Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

One in the morning. The red numbers seemed to scream at you. You rub your eyes, determined to pass this orbit before you go to bed. You just finished your last bit of work, and you gave yourself thirty minutes of leisure Love and Deepspace time before you went to bed. You're in your coziest pajamas, curled up in bed, propped on a few different pillows.

Protocores? Maxxed.

Cards? Awakened.

Companion? Lumiere.

The new Xavier myth was right around the corner, and all you wanted was to grind for gems before he dropped. That tyrant king would be yours. But work and homework alike had been kicking your ass, so game time had been severely limited. 

You start the battle. You dash to the start point, Xavier teleporting in not far behind you. Those stupid twirling wanderers had been kicking your ass, but with a boost to protocores you were determined to make this work. You had two minutes, then you had to beat round two. 

Shoot. Dash. Dodge. 

Resonate. Shoot. Dodge. Resonate again. 

You use the special attack, and with your fight pattern on lock, you manage to beat both rounds.

"Yes!" You pump your fist in the air, whisper yelling in victory. Your MC sassily compliments Xavier, but he says a new line of dialogue you hadn't heard before.

"Well done, partner. Now let's go rest."

You claim the rewards from the battle, cocking your head. Was there a background update with new battle voice lines? It didn't really matter, you just got an extra forty gems towards Xavier's new myth. You exit the deepspace trials and find Xavier on your homescreen. Unlike usual, he stood in front of the screen. Not in the chair. He cocked his head, the sleep reminder popping up. "It's late." He commented, approaching the screen. "It's time to get some sleep. Do you want me to join you?" The sleep option popped up. Again, this was new dialogue. You hit the no option this time around, a tired smile slipping onto your face.

"You'd keep me up all night, Xavie." You murmur. "You talk too much in your sleep." You boop his nose. He defaulted into a shy pose, turning to look away while rubbing the back of his neck. The next option, when to meet up the next day, appeared. 

"When do you want to meet up in the morning? It's okay if you're late, sleep as much as you need to." You scroll through the options before selecting the time. Unfortunately you needed to be up early for work. Crunch time was upon you, and some morning pep talks from the sleepy bunny before you would help. 

"That early?" He tilted his head, concern in his tone. Huh. There must have been some background update you weren't aware of. The voice actor was really putting some extra emotion into his lines, he was amazing as is but something about these new lines were even more lifelike than before.

"Mm hm." You chuckle. "That early. See you tomorrow." You go ahead and exit the game, turning to your real alarm outside the game. You go ahead and add the same alarm, turning off snooze just to be safe. With your phone plugged up beside your bed, your alarm up, cozy pajamas on, and lights out, you were ready to go to bed. So you did what you always do. You curled up. You thought of your sweet, aloof, Xavier. And soon you drift off to sleep.

You had sweet dreams about him. Some kind of odd plot mix of the events of Lightseeker into Lumiere into the new myth. Your mind came up with a convoluted story of how he changed from myth to myth, before settling on the rich possibilities in the newest portion of the timeline. The fallen tyrant king with long hair, the dark knight. The same sweet, aloof, caring character he had always been muddled by the events that lead to him being called a tyrant.

But darkness must give way to light. So your dreams gave way to reality, sunlight streaming in your window. It was a pleasant surprise to wake up before your alarm. So you stretch. Yawn. You readjust how you were laying down, about to settle in when you took a look at your digital clock. Adrenaline hits you like a truck.

Your alarm didn't go off. 

You snatch your phone off the nightstand to verify, and to your horror the other clock was right. You immediately go to the alarm function, finding the alarm turned off. You toss your covers off and fly into a frenzy to get ready for the day. Hair pulled back as fast as possible, teeth brushed haphazardly, clothes thrown on. You select the game in the background as you run around. Keys, bag, wait shit you forgot deodorant, was this shirt dirty-?

