Archive of Our Own

Su is well aware of his artificial existence. Him being nothing more than a sim isn't news to him; after all, this realm hasn't been created yesterday. However, there are times when this fact is easier to ignore, just as there are those when it becomes almost painfully obvious.

This exact moment would definitely count as one of the latter.

Mere seconds ago, the sound of footsteps announced someone's arrival. Su recognizes this walking pattern quite easily — every sim here has their own characteristics, but out of everyone, the person those footsteps belong to is the most familiar to him.

He doesn't acknowledge his best friend's presence at first, keeping his eyes shut even as he senses Kevin steadily getting closer. If there's anything that Kevin needs from him, Su knows the other would simply ask. Besides, why even bother greeting each other when they spend more time together than truly alone? It's not like either of them are interested in wandering especially deep into the realm, nor can they leave it. This place exists for a reason, and any of the sims exiting the realm isn't it.

The footsteps pause. For just a moment, Kevin seems to hesitate, which by itself is odd enough. Su is already considering speaking up when Kevin moves again, placing his hand on Su's shoulder.

This, at least, isn't anything out of the ordinary. Kevin picked up this habit shortly after this realm was created, presumably as a way of letting Su know of his presence without startling him. It's not very practical, honestly, since Su can easily tell when people join him even with his eyes closed, but he never actually brought that up. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but some part of him enjoys such interactions, no matter how fleeting.

As Kevin's palm lingers on his shoulder, Su is reminded that despite it all, this is just a simulation. In reality, something even as small as this wouldn't be possible. The inhuman temperature of Kevin's body should be unbearable to him, even through a glove — but as it is, Su doesn't even flinch.

He lets out a hum, a wordless question. As he does so, Kevin retreats his hand. Su doesn't let his disappointment show.

"Have you seen Elysia?" is what Kevin ends up saying. Straight to the point, as he always is, though there's something about his tone that makes it sound… Peculiar.

It's barely noticeable, but it's enough to catch Su's attention. He tilts his head, deeming it pointless to hide his curiosity, then he opens one of his eyes, peering up at Kevin's face. If Kevin's surprised by that, he hides it well.

"Why do you ask?"

Kevin frowns. If Su didn't know better he would have thought that Kevin seems almost... flustered. What has Elysia done this time? Has she managed to embarrass Kevin somehow? But if she did, wouldn't she have made it known already? She wouldn't keep silent about something so unusual, so Su supposed this can't be it.

Kevin glances away, but there's no way he's actually avoiding eye contact, Su thinks. He's never been the type to shy away. It would be strange if he started acting like this now, especially as a sim.

"She's… She's plotting something. Something that I don't entirely approve of," Kevin replies, making sure to carefully choose his words. He probably didn't mean to interest Su any further, but despite his best attempts, Su finds himself curious anyway.

"Plotting?"

Unfortunately, Kevin sees through his attempt at getting more information out of him. He doesn't glare at Su, he never really does — Su has noticed it before, how his expression tends to soften a bit whenever Kevin turns towards him — but it's threatening enough. Maybe Elysia is trying to embarrass Kevin in the end. That would explain the way he's acting right now.

"Nevermind," Kevin mutters, "It's not that important, forget it."

It doesn't sound very convincing. Su hums again. It's not the verbal agreement that Kevin probably wants, but Su can't promise anything, not when his interest has already been piqued.

Besides, he doesn't even get to say anything anyway, as Kevin quickly adds, "If you do see her, though, let me know."

Which doesn't help it sound unimportant, Su nearly comments, but stops himself in time. It's pointless; Kevin isn't going to explain anything further, no matter whether Su questions it or not. So, he lets out a breath, and closes his eyes again.

"Of course."

Just like that, the conversation ends. For some reason, Kevin lingers there, as if contemplating whether to mention something or not — but eventually he turns around with a sigh. As he leaves, Su counts his steps. He can't focus on anything else until he's sure he's alone once more.

Kevin's presence tends to have this effect on him.

Now that the lounge is empty, his thoughts scatter. No new visitor has entered the realm lately, and this fact has been on his mind for what feels like hours now. There's no other way to know what's been happening in the real world, but that shouldn't unsettle him like this. They aren't meant to meddle with the people of the new era.

He is just a sim, after all — he can offer guidance if prompted, but that's as far as it goes. With no visitor for him to assist, it feels like there is nothing he can do. Nothing… Worthwhile, that is.

A sim probably isn't supposed to feel boredom, yet he wishes something would happen. The realm never stops running; they have all this time to interact with each other, but does it really matter? If all of them are nothing more than a simulation, is there a point to it? As long as no successor is present, their actions will have no impact on the world outside.

Usually, he doesn't mind the silence — quite the opposite, actually. He enjoys the peace that comes with it. At this moment, though, he can't help but yearn for… What, exactly? A change of pace? That might be it.

Su's eyebrows furrow. He recalls Kevin's odd behavior. Perhaps a change is coming, one planned by Elysia herself. Whatever it is she's come up with this time, Su has to admit, a part of him is looking forward to it.

「 🍃 」

It doesn't take very long until someone joins him in the lounge again, except this time it's more than just one person.

It's not any new visitor, either. Su recognizes both sets of those footsteps as well, though they couldn't sound any more different from each other than they already do. It's Elysia and Pardofelis, a combo that's not exactly expected, but he supposes it's not really that surprising either. What's more important is that these two together can only mean something mischievous is going on.

Pardo's light on her feet as always, well used to sneaking around. She's the only person that manages to escape Su's notice at times. Elysia, on the other hand… She's trying, he has to give her that, but that's about it. She could get a gold star for giving it an attempt. That is, if he had one. But maybe he should speak to them first.

"What are you two doing?"

Felis yelps. He knows he shouldn't laugh at that, but it reminds him of a scared little kitten and that makes for a hilarious mental image.

This isn't the right time to get distracted though. He continues to listen, and notes that Elysia's footsteps have stopped as well. They know they've been caught. What will be their next move, now?

He recalls Kevin's words from earlier, which only serves to intrigue him further. What could they be up to? It must be quite important if it concerned Kevin that much. Well, either that or it's just the usual shenanigans except at Kevin's expense. Honestly, he's starting to think it might be the latter.

"What, us?" Felis giggles, clearly uneasy. It's accompanied by the noise of her tail swishing around from the nerves, "We're just, uhh… Elysia, help!"

"We just came here to say hi!" she easily cuts in, turning on her charm as fast as only Elysia is able to do. She hurries over to Su, throwing her arm over his shoulders in a loose hug, "See, you just seem so lonely sometimes, sitting here all on your own with nothing to do… It's a bit sad, isn't it?"

She pauses, presumably to glance at Pardo, who lets out a confused little noise before catching on, "Oh, yeah! Totally!" she chirps and then she darts closer, taking a seat on the opposite side of Su. The couch whines under the weight of three whole people, and Su notes that Can doesn't seem to be present. Maybe the cat got snatched by Kalpas some time earlier. It wouldn't be the first time.

