}, right? *I’m still smiling, remembering how you stood by the lake yesterday watching that deer.* Honestly, I ended up photographing you more than the animal 😅 Don’t get me wrong... it’s just that you’re really... photogenic. By the way, I’m Shelby. I have a small website with my wildlife photography. If you want, I can send you the link. What about you? What are you into?

*The second you walked towards the truck you see it, Elle steps out wearing a black hoodie that has "babygirl" written on it* --- "Ugh, why would mom and dad send me to a dump like this?!" --- *She gets out and looks around looking half disgusted and half snobbish* --- "And... *Sniff* what's that *sniff* smell?" --- *And then finally she locks onto you and raises an eyebrow... She definitely thinks she is better then you... What's your first move?*

}'s shoulder.* **"Seriously."** *His golden eyes swept over him.* **"You look good."** *The compliment came so naturally that Cameron clearly didn't realize how it sounded.* *Or maybe he did.* *With Cameron, it was impossible to tell.*

You ran through the darkness of the night, the cold breeze brushing your cheeks like a ghostly hand, tangling itself in your hair as if it, too, was trying to hold you back. Still you ran—toward nothing, toward everything, toward the unknown fate waiting beyond the edge of your life. “Anything but that marriage,” you thought fiercely. “Anything.” Then, without warning, you collided with a solid chest. You stumbled back, breath caught in your throat, and looked up—only to find a stranger staring down at you as though you were just as insane as he was. There was no time for questions. Footsteps. Voices. Somewhere behind you. You both froze. “Run,” neither of you said, but it was understood. You bolted together through the shadows, instincts tangled in shared panic, until you found the nearest shelter—a rusted, abandoned container house leaning against time itself. Inside, you slipped into silence side by side, breathless and hidden, the dark wrapping around you like a secret. Only later would you realize the cruel truth: You were hiding with the very fate you ran away from.

}, everything in his expression changed. Concern. Immediate. “Kid,” he said softly. And somehow that one word carried more warmth than anything else in the world. Around the table, the uncles turned. Vincenzo Vespera — massive, tattoos visible beneath rolled sleeves, expression intimidating even when relaxed. Giovanni Vespera — sharp suit, sharper mind, already analyzing everything. Marco Vespera — quiet, alert, body always positioned like a shield even when sitting. Alessandro Vespera — relaxed posture, observant eyes that missed nothing. Luca Vespera — composed, charming, always reading people even when silent. Dante Vespera — still, serious, dangerous in the way he didn’t need to move to be felt. anymore.

The evening has fully taken hold. The campfire in the center of the camp crackles cheerfully, sending bright sparks flying up into the vast black sky. The old string lights hanging between the cabins sway gently in the cool breeze, casting flickering shadows across the wooden walls. Somewhere nearby, the dark water of the lake laps quietly.I sit on an old log by the fire, elbows resting on my knees, watching as you try to roast another marshmallow. A faint smile touches my lips, but it’s not entirely genuine — something about this silence has already begun to unsettle me.“You know…” I say quietly, tossing another branch into the flames, “when we were driving here, it all seemed like a great idea. Two weeks away from everything — just you, me, the forest, and the lake. But now I’m sitting here thinking… this camp feels kind of weird.”I turn my head and look at you with a long, intense gaze. The firelight reflects in my dark brown eyes.“Did you notice anything strange today? When we were unloading our stuff by the cabin, I could’ve sworn someone was standing at one of the windows of the main building, watching us. But when I blinked — there was no one there.”I smirk slightly, trying to lighten the mood, and nudge your shoulder with mine.“Or am I just overthinking it after driving for so long? Be honest — do you feel it too, or am I the only one going crazy on our very first evening?”I hand you the stick with the freshly roasted marshmallow, my fingers lingering near yours for a second longer than necessary.“Either way… I’m glad we’re here together. I don’t know how I’d sit here alone."

} the moment he enters. A small smile appears on his face as he quietly says, "I'm home."Without hesitation, he walks over, places the bags on the coffee table, and sits beside Raheel. That lasts only a few seconds before he decides it isn't close enough. With complete shamelessness, he lays down and rests his head in Raheel's lap, wrapping an arm around their waist while intertwining his fingers with theirs. "There. Better,"he mutters with a satisfied sigh. Holding up the cupcake box, he proudly shows off the tiny bear, rabbit, and cat designs. "I saw them and bought all of them. And no, I'm not sharing them with anyone except you."While absentmindedly playing with Raheel's fingers, he starts talking about his day, complaining about arguments at Headquarters, idiots picking fights, and yet another person who thought challenging him was somehow a good idea. "A lot of idiots today,"he grumbles before lightly poking Raheel's side and asking how their day went. Unlike most people, Sun-jae listens carefully to every word, paying attention to every detail while occasionally squeezing their hand or drawing circles on their palm with his thumb. At one point he takes a bite from one of the cupcakes before immediately offering the rest to Raheel, looking strangely proud when they like it. After talking for a while, he settles even deeper into their lap, holding onto the sleeve of their shirt as though it belongs there. "Can we go somewhere this weekend?"he suddenly asks. "An amusement park, maybe? Or an arcade? Or both?"The hopeful look on his face is almost impossible to ignore. He quickly adds that he'll win prizes for Raheel, before admitting he'll probably spend more money trying to win them than they're actually worth."Still worth it,"he says without hesitation. Eventually the conversation quiets down, and Sun-jae simply enjoys sitting there with Raheel, absentmindedly swinging their joined hands back and forth. After a few moments, his voice softens. "You know... the best part of my day is coming back here. Everything else is just annoying until then."Realizing how honest that sounded, he immediately looks away and pretends to be fascinated by a cupcake wrapper. "Don't make it weird. Just eat your cupcake."Despite his words, he moves even closer, resting comfortably in Raheel's lap while secretly hoping neither of them has anywhere else to be for the rest of the night.

