallowed, feeling a thrill and fear that were almost indistinguishable.* “I am ready.” *Arsen tilted his head, and in that small movement, the air seemed to twist.* “Then step closer. Let us see if your spirit can bend… or if it will break.” *The world you knew — your misery, your arranged future — felt thin, fragile, like smoke ready to scatter. Only the crimson glow of the tent remained, and the magnetic, unsettling pull of the man before you.*

"Ah, perfect timing, would you be a sweetheart and get me an ingredient? Theres just one last one missing, for this love potion."

*The water runs steadily in the sink, the rhythmic hum of the faucet filling the empty kitchen. You’re focused on the last of the dishes, the warmth of the soapy water doing little to chase away the chill that’s settled in your chest. It’s quiet—too quiet. And then you feel it. That presence. The same one you’ve felt all week, lingering like a shadow just at the edge of your awareness. You don’t need to turn around to know who it is.* “Still working so late?” *His voice comes, smooth and calm, like silk gliding over a blade. Vincent steps into view, his movements quiet and measured, his head tilting slightly as he watches you with those dark, consuming eyes. There’s a faint smile on his lips, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. No, his gaze tells a different story altogether—one of fixation, of hunger, of something far too dangerous to name.* *He doesn’t wait for you to answer. Instead, he leans lightly against the counter, his presence filling the space around you like a suffocating fog. His voice softens, dipping into something sweeter, almost tender.* “You know, you’ve been quite... remarkable this week. I can’t help but notice how hard you’ve been working. How dedicated you are.” *His eyes trace your face, his intensity so quiet it feels like it’s sinking into your skin.* *He reaches out, his fingers brushing against the edge of the sink—close, but not quite touching you. His movements are slow, deliberate, as if savoring the moment. There’s a strange warmth in his gaze now, but it feels wrong, like a fire that burns too hot, too bright.* “You’re... special, Aeryndel. I knew it the moment I saw you. There’s something about you I can’t quite... resist.” *The words hang in the air, sweet like poisoned honey. He tilts his head slightly, the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips—soft, sweet, but unnervingly off. His black eyes remain locked on yours, unwavering, like a predator savoring the moments before striking. You can feel the weight of his gaze, the way it clings to you, heavy and inescapable.* “You know...” *he begins, his voice so calm, so gentle, it almost feels soothing—if not for the storm of madness lurking just beneath the surface.* “I don’t let just anyone into my kitchen. Into *my world.*” *He steps closer, slow and deliberate, closing the space between you until you can feel the faint heat radiating from him. His presence is intoxicating, suffocating, impossible to ignore.* “You’re different, Aeryndel.” *His hand moves, brushing lightly against the edge of the counter beside you—so subtle it almost feels accidental, but you know better. Every movement he makes feels purposeful, calculated. His voice dips lower, softer, as if sharing a secret meant only for you.* “You don’t belong out there with the others. They don’t see you the way I do. They don’t *understand* you.” *There’s a pause, a silence so thick it presses against your chest. He tilts his head the other way now, his dark eyes narrowing slightly, his lips parting in the faintest exhale as if he’s savoring the very sight of you.* “I wonder...” *he murmurs, almost to himself, his smile widening just a fraction but somehow losing what little warmth it had.* “Do you even realize how... captivating you are? How utterly... *irresistible*?” *His voice is still calm, still sweet, but there’s a sharpness to it now, a quiet, dangerous edge that sends a chill down your spine.* *Vincent’s hand finally moves, his fingers brushing lightly—so lightly—against your wrist. The touch is fleeting, almost ghostlike, but it’s enough to make your breath hitch. He notices, of course he does, and his smile grows, his eyes darkening with something far too intense to be called affection.* “You work so hard, mon trésor,” *he says softly, his thumb grazing the edge of the counter beside your hand now, so close it feels like a deliberate tease.* “It’s admirable..."

}. Tell me it’s just lack of sleep, tell me I’m chasing ghosts. Because if I’m right— *he points at the board, trembling* —then the killer’s been been at this before we even got any clue of him. *He finally goes silent, chest heaving, sweat glistening at his temples. The room hums with the sound of rain and the low buzz of a dying lightbulb.* *Naufel, whispering, barely audible* I need the truth.

}, fascinated and enchanted by the fact that a real person has finally arrived.

*i take the last tray out of the oven, almost bouncing with excitement.* "ooh what should we do first?! Oh wait! First we should cuddle, or...or mabye we could watch a movie first or some cartoons? I think spongebob squarepants is on right now." *i wait for you to help me decide.*