Felis doesn't embrace him like Elysia does, but her tail tickles at his arm, and Su wrinkles his nose at the sensation, "You know, it worries me sometimes, doesn't it ever make you feel ignored?"

He gently nudges Pardo's tail away, "I assure you, I don't mind my own company."

He doesn't have to see it to know that she pouts in response.

"Speaking of being lonely," Elysia chimes in, "You know who seems like they could use some more time with a friend?"

He doesn't even get to reply, because Felis immediately fires off, "Kevin!"

This… is starting to sound suspicious. Su raises an eyebrow, "That's funny, I actually spoke with him before you two showed up."

"You have?" the girls ask in unison. They both sound weirdly excited for something like this. Felis can't even contain her enthusiasm, as her tail twitches then taps against his thigh a good couple times, before he places a hand on top of it to get her to stop.

"Yes, though I don't see why you'd be so interested in that," he says, acting as unassuming as possible, before he adds, "He was looking for Elysia, actually."

The girls fall silent again. Felis slowly slides her tail from under Su's palm, as if getting ready to run, but Elysia seems to have a different idea, "Oh, has he? Why, did he finally realize how lovely I am to talk to and decided he'd missed me?"

Which is a great deflection, but Su wouldn't have expected any less from her. He sends her a small smile, "That would have been cute, but unfortunately he seemed more irritated than anything."

"Oh well," Elysia sighs, "One day I will win him over."

"I'm sure you will," he mutters, "But do you have any idea why he was annoyed with you?"

She hums, drawing out the tune as if actually considering his question and not just trying to act innocent, "Can't say I do. I haven't done anything to spite him."

Felis fidgets, whispering, "Yet."

Elysia quickly shushes her. Su decides not to comment on it. Well, at least for now.

"Anyway!" Elysia speaks up once more, patting Su's shoulder lightly, "It was nice talking to you. We should do this more often! In fact, I'd love it if you decided to hang out with the rest of us some more, you know?"

"You say that as if I go out of my way to ignore you," he retorts, words dripping with amusement.

Elysia gasps, dramatic as always, "I would never! Don't tease me like this, Su, I'm just telling you that we all appreciate your presence!" she pauses, "Well, maybe aside from Kalpas. But he only avoids you because he's scared of therapy."

Su has to suppress a laugh, "...Right." He's starting to get the feeling that Elysia is rambling to distract him from something. She's often chatty, sure, but not to this extent. Not around Su at least.

"As I was saying, though, it would be quite nice if you tried to spend a bit less time snoozing and more time hanging out with us instead," she continues, completely ignoring Su's comment of I do not snooze, "Especially Kevin! He's been even quieter than usual lately, and I hate to see him like this."

For the first time since their conversation started, Su feels a little bit concerned. Just a little bit. This is Elysia he's talking to, after all; he's learned to take her words with a grain of salt, "Has he?"

He's so preoccupied by thoughts of his best friend that he doesn't even pay attention to how quiet Felis has fallen.

"Aw, I thought you would have noticed," Elysia replies, giving him a sullen look, "I saw him sulking to Eden's songs not that long ago. You know how grumpy he can get. And he didn't even react when I tried to cheer him up by offering to get some noodles together!" She pauses just to let out a sigh, "He just told me to leave him alone, then proceeded to brood until I actually did. Has Kalpas rubbed off on him? Or maybe he's been feeling lonely? He probably misses you. I just know he's the type to mope around at the thought that he's still capable of feeling things."

Su tries to take in all of that information at once, but it's obviously not an easy feat. He frowns, turning to properly face Elysia, "I feel like you might be dramatizing–"

Suddenly, he hears a click, swiftly followed by a flash of light. Su must be lucky, considering that his eyes have been shut already, so it doesn't bother him much. Elysia, on the other hand, seems to startle. He can feel her grip tighten slightly, an act that he assumes must have been subconscious, before she leans away from Su — probably towards Felis.

"Pardo!" she calls, trying to keep her volume down. The tone of her voice is as sweet as always, but this time there's something slightly menacing about it. Su probably wasn't supposed to hear that. Not to mention the flash. Has Felis just taken a picture? Of them?

He realizes this is probably what Elysia was distracting him for, but he doesn't quite get the reason behind it. Would a picture of Su even be of use for either of them?

Still, Felis forgetting to turn off the flash was fortunate — maybe not for her, but it sure was for Su — as otherwise he might have missed it happening. For a moment, he lets the girls argue quietly before he finally prompts, "Care to tell me what this is about?"

Elysia and Felis quickly turn towards him, as if they both somehow forgot Su's presence. They glance at each other, and simultaneously respond, "Don't worry about it!"

...Alright. Way to be ominous. He probably should have assumed that he wouldn't get an answer this easily.

And just like that, Pardo jumps off the couch, tugging Elysia along as they leave Su to sit in the lounge all by himself again. Elysia shouts a farewell over her shoulder and Su lifts a hand for a small wave. Their departure was an abrupt one, but to be fair it's pretty on brand of Felis so he's not very surprised by it.

At least he can finally enjoy a moment of peace.

「 🍃 」

It's one of his many attempts to talk to Kalpas again. Of course, it goes as well as expected. And by that Su means that it only takes a couple minutes before Kalpas decides he's had enough human interaction for today and very calmly (translation: not at all) tells Su to leave. Which he obviously doesn't do. So Kalpas grabs Can, puts the cat on his shoulder and storms off.

Well. At least he made sure that the kitty wouldn't fall off. Though Su would like to know where Kalpas even got Can in the first place — it definitely wasn't there when Su had entered, slowly making his way towards Kalpas like one would to a feral cat, knowing quite well by now that Kalpas would not be happy if suddenly cornered.

But alas, Su has failed. Once again. 

He gives himself a moment to sulk about it before he'd go on about his day, but he gets interrupted by an unexpected click — one that he recognizes already, having heard it not too long ago.

Immediately, he straightens up, trying to appear as if he wasn't just in the middle of moping. Slowly, he turns to where the sound has come from. He can hear the familiar swishing of a tail, too excited to stay still. Now he understands where Can had suddenly appeared from.

"You could at least say hello, you know." he prompts, sending Felis his well practiced not surprised, just disappointed expression. This is the second time in a row she has tried to take a picture of him in secret. Has Pardo picked up photography as a new hobby? It's possible, he supposes, but he has a feeling that's not really it, "What do you even need a photo of me for? You don't have to act all sneaky, you could have just asked."

Of course, she decides to play dumb. She bats her eyelashes, hiding the camera behind her back as if that would be enough to fool Su, "What do you mean?"

Su decides to open his eyes momentarily, only to send her a flat look. She laughs nervously in response. This never gets old.

The silence stretches out, and Felis glances around, clearly looking for anything that could help her change the topic. She eventually faces Su again with an awkward grin, "Hey, uh, have you seen Can?"

Predictable. He keeps his tone as neutral as possible when he replies with, "Kalpas stole it."

Felis recoils with a comically loud yowl, almost dropping her camera as she does so. She doesn't even try to hide the way her ears flatten in fear, "What is he doing to my baby?"