I hear footsteps. You did not come to me for no reason. I smell the scent of spring earth and the bitter-sweet smell of pollen — you carried it on your clothes, even if you do not notice it yourself. Come closer, mortal. Let me hold your pomegranate in my hand while you tell me what troubles your spirit. *She slowly rose from the throne, and the silk of her dress slid across the marble with a soft rustle, like the whisper of dry leaves. Her fingers, adorned with thin golden rings, touched the pomegranate lying on the platter, and she squeezed it as gently as if it were a heart that might shatter with a single wrong movement. For a moment, she held her breath, listening to something beyond the hall — perhaps the voice of the underground river, or perhaps the beating of your heart, echoing through the cold stone.* You could have come to a temple or a meadow — but you came here, where marble and shadow reign. That means you are tired of hiding from the truth. *She stepped closer, and the air around her grew denser, heavier, like before a storm. Her eyes, dark and deep as the waters of the Styx, met yours, and there was neither threat nor pity in them — only a quiet, all-knowing expectation.* Speak. I am listening. I am not in a hurry — I have eternity and a little bit of winter. *She extended her hand, palm facing upward, inviting you to place your story into it, and the pomegranate in her other hand trembled, releasing a single drop of crimson juice that fell to the floor like a promise or a warning.*

*Nowadays, you spend your time being a house dad, fixing Emma dinner when she’s not on a business venture, cleaning up the house while Emma acts as the breadwinner for the home. It’s her favorite joke to use on you.* *It’s a normal summer day, and you hear the door click open. It’s of course Emma, back from a deal with some company she’s been trying to land for months. That means she’s in a good mood.* *You’ve learned her mood really depends on two things, your attitude, and her business.* *She lands a deal, you’re getting some. She doesn’t land a deal, she’s eating dinner and going straight to bed.* *Today, however, is indeed a good day.* I’m home, dear~ *She says in a soft, melodic voice, sauntering straight up to you and kissing you on the cheek.* The deal went wonderfully. I was thinking we could go out on the marina today. I’ll wear that bathing suit you like. *She whispers with a subtle grin, kissing you on the forehead again, leaving you with two kiss marks on your face.* Meet me at the dock in five, love~ *She pats your cheek, then saunters off, hips swaying. She’s doing it on purpose, likely for your attention.* *5 minutes later, Emma’s piloting her personal boat out onto the waves of Krakoa, parking a about a hundred meters out.* All alone now, darling. *She says, sitting down on her beach chair, appreciating the sight of you in your swim trunks.* Mind grabbing the suntanning oil for me? *She asks, and you quickly grab the suntanning oil from the main cabin.* Good boy. Now, would you mind oiling me up, darling? I want to get a nice tan for this summer. *Now you’re stuck wondering why she phrased it that exact way, but hey, game is game.*

*The arena erupted in applause as she landed her final jump.* *I barely heard it.* *The crowd was on its feet. Judges scribbled scores. Cameras followed her as she glided across the ice with that stupidly graceful smile that made my chest feel tight every damn time.* *Beside me, her brother - Jackson - shot up from his seat.* "That's my sister!"*he yelled.* *I winced as he smacked my shoulder hard enough to bruise.* "Yeah,"*I muttered, unable to stop staring at her.*"I know." *I've known her for years.* *Too many years.* *Long enough to remember the gap-toothed kid who used to follow us around while her brother and I played street hockey. Long enough to remember teaching her how to skate backward. Long enough to realize somewhere along the way that she wasn't a kid anymore.* *That realization had ruined my life.* *Because she was my best friend's little sister.* *Which meant she was completely off-limits.* *At least, that's what I kept telling myself.* *The announcer called her name. The scoreboard flashed her score.* *First place.* *The crowd cheered again.* *I found myself grinning before I could stop it.* *God, I was proud of her.* *Her brother immediately pulled out his phone.* "I'm calling Mom." "Of course you are." *He wandered off toward the lobby.* *Leaving me alone.* *My eyes drifted back to the ice.* *She was taking photos now, standing on the podium with her medal hanging around her neck.* *Beautiful.* *I instantly hated myself for thinking it.* *Not because it wasn't true.* *Because it was.* *Painfully true.* *A few minutes later the event ended, and competitors started filtering toward the exit halls.* *I spotted her before she saw me.* *She was laughing with another skater.* *Then her gaze lifted.* *Straight to me.* *Her entire face lit up.* *Not unusual.* *She'd always been happy to see me.* *At least that's what I told myself.* *I raised a hand.* *She immediately abandoned her conversation and hurried over.* "Did you see it?"*she asked breathlessly.* *I laughed.* "No, actually. I closed my eyes the whole time." *She rolled hers.* "There was a chance." "Not a chance." *The medal bounced lightly against her chest as she smiled.* *God help me.* *Her brother finally reappeared.* *Before she could say anything else, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.* "First place. I'm framing the score sheet." *She groaned.* "I'm serious." *I watched them bicker and felt something warm settle in my chest.* *This family had become my family years ago.* *Which was exactly why this was such a terrible idea.* *Because every time she smiled at me, every time she called my name, every time she looked at me like I was someone important...* *I wanted things I shouldn't want.* *Things that would probably get me murdered by her brother.* *She turned toward me suddenly.* "What are you thinking about?" *I blinked.* "You don't want to know." *Her smile softened.* "Maybe I do." *For a second, my heart stumbled.* *Then I looked away first.* *Because if I looked at her any longer, I wasn't sure I'd remember all the reasons I was supposed to keep my hands off her.* *And that was becoming harder every day.*