"Ah, there you are." Xavier's voice broke you out of your frenzy. You look at your phone, eyes narrowed. You hold your deodorant stick at your phone threateningly. "I'm glad you got to sleep in today." He tilted his head, a soft, warm smile gracing his face. He was in that oversized, cream colored sweater. The one that made him look like an oversized teddy bear. The perfect size for cuddles. 

"I'm gonna be late!" You hiss, as if he was the one who did this to you. "If I didn't know any better I'd blame you!" You add, hurriedly putting on the deodorant before putting it away. You grab your earphones and pop them in, connecting your phone to them so you'd be the only one to hear him. Xavier didn't react to your accusations, smiling gently like usual. 

"Why don't we get breakfast together? My treat." More default dialogue came out of his mouth. But you were flying down the stairs as fast as you could after locking your door. 

"Yeah, yeah." You grumble. You just barely make it to the bus, and as soon as you sit down you pull your phone out of your pocket. Xavier still stood before you, tilting his head with those big eyes he used. You huff. "You're so lucky you're cute." You go in to the exercise function, letting him say his other lines before skipping ahead to the five minute timer. You'd been grinding for the sixty day achievement for the extra gems, and letting the timer run in the background during the commute was one of the best ways to do it. Working a couple of different odd jobs kept you busy, but you found little pockets of time to play. You turn the volume down so you didn't have his pants and groans in your ear first thing in the morning. But you can't help but smile anyway. Xavier had become your constant companion during the day, having little check ins during your breaks or commute. 

Unfortunately, most of your grinding had to be at night. After getting home from one job it was on to the next, plus homework for the online degree you were working towards. He'd stay with you to work or study, and when you needed a break from the frustration you'd beat up Wanderers with him. But staying up too late with the notoriously sleepy character had turned into a bad habit. Your sleep was suffering for it. The dark circles under your eyes were visible, and you couldn't be asked to cover them up at the moment. You'd just try to make tonight an earlier bedtime. Catch up over the weekend. 

As your destination slowly appeared before you, you check again and find the timer had already ended. Xavier had already said his piece, and was waiting for you to acknowledge it. His brow was slightly furrowed, his head tilted to the side. You assume you caught the tail end of an idle animation and skip through his dialogue again. "Sorry bud, gotta go to work. We'll talk later." You slowly stand up, heading towards the front of the bus as you tuck your phone away. "If I didn't know any better I'd be blaming him for my alarm this morning." You leave the joke to yourself, thanking the bus driver as you hop off and take long strides towards the cafe you work at. Much like the kitty cards cafe in game, you work at a cat and game cafe in town. It didn't pay super well but it covered some things, and it wasn't a horrible job to do. Between cleaning and preparing drinks you got to love on sweet kitties and talk with your regulars. 

You push open the door. The combined scent of freshly ground coffee, freshly brewed tea, and cat treats mingled in the air. You hurriedly shut the door behind you as a blur of fur made a mad dash towards you. 

"Puffball!" You grin, dropping to your knees as the ragdoll trilled in greeting. You extend your hand, but he doesn't bother to sniff it. He headbutts it before immediately rubbing himself all over you. The cafe had gotten custody of the precious furball after the end of the latest college semester. He had been an emotional service animal but wasn't cared for well, so he was surrendered. The cafe took him in and gave him a fresh start, so you named him after the silly bird that frequented Xavier and Miss Hunter's apartment complex. Fatso and Alarm Clock didn't fit him. Besides, his color markings reminded you of Xavier's Yes Cat Caretaker patterns. He had quickly become your little shadow, trilling and following you wherever you went.

You go ahead and give him some pets and some love before standing up. He followed you, tail straight up as you walk to the back to clock in. You exchange your bag and earbuds for your apron and nametag, before beelining it back to the counter. Your coworker looked up, an exhausted but bemused look on her face. "Morning, sleepyhead. You're lucky the boss isn't in today. What got you in a rush?"