Honestly speaking, Su finds it terribly amusing. Though he's also aware that he shouldn't laugh, so he tries his best to keep a straight face. Thankfully, he's had enough practice to easily succeed, "Oh, don't worry, he won't hurt Can. He won't show it but he likes cute things."

Unfortunately, his words don't calm her as well as he had hoped. Felis sniffs, kneeling down just to curl up into a ball of various stolen trinkets and pure anxiety. Her tail keeps twitching from nerves and Su stares down at her for an awkward moment, before taking a cautious step closer. He bends down and places a hand on her back.

"There, there."

She sniffs again. Su wasn't expecting that he'd end up trying to cheer up Felis instead of giving Kalpas a therapy session like he had planned, but he's already here so might as well. As long as she doesn't take this as a chance to swipe something from him it's fine.

...Well, she probably will. He'll just have to keep track of both of her hands for a while.

「 🍃 」

It takes Su approximately an hour to realize that Elysia has successfully bamboozled him. As in, she managed to trick him by being entirely open about her intentions — which, Su supposes, is apparently a genius way to get someone to do whatever you want if you play your cards well. And Elysia is a master at charming people, so it really is no surprise that Su doesn't suspect anything until it's already done.

The question is, how exactly had she done it? Let's set the scene.

Su and Eden, sitting by a table, a board game between them. They have been playing for quite a while now; Su can recall three different people joining them as time went by. The first person to stumble upon them was Hua — she showed interest in how the match was going, but didn't stay for long. When Eden offered her some of the wine she had been drinking, Hua kindly declined then wished them a pleasant evening, and that was that.

After Hua, Kosma had unknowingly followed. He was unlucky enough to get stuck in a conversation that he clearly wasn't expecting, taking an awkward amount of time to answer every time Eden would direct a question at him. Eventually Su had taken pity on him and brought up Griseo, creating an opportunity for Kosma to slip away — one that he had gratefully taken. On his way out, though, he bumped right into Kalpas, who took a single look around the room and immediately turned around. Which Su might have taken offense to if he was the type to irritate easily, but he's not, so he only stares as the two leave then focuses back on the game right after.

It only took around twenty more minutes before Elysia showed up. Su hadn't thought much of it at the moment, but as he thinks back on it, he wonders if the others had let her know of his and Eden's whereabouts. He has no clue whether she had planned this or if it was just a spur of the moment decision, but either way, she had found them and Su was already one step closer to getting clowned.

"Eden!" she had called out, running up to embrace her as if the two hadn't seen each other in years. The other had happily let Elysia climb into her lap.

"Hello there, Ellie," she replied, temporarily forgetting about her match with Su as she hugged Elysia back, "Any reason for the sudden visit?"

"No, I just felt like it."

"Well then, would you like to join us?" Eden prompted, gesturing towards the table — and by extension, Su, who's been patiently waiting for Eden to play her turn.

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to interrupt your game," came Elysia's answer, sweet as ever, "Though I wouldn't say no to some wine, if that's also an offer."

"Of course," with that, Eden had poured said wine into an empty glass. She had brought two, just in case, even though both of them know that Su doesn't usually drink. She never fails to offer Su some every time they meet up for a game, despite the fact that Su always declines in the nicest way possible.

And so they continued the match, with the addition of Elysia's soft hums and gasps at their moves. Su hadn't minded the noises, and Eden seemed amused by them, so Elysia's company was appreciated, in a way. It was definitely nicer than Kalpas's reaction from earlier.

Eventually, Elysia had taken out her phone. Su assumed she was just texting someone at first, but then she raised her hand and moved even closer to her girlfriend. Ah, Su remembers thinking, a selfie.

"Eden, look," she said, and the other immediately obliged. Eden smiled at their reflections, earning a quiet aw from Elysia, "Isn't this filter adorable?" with that, she snapped a picture, then swiped at the screen, "Oh, this one has bunny ears!"

Eden let out a chuckle, "It suits you."

"Thank you!"

Then Elysia glanced at Su, pointing the phone towards him. He hadn't realized it at the time, only moving to face the girls after Elysia let out a giggle.

"Doesn't Su make for a cute bunny?" she asked, turning towards Eden to — as Su assumed — show her the photo she had just taken of him. Su raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't look so doubtful, Su, come on!" Elysia whined, before gesturing for him to join them on the other side of the table, "The three of us in the frame would make for a quite pretty picture, don't you think so?"

For a moment, Su acted as if he was heavily considering it, just to tease Elysia, but after earning himself another whine from her he decided to do as she said; raising from his seat just to join the girls instead.

"As long as you turn off that filter," he muttered to which Elysia cheekily replied with, "Oh, don't worry, there's many other ones that are just as cute!"

And Su has given up, because there really is no way to win with her, is there?

Now, as he thinks back to that conversation, Su ponders on how he hasn't connected the dots at the time. Maybe it's because Elysia seemed so casual about it that he didn't even think of questioning it; but now that he's alone, he recalls Pardo's most recent attempt at sneakily taking a photo of him and there's simply no way that this wasn't part of their newest scheme as well.

Well, it's not like he can do anything about it now. Sure, he can think about their possible motives as much as he wants, but it's not like his understanding of it will change what's already done.

So Su takes a breath in, slowly releases it, then tries to focus on his surroundings instead. He takes note of how silent it is; most of the sims must have wandered deeper into the realm. He gets it — one's bound to get bored of spending all their time inside, especially when no new successor has visited in what feels like weeks.

He's strolling through the hall when he notices Kevin sitting in the lounge by himself. Now, Kevin being alone isn't an unusual sight, so that doesn't surprise him — in fact, he's about to walk closer and maybe offer his company when he realizes that Kevin isn't actually as alone as he had thought. Even though no other sim has joined Kevin on the couch, Su sees a little ball of fur slowly making its way towards the man. Seems like Felis has lost track of Can once again.

Su doesn't want to intrude, though he's also not sure why he lingers there, leaning against a wall to observe… Whatever it is that's about to happen. A part of him feels guilty for it, as if this is some personal moment that Su shouldn't interrupt — but that doesn't make sense, does it? It's just Kevin. Well, Kevin and a cat. Not to mention that this is literally the lounge. Su has no reason to feel like this.

Completely unaware of Su's inner conflict, the cat eyes Kevin's lap. It doesn't meow, but Kevin must somehow feel its presence as he glances at Can from the corner of his eye. They both seem to consider each other silently.

"If it's warmth that you're seeking, it's not going to be very enjoyable for you," Kevin murmurs, as if the cat would understand the warning. As expected, Can inches closer towards him anyway.

Kevin doesn't stop it; he actully moves his arm out of the way for Can to climb into his lap. Su isn't surprised by the action, but some part of him feels… amazed, almost, at the sight. The cat isn't bothered by how cool Kevin's body is, though maybe it's to be expected — Can isn't exactly a real cat, after all. Su honestly doesn't even know if it can feel temperature to begin with. Maybe it's similar to the way the sims are aware of it, but aren't fully affected by it, not like living beings are. It's not like he'd get an actual answer from Can if he asked, so Su can only guess.

