Outside, the sky is fading into shades of orange and pink.
Inside, it’s just us.

Two cups of half-finished coffee, one slice of strawberry cake he swore he didn’t want but somehow, he’s eaten most of it anyway. Cute. And if only he knew.. I keep looking at him because of that. Yeah, those eyes. Those damn eyes that undo me every single time. They’re soft, brown, a little unsure, like they’re saying everything he can’t put into words. I stare too long, I know I do. Until he notices, looks away. His cheeks flushing pink, lips curving into that shy half-smile. I’d do absolutely anything to protect. And in that tiny café, bathed in fading sunlight and soft music, I realize, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

“Happy early birthday,” I whisper.
He laughs quietly, almost to himself.

“Why are you saying it like that?” he asks, still a little flustered.

I shrug, smiling. “Because it’s not just your day, you know. It’s the day the world decided to make my life a little brighter.”

#IBUKIAlluringGala.

ㅤ
   𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘶𝘴 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘚𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰
     𝘊𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ\
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤPumpstone Boo!

(To: @Husettilsorguine, my Wayne.)
Lanterns dotted the firmament, illuminating the dim landscape. Mages abducted wild creatures and abandoned them with nocturnal beasts in deserted cottages. Swarms of wanderers ransacked the latarans where the sacrifices were hidden, accusing each one of them of being the villainous fiend who had wiped out the entire populace of sacred creatures in this realm. The mage chuckled behind the rotting banyan tree. Uttering “𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘢‌ 𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘶𝘮 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘮,” the mage dissolved all the wanderers and sacrifices into a mystical elixir within the cauldron.

Spooky salutations, Aham. 🎃