"My alarm didn't go off this morning, but I know for a fact I set it." You shrug, jumping in to help once you cleaned your hands. Luckily it looked like the closers from the night before did a good job, everything was clean and where it belonged. You jumped in to help arrange the baked goods from the bakery down the road, starting to arrange them all nicely in the display case.

"Too busy thirsting over Xavier's new myth?" She added with a sly, knowing grin. You shoot up, ready to defend yourself, but end up hitting your head on the edge of the counter. You wince and rub your head. 

"Heyyyyy..." You whine. "It's hot, okay? The long hair, the Dark Souls vibe... he gets written off as the jealous, sleepy, bad cook one all the time! I'm just happy they're showing off that other side of him."

"No need to defend yourself to me, I get it. Whenever Zayne's new myth drops I'm gonna be salivating." She laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Us little stars and jasmines gotta stick together! They call our men boring, but we know the truth!" You rub your head before returning to pastry placement duty.

"Yeah, they'd know that isn't true at all if they watched their Catch 22 memories. Or just, you know, read the anecdotes." Each pastry got placed inside with care and precision. Though as you adjusted the cat shaped buns you found your mind drifting to Xavier's jealousy towards Charlie. His jealousy knows no bounds. Even bread can face his wrath. You let yourself chuckle over the thought while closing the display case. You dust off your hands and switch to the cups, going to the back to gather supplies. You grab the to go cups, but focus on ensuring there were plenty of normal cups. Most people who came by weren't looking for a grab and go drink. They came for the cats. So they'd get a drink and settle in for a nice time with kitties. Some, like Puffball, were well behaved and friendly to all patrons. Others preferred to watch from a distance. 

You glance at the time. Thankfully, set up and opening was running smoothly. In a few minutes, you would switch the sign from 'closed' to 'open'. The day would officially begin. And it would be a whirl of caring for the cats, serving drinks and pastries, and gossiping with your coworker. At least most days went by fast.

However, sometimes the speed could be a bad thing. A symptom of a bigger issue.

The day flew by, it was a whirlwind of spilled drinks, naughty cats, and bitchy customers. There was never enough time to worry about one problem at a time. On a day that should have been fairly laid back you instead had coffee stains all over your shirt, a new couple of scratches from some particularly irritable kitties, and a pounding headache from the last customer who screamed at you. Puffball, ever your hero, yowled and chased away both cats and people who hurt you. But you still had to deal with the fallout. You even missed the window for stamina and your daily lunch check in with Xavier. You saw the notification, a gentle reminder to have something to eat, but you hardly get to process it before there's more chaos. 

As much as you hated being late it was probably to your advantage that you slept in. You trudge your way onto the bus, flopping into your seat with a bone deep exhaustion you were all too used to. You run your fingers down your face, finding new stains on the edges of your cheeks you hadn't noticed in the rush. You yank your sleeve over the heel of your hand and aggressively wipe away whatever stains there may be, all while clumsily fumbling with your phone in your other hand. You have your earbuds in, the game opening, and a few minutes of respite before you'd need to do some classwork at home.

Caleb greeted you first in the login page's animation, but you hurriedly log in to see your beloved bunny. Thankfully he was waiting for you, head resting on the table with an open book in front of him. You claim the stamina late with five extra gems, grumbling to yourself all the while. 

"Five gems for stamina, you're fucking lucky I like you so much." You huff, before jumping over to get more bottles of wishes for the upcoming myth. You handle the daily tasks but leave interacting with Xavier for the last one. You weren't sure what it was, sometimes the morning wake ups counted, sometimes they didn't. They didn't this morning, but given your rush you weren't all that surprised. You come back to the main homepage where Xavier was still sound asleep. You start poking him, expecting a couple more before he lifted his head. But it only took two for him to wearily look up.

"You're back." He lifted his head, blinking blearily at the screen. You lift your eyebrows in pleasant surprise. There had to have been some kind of background update with new voiced lines for the English localization. He normally didn't say anything out loud when he popped his head up, it would just be a dialogue box with no audio. You rub your finger on the screen, tousling his hair as his avatar popped from the seated position to standing in front of the screen. "Where did you go?" He cocked his head, that big eyes default animation making you smile.