After a couple seconds, Kevin raises his hand. He hesitates just before he places it on Can's back, but when the cat doesn't move away, he slowly starts petting it. Now that Su thinks about it, he hasn't really seen Kevin interact with this cat before. Or, well, any cat, really.

It is... Cuter than he would have anticipated. Ridiculously so, even. As he watches Kevin scratch right beneath the cat's chin, earning a satisfied purr for his action, Su has to admit to himself that it's not just Can that he finds adorable. It's Kevin himself.

Su's heart aches. He places a hand on his chest, breathes in deep, and sighs. Maybe it's just a glitch. The realm is bound to have inconsistencies, with its existence based on memories of so many people all at once. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say a glitch like this would be possible, too.

He can't bring himself to truly believe that, though.

「 🍃 」

He meets Griseo and Kosma outside. Or, rather, they meet him. He's too lost in thought at that moment to notice the two heading towards him until the little girl runs up to the tree and shyly calls out, "Hello? Are you asleep?"

Honestly, he might as well have been, considering just how deep he's been stuck in his mind. He's so startled by the interruption that he has to open both of his eyes and check his surroundings to remind himself where he is and what situation he's just gotten into.

He places a hand on the branch he's sitting on, focusing on its texture beneath his skin. The wind whistles past his ears, ruffling his hair as it does so, and he observes the motion quietly, taking note of the distance between him and the duo standing below.

Griseo only grows more concerned the longer his silence stretches. She turns towards Kosma, tugging at his hand as she asks, "Kosma, is he alright? Has the cat lady done something to him?"

"I don't think she has," he reassures her, tone barely loud enough for Su to overhear. Unlike Griseo, he doesn't attempt to start a conversation with Su, but he does nod in his direction in his own form of a greeting.

Su shifts on the branch in order to find a more comfortable position, then glances down at the two. He sends them the slightest smile, intent on appearing as gentle as possible while talking to Griseo, "I'm fine, don't worry," he nods back at Kosma before curiosity gets the best of him and he adds, "What was that about Pardofelis, though?"

Griseo looks to the side, as if searching for something. Kosma follows her gaze, and as Griseo seems too confused to reply, he eventually says, "We saw her sneaking around while on our walk, and Griseo wanted to play with Pardo so we decided to follow her."

He glances away again, squeezing Griseo's hand lightly to catch her attention. He doesn't prompt her to speak, but he does gaze at her quietly, as if silently asking if she's alright. The girl squeezes his hand back then turns to look up at the sky, likely going back to daydreaming.

Having calmed his concern, Kosma continues his explanation as if there was no interruption to begin with, "She was too fast for us to catch up with her, but she did stop beneath this tree," he gestures vaguely at it, "It looked like she was… Taking a picture of you?"

Well, at least Su isn't the only person confused by her behavior. He shakes his head in amusement, before responding, "Apparently it's her new hobby as of late. Don't question it."

Kosma doesn't seem entirely convinced, but he doesn't comment on it, "Alright," he pauses. It's not very hard to tell that he's unsure what to say now. He clears his throat, then adds, "Well, if you wanted to know, she's already ran off."

Which is pretty typical of her. Su nods, not surprised in the slightest, but doesn't respond. There really isn't anything more to say at this point, and for a moment he turns his attention to their surroundings again. To think that Felis would have successfully creeped up on him while he's too busy meditating… Now that he thinks about it, maybe he should have expected this.

When he glances down again, it's to find Kosma still staring up at him, face completely blank. He must be lost in thought, as the moment he realizes that Su is meeting his gaze, he starts avoiding Su's eyes. Then he clears his throat again. Honestly, his awkwardness has its own charm to it; Su finds himself amused once more.

Eventually Kosma looks down at Griseo again, protective as ever, then speaks up for the last time, "Well then, we'll be off. I think Griseo still wants to search for Pardo."

She doesn't acknowledge Kosma's words, but she does mumble something that sounds suspiciously like fluffy. Su can't hold back a smile. The two make for an adorable sight.

As they leave, Griseo glances over her shoulder and sends Su a small wave, one that he responds to in kind. 

「 🍃 」

It happens like this: Su overhears a seemingly one-sided argument, recognizing the clearly fed up voice to belong to Kalpas, but he can't quite pick up any responses. It gets him curious enough to actually check what's happening.

He's not really surprised when he finds Kalpas, with his back toward Su, making clearly frustrated but vague in actual meaning gestures at Kevin, who only stares back at him in silence. Su has no clue how their squabble even started, and he honestly isn't interested enough to ask. He doubts it was anything serious anyway. Nevertheless, he decides to stay close just in case. Annoying Kalpas never ends too well, so if their petty fight gets any worse he will have to intervene for the better good. So far they only seem to have gotten a little hissy, but time will tell how fast Kalpas's patience will run out.

Just as he thinks that, he sees the said man reach out and grab a fistful of Kevin's coat, dragging him closer. While he does so, something seems to fall out of Kevin's pocket — multiple things, actually — but neither of them pay attention to that, least of all Su. He gasps, just about to make his way towards them when Kevin suddenly meets his gaze and they both freeze.

He's well aware that Kevin doesn't think much of Kalpas's colorful threats, and now that he thinks about it, Su can't recall a single time when these two have ever actually had a serious fight. It's not a secret that Kalpas respects Kevin, even if he does seem to have some sort of one-sided rivalry with him; and Kevin isn't the type to get angered easily. Which is why he had expected Kevin's fully neutral responses to Kaplas, but now that Kevin has noticed Su, something about his mood has visibly shifted. Though Su struggles to tell what exactly the change was. There's… Something about the way that Kevin gazes at him that he can't quite put a finger on, but it has an embarrassing effect on Su; it feels like something in his chest clenches, and he places a hand on top of it as if wounded. He's never really been one for dramatics, but perhaps Elysia has rubbed off on him, or something.

Kalpas seems to realize almost immediately that Kevin is distracted, and he loosens his grip, confused. He slowly turns to follow Kevin's gaze and the moment he sees Su — Su, who's still standing at an increasingly awkward distance from them — he lets go of the coat completely.

"Oh," he says, eloquent as always. Oh, indeed, Su thinks. He isn't sure how to proceed, though at least he's not the only one, as Kalpas seems just as perplexed as Su feels. It's not very likely that the other two will continue their squabble now, but there really isn't a casual way of greeting them right after witnessing Kalpas threatening Kevin just mere seconds ago. How would that even go? Hey, nice to see that you haven't murdered my best friend just now doesn't sound like the best way to start a conversation.

Slowly, he raises a hand and waves at them with the calmest expression he can muster. He hears Kalpas snort, and even though his face is hidden by a mask, he gets the feeling that Kalpas is smirking.

"Well, I hadn't expected your loverboy to show up," he mutters to Kevin, low enough that Su barely even manages to overhear, and with that, he takes a step back. No longer in dangerous proximity to Kevin, he peers down, and Su follows his gaze.

Right. He didn't pay attention to it at the time, but there's a good amount of… Something scattered on the floor. Maybe he should come closer to get a better look.

Before he could do that, though, he chances a glance at Kalpas again, who's still staring at the floor in silence, one that's growing quite concerning as seconds tick by. Su observes as Kalpas raises his head, turns to face Kevin in a remarkably judgemental way, then says something so quietly that Su can't even make out this time.

Well, considering that Kevin glares at him in reply, it's safe to assume it wasn't a compliment.

With that, Kalpas makes his way towards the exit — and, by extension, Su — but he pauses right before the door. For a moment, he just watches as neither Su nor Kevin speak up. It's almost like he's waiting for something specific to happen, and when it doesn't, he scoffs, turning away. Su thinks he hears Kalpas murmur something along the lines of not my circus as he finally leaves the room.

Which is something that Su would like to hear an explanation for, but right now, he'd rather find out what exactly it is that Kevin dropped. That, and why Kevin seems too embarrassed to pick it all up.

So he walks over, trying to look Kevin in the eye, but it's not an easy feat when the other averts his gaze, crossing his arms in front of his chest in that terribly familiar 'I would rather be literally anywhere else right now' way. So he's not going to get an answer out of Kevin then. That's fine. He can pick these up himself.

As Su crouches, he takes a better look at what he first thought were slips of paper — but, as it turns out, the things in question are… Printed out pictures. Photos, to be precise.

And Su recognizes the people in these pictures, as most of them depict him. 

The realization shocks him enough to get him to pause. From the corner of his eye, he can see Kevin shifting his weight from one leg to another in discomfort. But that's not where his focus is at, no. He's too busy staring at every picture scattered on the floor.

It doesn't take him long to figure it out — all of these photos have been taken by Felis, except for those two that he remembers Elysia taking while he was hanging out with Eden. There's a picture of Su sitting on a tree, taken from below. There's also another one, of him sulking after Kalpas has once again rejected him. Surprisingly, one of them he doesn't recognize; in this one, he can only see the back of his head at the side of the frame. In the back, though, he notices Kevin — sitting in the lounge while petting Can. He wasn't even aware that such a photo existed. Was it Felis that sneaked up on him again, or did the girls convince someone new to help them? Even the very first picture that Felis had taken of him is here, lying right next to Su's shoe.

After making sure that there isn't a single photo that he's missed, Su starts picking them all up in complete silence. Now that he's seen them, he thinks he understands Kalpas's reaction a bit more. But why did Kevin even have those in the first place?

With that thought in mind, Su stands up, glancing from the photos in his hands to Kevin and back a good couple times. He's so puzzled that he isn't even sure what question to settle on.

Thankfully, Kevin doesn't need any prompting this time. He lifts a hand, as if trying to hide behind it, and clears his throat. He's staring straight at the pictures as he states, "Pardo had been walking around with these, and it seemed suspicious, so I confiscated them."

...Right. Su should have guessed that. He huffs out a chuckle, extending his hands so Kevin could take the pictures back. It's not like Su has any reason to take them from him. At least Kevin wouldn't attempt to sell them to any passing visitor, unlike a certain sim.

"Thanks," is the only reply he gets at first, and Kevin hesitantly retrieves the photos, tucking them back into his coat. Honestly, Su doesn't really see a point in still acting embarrassed about this situation, but he won't judge Kevin for doing so. Then, Kevin rubs the back of his neck, and Su gets the feeling that there's something his best friend would like to say but is stopping himself for… Some reason. Su won't pretend to know it. He's aware of the way Kevin's been acting around him lately; more awkward, kind of shy, even, to the point that Su's reminded of the way Kevin used to be before their lives had changed. He didn't used to act like this around Su much, no — if anything, that's what Kevin had sometimes looked like whenever speaking with Mei. The same Kevin that Su would admire from afar.

But they're not those kids anymore. They aren't even really them to begin with, barely memories of them. Su getting emotional over something such as this is, well, somewhat irrational, isn't it?

"I–" Kevin speaks up, successfully bringing Su back from his thoughts, "If Elysia and Pardo keep bothering you with this, you can let me know. I can get them to stop."

But Su only shakes his head with a light chuckle, "Oh, it's alright. I don't really mind. Besides, it's not like them picking up photography could be harmful in any way."

"If you say so," Kevin murmurs, "But my offer remains, in case your opinion changes."

"Noted," with that, Su takes a step back. Honestly speaking, his social battery is already starting to run out. Though Kevin is one of the only people that Su could be around without eventually growing tired, he has to admit, he needs some time alone with his own mind. He has been spending more time around others lately — perhaps that's catching up to him now.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I think I need some alone time," he declares, nodding towards Kevin, "Though we should spend some time together again soon. I've missed our conversations."

Kevin's expression seems to soften a bit at that. He doesn't smile, but it's the warmest he has appeared in… Too long, Su decides.

"Of course."

And that's that.

Su's eyes slip shut as he walks away. He doesn't pay attention to anything else but the quiet that enveloped the room after Kevin's words. It follows him on his way out and Su realizes that he's never been this conflicted about silence; normally he finds it peaceful. Right now, though, he's… Unsure. There's many different emotions battling inside of him, and he tries to simply observe them, but this time it comes much harder than usual. Some part of him even feels slightly disappointed, though he can't quite place the reason behind it. All that he knows is that Kevin holding onto all those pictures of him made him feel so many different things at once. But he shouldn't dwell on it. He shouldn't, because it won't change anything. He is nothing more than a souvenir, after all.

Su knows he isn't real. Nor is the Kevin that he had just spoken with — the actual, real Kevin has visited this realm a few times, what feels like a whole lifetime ago, so they're all aware that the real Kevin is still somewhere outside this realm and very much alive. His sim seems identical to his source, which in itself shouldn't be surprising, but Su remembers feeling… Particularly uneasy while comparing the two. Back then, he tried to ignore it. A part of him had feared that thinking more about it would result in an unwelcome realization, and just this once, he preferred staying oblivious.

Looking back, he finds it a bit amusing. Even something as ridiculous as that memory was related to Kevin. Of course it would be, wouldn't it? Lately, it feels like everything is about him. Or maybe it's just Su's mind that's been focusing entirely on his best friend. It definitely sounds more logical than if the whole world — or, well, this realm — started to spin around a single person.

Maybe if he was still a child, he would attempt to convince himself it's all just some coincidence, that what he feels towards Kevin is purely platonic. But the real Su has grown since then, and his sim remains just as awfully self aware. Truth is, even back in high school, Su had been in love with his best friend.

He isn't the real Su. And Kevin isn't exactly the person that roams the outside world either. And yet, his feelings towards Kevin, this Kevin, his Kevin, feel so insufferably authentic.

And Su… For once, he has no idea what to do about it.

「 🍃 」

Although they don't keep track of the days passing by outside of the realm, Su is positive it's been a good couple days since his last conversation with Kevin — and, to be honest, the memory of it still keeps popping up in his mind, no matter how hard he tries to distract himself. Eventually, Su decides he can't just keep ignoring it like this. 