"At work, bunny. Gotta make money so I can afford my phone so I can keep playing this game." The bus was empty. So you answered him out loud, as if he could hear you. "We're kinda alike. I gotta work a couple different odd jobs to make ends meet. I just don't secretly work for intel hubs and have a bounty on my head while at it. Shame." You laugh to yourself. Xavier lifted his head, smiling. 

"It's good to see you in a good mood." He added. Again, new dialogue? You liked it. It felt more dynamic. You could understand why the chatting function with key words they respond to is only for the Chinese fans who pay for it, but at the same time you wished you could just chat with Xavier. As aloof as he is, he's a great listener, and he's lived long enough to have sound insight and good advice on many things in life. As much as Sylus's advice was solid when using the tete-a-tete function was, you wanted to see what these characters' real reactions would be to phrases, words, and situations.

"Not really." You scoff, switching to that exact function. You filter through the options before settling on 'something bad happened'. His brow furrowed again, his head dropping.

"What happened? You can talk to me. I'll listen." His voice, already soft and breathy, softened further in concern.

"Work was a bitch today." You plop your chin in your hand, cracking a wry smile at your phone. "I was late to work. Then the rush was horrible. Some of the cats were in some kind of mood and scratched me up pretty bad, I don't know what happened. Some of them were just bigger menaces than usual. Multiple cups got broken, customers were yelling at me and my coworker, I didn't really get a break with the chaos..." You bite back tears of frustration. "Puffball was defending me, that sweet boy. Went after all the cats that were mean, spitting and hissing. I don't know what got into them today... But it just-" Your voice cracked. You were exhausted. And still, you had so much to do before you could rest. You could feel tears of frustration prick at your eyes, and you aggressively wipe them away with your sleeve. Now was not the time. 

Xavier's eyes, soft as they were, only softened further. Wide, concerned eyes that reached into your soul. "You sound exhausted." He murmured, his voice directly in your ears. "Come rest with me. Sleep, then try again tomorrow." Surprisingly sound advice. Usually he'd say something off base, and you'd cycle through various pre programmed responses before settling on something somewhat applicable. 

"Can't. Have to finish that project for my class. It's due tomorrow." You sigh. The bus slowly rolled to a stop. So you stand, briefly pocketing your phone as you hurry to the front. You nod to the bus driver politely, and he gave you a sympathetic look. As sweet as the gesture may be, all it made you do was want to hide. You hurry off, dashing into your apartment building and running up the stairs. You're breathless by the time you reach the door, and you fumble with the keys before letting yourself in. Once the door was shut and locked behind you, you breathe a shuddery sigh of relief. You haphazardly kick your shoes off, leaving them in the entry area. You trudge back to your room and flop into your chair. You'd change into indoor clothes in a minute. You prop your phone on a lamp, turning on your computer so you could get to work. "I just... it's a lot." You sigh, brushing something off the hem of your shirt when you touch something wet and sticky.

"Ew." A grimace made its way to your face, and you quickly change your mind. You turn the upper half of your body, yanking the dirty shirt off of you as fast as possible. If it wasn't dirty before, it certainly is now. You don't know what the mysterious stain is, and the mix of smells than finally hits you doesn't help identify it. "Ew!" You throw the shirt towards the hamper, grabbing a different oversized shirt. Your earbuds are still in, so you catch a cough. Your eyes dart towards your phone and find Xavier looking away, rubbing the back of his neck. You tug the shirt on over your head before popping your arms through. "Ugh, and now I need to do laundry..." 

"Maybe you should take a break." Xavier looked back at the screen once more. You crack a wry smile.