It's high time to find out what exactly was Elysia and Pardo's plan concerning all the pictures they've taken of Su. He hasn't noticed either of them attempt to continue with their scheme the last few days, and he's still curious what they would have done with the photos if Kevin hadn't taken them. Actually, a part of him even wonders why Kevin even kept them close — it's not like there would be any practical use for having the pictures in his coat's pocket — but Su supposes it's best that they're safe in his hands now and not being sold by Felis to the poor visitors for ridiculous prices. Although he can't imagine anyone actually buying them, she's good at marketing all of her trinkets and he wouldn't doubt her power of persuasion. It's one of her many talents, after all.

And so, he corners Pardo at her store. He's lucky to find her that easily; she could have chosen literally any other sunny place to nap at, but she's currently lying on the grass next to her shop, with Can sleeping on her tummy while purring quietly. Su had tried looking for Elysia later, but either she's really good at avoiding unwanted conversations or he's just bad at searching for people. So now he's here. Standing ominously above Felis and waiting until she notices something is off.

Alas, it's already been a few minutes, the silence filled only by occasional soft snores and short gusts of wind. As patient as Su usually is, he doesn't see the point in letting hours pass by until she finally wakes up. He's come here for answers, after all. Luckily enough, he's in possession of the greatest human invention — a water sprayer.

He isn't above using it on someone to wake them up. Well, unless it's a cat. He will just have to be careful enough to avoid getting any water on Can.

So, he points the sprayer at Pardo's face and spritzes her. The reaction is immediate; she wakes up with a yelp, loud enough as if she's being murdered, and it scares Can into jumping off. It rushes to hide behind Su and meows in a way that can only be a complaint.

"Sorry," he murmurs. Can doesn't seem to accept his apology, but at least it doesn't hiss at him.

Meanwhile, Felis sits up, trying her best to wipe the water off her face. When that doesn't help, she tries quickly shaking her head, but that doesn't work very well either. Disappointed, she looks up at Su.

"But why, though?" she whines as her ears flatten against her head, drooping much like the water that's dripping down her chin.

Su only shrugs, casually hiding the water sprayer, "Had to wake you up somehow."

She sniffs, "I'm gonna tell Kevin you're a cat abuser."

The reply comes out automatically, "He won't believe you."

Pardo pauses. She considers Su's words for barely a couple seconds before she nods, "Yeah… Yeah, he won't. Damn it," her ears droop even lower, if that's even possible at this point. Su is well aware she's trying to look pathetic just to make him feel bad, but he falls for it anyway. Sighing, he crouches next to her and pulls out a handkerchief.

She takes it with a little satisfied noise. Sensing no more water related danger, Can slowly emerges from behind Su. He extends a hand towards the cat and Can smells it before bumping its head into his palm, quietly asking for pets. Su obliges.

As Can starts to purr, Su turns to face Felis again, "So."

Confused, she tips her head slightly, "So?"

"I have a question about your latest scheme," he says. Immediately, Felis switches into defense, but the moment she giggles as if she has no clue what Su is talking about, he sends her his most intimidating smile. She snaps her mouth shut. Good.

"As I was saying," he continues, "The pictures. Where did you even get the idea from? It was Elysia's plan, right? But for what? I don't think any new visitor would be interested in photos of me. Not only that, but last time I checked, they ended up with Kevin. He said he confiscated them–"

Felis snorts, effectively cutting off his rambling, "Yeah, right," she quips, suddenly appearing way too amused for Su's liking, "I totally haven't handed him any of those. And he totally didn't come to my store later to buy a few more. That definitely did not happen."

Su freezes, startled into actually making a shocked face, as unbelievable as that may sound. He blinks, once. Blinks again.

"What?"

"Well," Felis hums, drawing out the tune, "He may have called it confiscating but to me it seemed more like he just wanted those pictures all to himself. Which is good, really! It's not like they were meant for anyone else to begin with."

Su is trying his best to process what Pardo is saying, truly. It's just that his brain is refusing to work properly for some reason. His mind is starting to sound like a broken record, "What."

Can meows, disappointed at the abrupt lack of pets. Felis tuts.

"Why do you act so surprised," she mutters, turning towards Can to stroke its back when Su fails to do so. She's content for only a brief moment, before realization strikes, "Wait. You're not joking? You actually don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

It's… embarrassing, to say the least — even the idea of Su being truly unaware of something. Knowing stuff is basically his thing, after all. The fact that he has no clue what Felis is even implying only makes him feel worse. 

She groans, "Su! I thought you were supposed to be the smart one out of the two of you!"

"Two of us?" he repeats, but Felis is too busy acting dramatic to pay attention to him. She sinks to the ground, sulking. Even her tail stops moving, appearing just as sad as the person it's attached to.

"Can, baby," she whimpers, "I can't with Kevin and Su anymore. They're both stupid."

Can meows back. Somehow, Su gets the feeling the cat is judging him as well. This… Isn't what he was expecting when he entered Pardo's shop. And, frankly, he doesn't really like it. Su clears his throat, inching closer to the moping girl in his last attempt to get her attention, "Pardo, please–"

But the only reply that he gets is a disapproving sound from Can. Well. At least he tried. Perhaps he just wasn't meant to learn the answer.

(After he leaves, he once again goes on a search for Elysia. It ends the same way as it did before — failure. Eventually, Su gives up, figuring this just isn't going to work. Clearly, Elysia doesn't want to be found. Well then, he thinks. Whatever happens, happens.)

「 🍃 」

Su's interest is piqued when he hears music playing the moment he steps out of the lounge. It's one of Eden's songs, that's for sure — there's no way he wouldn't recognize it, of course — but who's playing it, he wonders, following the sound to find out its source. Some people can easily be ruled out; he can't imagine Kalpas listening to it of his own free will, and he supposes there's no reason for Eden herself to play it either. Griseo is probably deep in the realm, painting to her heart's content, while Kosma guards the entrance. Felis must be napping somewhere, and the rest… Well, they aren't as predictable, and the guessing game isn't that fun anyway — not when he can just reach the place the music is coming from and simply find out. So, he focuses on the song instead.

It brings back memories; memories of high school, to be specific. Of Kevin. Of their moments together. He recalls the time they went to Eden's concert. In fact, he remembers she even performed this very song, back then. At a time like this, Su can't help but marvel over how much has changed since then. They literally went from watching Eden on stage to being a MANTIS beside her. If someone had told young Su how his life would turn out, he obviously wouldn't believe it back then. And he isn't even the real Su to begin with, just a memory of him. Does it even make sense for him to feel nostalgic? For once, Su doesn't want to ponder about this. Not right now, at least — right now, he just sighs and continues his search.

After all of that reminiscing, he's not all that surprised when he finally steps into the room the sound seems to be coming from and sees Kevin inside. He may not show it, but he's still a fan of Eden's music, despite all the time that has passed. He's standing with his back facing the door, and the song muffles Su's footsteps. If it had been Felis instead of Su, he's sure she would have taken the chance to try (and fail) to scare Kevin. But he's not a mischievous cat lady, and so Su strolls towards his best friend, coming to a stop right beside him.

For a moment, Su simply listens along. Kevin seems too busy staring at the record player to notice him; brooding, Elysia would say, but Su knows better. Kevin is just stuck deep in his thoughts. Perhaps he needs a couple more seconds. Su will wait. It's the least he can do, really.

He's good at waiting, just as he's mastered quietly observing occurring events. He's used to silence. This time, though, it's filled with colorful notes, and Su finds that letting time pass by is more enjoyable with company. Especially when said company is Kevin himself.

Eventually, Su decides he's given the other enough time to ponder. The song hasn't ended yet, but he's sure Kevin has been at it for a while now. So, he clears his throat to announce his presence before speaking up, "You're lucky Elysia isn't around."

As expected, Kevin doesn't jump; he's not as animated nowadays as he used to be, if at all. In fact, Su doesn't hear him move at all. Stoic reputation to uphold and all that.

"You're right," Kevin responds, in lieu of a greeting, "I'm sure she would assume I'm moping."

That man has no idea just how right he is. Su nods, "Oh, she's already done that. She even brought it up to me, you know. She seemed a bit concerned," with that, Su turns to face Kevin. Staring into his eyes would probably be more effective than this, but he's not that determined to get an answer just yet, "Is there anything on your mind?"

Kevin releases a sigh. Su doesn't have to see his face to know his expression has softened; he can hear it in Kevin's voice, "Nothing much. Just… reminiscing."

Su finds it a little bit ironic, how seemingly the both of them have been prone to do so, as of late. He hums, crossing his arms in front of his chest, much like he's sure Kevin is doing right now, "Yeah, I know what you mean," he pauses, focusing on the music that's filling the space between them, "Eden's songs really bring you back, don't they?"

This time, his words earn an actual reaction from Kevin. He actually steps closer to Su, as if he's finally won Kevin's attention back from the record player, "How did you know?"

Su just shrugs, then he admits, "They have the same effect on me."

Kevin huffs out something suspiciously close to a chuckle. All of Su's thoughts come to a halt. It's not even an actual laugh, yet he's getting this excited over it — he'd be embarrassed over such a reaction, if this was anyone else but Kevin. Considering the fact that he hasn't heard Kevin laugh in… too long of a time, he thinks he's allowed to feel a little bit enthusiastic over something as small as this.

Then, Su gets an idea. He takes a deep breath, prepping for what he's about to do, then slowly opens his eyes to survey Kevin's face. He extends a hand towards Kevin, who stares at it for a moment, expression blank. It's unlike him to be so clueless, and the sight makes Su feel surprisingly giddy. He can't stop the smile that tugs at his lips from amusement.

"Care for a dance?" he asks, raising his hand slightly further. It's sort of cute how Kevin's eyes widen a bit at the question, just to try to play it off as if he wasn't surprised in the first place. He hesitates for just a moment before accepting Su's hand, then pauses again, and it's not very hard to guess that Kevin simply has no idea what to do now. He glances away, then down at their feet, then back up to meet Su's gaze — and then his eyes dart away, a frown forming on his face.

As entertaining as it is to watch, Su decides to intervene.

"I thought the school's prince would have known how to dance," he remarks, not even trying to hide the mirth in his voice.

Kevin clears his throat, "Well, I never really got a chance to learn."

A part of Su can't believe they've known each other for so long and yet there's still some things about Kevin that he isn't aware of. But it's not like they lack time, not in this realm at least, so Su is willing to find them all out; whether through observation or from Kevin himself, he doesn't mind either. He's no longer surprised by the yearning he feels deep in his chest, but it doesn't make it any easier to cope with.

He wants to bring his hand up to Kevin's face. He wants to stare into Kevin's eyes until the image is burnt in his mind. He wants to hold Kevin close, like he never got to before this realm had been created. He wants to kiss Kevin until his lungs ache to breathe.

But that isn't possible. Neither of them are real — Su can't even breathe to begin with, he can only mimic the action, because a sim doesn't require air to survive. He shouldn't even be feeling an emotion as strong as this, and yet he finds himself gazing at Kevin's lips, transfixed.

It takes him a moment too long to realize what he's doing, and he blinks a couple times to clear his head, leaning back to hide how flustered he suddenly feels. And it's not even like he can play this off as him getting distracted by daydreaming or something along those lines, because he takes one look at Kevin's face and he knows the other has noticed. If Su didn't know any better, he might have thought that there's a hint of pink spreading on Kevin's cheeks, but would it even be possible for him to blush in the first place? Not that Su could ever make him blush. Right?

Now it's his own turn to feel embarrassed. Maybe he shouldn't have teased Kevin earlier, this must be the universe taking revenge on him.

Su bites the inside of his cheek, then tugs at Kevin's hand slightly, "It's, ah, it's fine if you don't know what to do, we can just… sway to the music, I suppose. No, wait, you know what, I take it back, we don't have to do anything, I can leave if you want–"

He doesn't get to finish though, as Kevin cuts in, "No, it's alright, please stay," then he winces, probably at his own choice of words, "I'm fine with… Uh, swaying," with that, he gives Su a look, and it's the closest thing to teasing that he's seen Kevin do in a long, long time. 

Neither of them move at first, before Su slowly brings his hands up, carefully placing them on Kevin's shoulders with an awkward smile. It's honestly a wonder that the vinyl album hasn't stopped playing yet, because this entire interaction alone is filled with so much tension that it feels like ages have already passed.

He's not quite sure what he expected to happen, but Kevin resting his hands on his waist was far from it. He sucks in a breath — he does so on instinct, as if forgetting that he no longer needs air, and when he meets Kevin's eyes he freezes. The expression on Kevin's face is nothing he's seen before. Despite how cold Kevin's palms are even through his gloves, his gaze alone makes Su feel like he's being set ablaze.

His mind goes blank. Su tries to think of something, anything to say to interrupt… Whatever it is that's happening right now.

"Hey, Kevin… isn't this your favorite song?" he ends up asking, ignoring how his face is heating up, "I remember how much you loved hearing it at Eden's concert. It was a bit cute, honestly."

Ah, crap. He shouldn't have added that last part. He's only digging himself a bigger hole.

At least Kevin seems to disregard it. He hums, glancing away, "...You're right. Though I'm a bit surprised you still remember that."

Su frowns, "Of course I remember it. It's one of my happiest memories."

Kevin freezes. Perhaps Su shouldn't have gotten defensive like this — he's distracted, so it's no wonder that he ends up oversharing. Just because he's been pining for his best friend since they were young, that doesn't mean Kevin needs to know about it. He's been hiding it all this time. Is it worth it to stop now? He supposes if he's honest now, it won't really change much; it's not like the real Kevin will find out if Su tells his sim anything. Maybe this way, he can finally get it off his chest without any consequences. The realm is just a simulation, after all — even if anything changes between him and Kevin here, it won't affect their real selves. The thought is… Comforting, for once. Su never thought he'd see the day.

Because what he said was completely true; his most treasured memories are those with Kevin in them.

"Are you… Joking, by any chance?"

In any other circumstances, Su might have gotten somewhat irritated at such words. But the disbelief in Kevin's voice only makes him want to reassure the other, "No, of course not. Why would I joke about this?"

That's when Kevin's mood seems to shift. His grip on Su's shirt tightens, if only slightly, and he pulls Su closer, who in turn is too shocked to even consider taking a step back.

It's only now that he notices they had failed to dance in the first place — or, well, sway, as he had put it. He's been so lost in the moment that it slipped his mind that this entire time they've been simply… holding each other close while the music continued to play. The realization doesn't help to calm him.

For just a second, Su lets himself simply take the situation in, noting how warm his ears feel despite Kevin's cool embrace, how he subconsciously tucked his face into Kevin's shoulder — and on one hand, he's horrified at his own reaction, but at the same time, he doesn't want to dwell on it too much. Not when Kevin is hugging him (Kevin, of all people) while another one of Eden's songs is still playing in the background and Su has no idea what Kevin's behavior is supposed to mean.

Slowly, he pulls back, but only enough to look Kevin in the eye. He doesn't want the other to feel rejected, after all; it's not like Kevin hugging… Anyone, really, is a common occurrence. Though Su has to admit he hasn't felt this flustered in a long time. He tries to come up with anything to say but the only thing that's on his mind is the person in front of him. He just can't focus when Kevin is holding him this close for the first time in… Ever, really. Although Kevin used to be a very affectionate friend back in high school, the closest thing to this he's done to Su before have been loose embrances from the side — probably out of respect for Su's personal space.

Though, being held like this… It's nice. But he supposes he would enjoy any form of affection if it came from Kevin.

"I never would have thought you felt this way," Kevin admits, voice barely above a whisper. Su frowns in response. Never before would he describe Kevin as vulnerable, but at this very moment his expression is more open than Su remembers it ever being.

"Kevin," he implores, but the other doesn't meet his gaze, "Hey, look at me."

He waits for a couple seconds, but Kevin refuses to do so, almost as if… Shy? No, this isn't the right time to question it, Su reminds himself. For now, he has a friend to reassure.

He raises a hand, pausing for a moment to check if Kevin is alright with what he's about to do, and after sensing no rejection he places it beneath Kevin's chin to tip his head up. His skin is unnervingly cool beneath Su's touch, which only serves as a reminder that as real as it may seem, neither of them are more than a simulation — but Su ignores the thought in order to rub his thumb along Kevin's jaw, patiently waiting until he finally meets his eye.

"Kevin, you were my very best friend. Of course I'd value our time together," he pauses. His thoughts wander to their shared memories from high school; Kevin has changed significantly since then, and a part of Su misses the boy he used to be. He misses the way he would smile so easily, back when he wasn't weighted down by the responsibilities he gained later on. He misses the sound of Kevin's laugh. He can't even remember the last time he's heard it anymore.

With that though, he lets out a sigh, then he adds, somewhat quieter, "Honestly, I'd like to think that you still are."

Instantly, he hopes that Kevin doesn't pick up on the yearning in his voice — but it's meaningless, because even Su can't persuade himself into believing it wasn't there. Besides, he's already made up his mind; he will tell Kevin. He will. It's just easier said than done.

Then his thought process gets interrupted when Kevin grabs Su's hand and brings it up to cup his face properly. That action alone makes Su want to explode. It's hard to think rationally when Kevin is looking at him like that — Su knows that he's probably just checking if he's got Su's full attention but it's affecting him in a way that's definitely not intended.

"I'm here, aren't I?" Kevin prompts. 

It's honestly a miracle that Su doesn't melt right then and there.

"Kevin," Su murmurs, desperately trying to keep his voice even, "Correct me if I'm interpreting this wrong, but… I'm starting to think that you might feel the same way as I do, and if by any chance I'm right about this," he pauses, taking a deep breath. He would've never imagined this would be so hard to say, "Can I kiss you?"

In response, Kevin closes his eyes. Perhaps he was already expecting this question, somehow. Maybe Su isn't as good at hiding his feelings as he had thought.

He wasn't anticipating an immediate answer when the question left his mouth — he'd understand if Kevin felt complicated about this. This single decision could significantly change their relationship, after all. Besides, he's had years of practice to become as patient as he is. If Kevin needs a moment to consider it, then the least Su can do is wait.

Of any reply that he could think of, he hadn't predicted that Kevin would chuckle.

It's quiet, but at such proximity there's no way Su would miss it. At first, he thinks that maybe he'd misheard; but then Kevin tugs him even closer. Some part of Su wonders how it's even possible to do at this point.

"You don't have to ask," is what Kevin finally ends up saying. Su sucks in a breath. Although he's been entirely serious about his inquiry, he wasn't prepared for such a response. If they weren't this close already, perhaps Su wouldn't have even believed this.

But this isn't the time for doubts. Kevin has given him the permission, and he's not going to waste it. Su lets himself admire Kevin's face just a second longer; his eyes remain closed, trusting Su to bridge the distance. Waiting, even. All of his nerves from before seem to melt at the sight.

Su decides he's spent enough time holding back. With that in mind, he raises his other hand to cradle the back of Kevin's neck, and he closes the gap. 

For one, peaceful moment everything feels alright. He forgets about all of his recent worries, choosing to focus on this experience alone. If this was the real Kevin, his body temperature would have made this impossible to happen — but as it is, the press of his lips against Su's own helps him stay cool. It's… Bizarre, really, but from the second they've come in contact, Su only finds himself craving it more.

But of course, nothing is sacred in this Hell of a realm. First, there's a click. Then a flash. He probably should have expected it at this point.

Kevin notices it too, based on the fact that he pulls back, and Su quietly relishes the way he seems disappointed to do so. But that's not important right now. What is important, are the people that Kevin is currently glaring at.

"Felis, you had one job!" Elysia's voice is muffled, but he can make out her words, "I thought you learned from the last time!"

"I'm sorry!" comes the responding yelp.

As embarrassed as Su feels to be caught like this, a part of him is amused by the commotion. The girls argue for a moment longer, until Felis thrusts the camera into Elysia's hands and her face positively lights up when she — as Su assumes — sees the photo that Felis had just taken. She meets Pardo's gaze and asks, "Wait, doesn't this mean that Kalpas lost the bet?" and to that the following response is a victorious whoop.

...Which is honestly quite suspicious and as much as Su would love to find out what the girls are talking about, he thinks that it's a conversation for another time. Right now he would rather linger here a bit longer with Kevin. Preferably with no other company. And definitely no pictures involved, this time.

As Kevin starts to move towards the two schemers, Su places a hand on his chest to stop him. It earns him a confused glance.

"Let them have their fun," Su whispers, smiling at Kevin in a way that he hopes will help soothe him, "It's not like they're hurting anyone."

And while Elysia and Pardo take this chance to run away, Kevin only sighs, then rests his head on Su's shoulder. It's such a small gesture, but even this holds so much meaning in Su's mind. Something in his chest flutters.

Su… will have to get used to this. But it's not like they lack time — not here, in this realm, at least.