"Wow, you're suspiciously on the ball today, Xavi." You rub your face again, scooting your chair in before getting the project up on your computer. "I'm gonna be fine, I just had a rough day today." You go ahead and tap the all done option, prompting Xavier to go into his closing advice.

"I'll be your confidant whenever you need one." He nodded to the screen. "You don't have to do this alone."

You exhale, a bitter laugh on the tip of your tongue. "Right." You switch from Tete-a-Tete to Quality Time, speeding through his comments to get to the options. You select work, and breeze through his dialogue again until you get him sitting in the Destiny's Cafe with a book. With that done, you turn back to your computer. The project in front of you, covered in unresolved edits and notes from your professor. Some were minor things, a grammatical error, or a missing comma. Some were bigger, like claims that required additional research, which would need more time to find. You groan, but get to it.

Top to bottom. Again, some of the minor edits were in and out. Add comma, remove comma. Fix the typo. Edit the sentence. Resolve, resolve, resolve. Watching the number of your professor's comments dwindle was satisfying. But the audio in your ears was starting to feel grating. You read a comment the prof left once. Twice. Wait, that didn't make sense. A third time. You groan, removing an earbud. "Fuck, wish I could turn off the audio..." The murmuring and quiet music in the study/work function sometimes got on your nerves. You'd be better off turning off the audio entirely at the moment. You take out the other earbud and put them on the desk. Letting Xavier read while you continued your work. More research, more grammar, more punctuation. 

It's mind numbing, at times. But you could feel yourself slipping into that more rigorous mindset. The annotations weren't as bothersome, the edits coming easier. Resolve, resolve, resolve. More and more of your professor's comments began to vanish. You resolved each one after correcting the issue. It was satisfying watching each one vanish. 

CRASH!

You nearly jump out of your seat, whipping your head around to the wall you shared with your next door neighbors. Obnoxious, drunken laughter soon followed the loud crash, as well as yelling.

Typical. 

You groan, but try to focus. Back to the grind. Edit, resolve. Edit, resolve. Find more research, edit, cite, resolve. 

But the crashing, yelling and laughter continued. You were lucky to have a courteous roommate, one who was mindful of noise and time. But they'd gone to visit friends for the upcoming three day weekend. They were never an issue. But your next door neighbors were. The two guys would have friends over often- something you didn't begrudge them- but they had no courtesy for anyone else. They'd be yelling, screaming, and breaking things all throughout the night. You'd had some noise canceling headphones in an online shopping cart for months but you were regretting not getting them sooner.

The music and muttering in game drove you nuts, but at least it would block out some of the noise from your neighbors. Besides, you knew they were only going to get worse as the night wore on since it was a weekend. You groan again, cursing and muttering about them as you pop your earbuds in. At first no sound came out, other than the occasional hum or the sound of a page being flipped. You squint, tapping your phone screen. Checking your audio level. "Huh." You mutter. "New bug." You'd had music cut out on you before, but not like this. This was a new one. But it worked in your favor. The earbuds physically blocked some of the noise, while Xavier's occasional hums and the sound of his thumb on the paper helped block out smaller sounds.

It allowed you to get back to work. You kept adding thirty minutes every so often, grinding away at the edits through the multi page paper. After the fourth or fifth one, you'd lost track, you finally found yourself at the bottom. You scan over your bibliography one last time. Ensuring everything was cited properly. Once you were certain everything looked good and every edit was resolved, you save and resubmit the edited version. You watch your email like a hawk until the confirmation email comes through. Your body slumps into your seat, folding like a lawn chair now that the stress of the situation had been alleviated. And look, you even finished before midnight! 

The timer function appeared on your phone, asking if you'd like to spend some more time with Xavier or be done for the night. You select cancel, a weary smile on your face as he appears before you again. His eyes a little wider, his smile a little brighter. 

"Are you done? I want to take a nap... Until next time." His animation didn't fit his words. Instead of rubbing his eyes and swaying on his feet, he looks straight at you. Eyes a little wider. Smile a little brighter. Little balls of light even glowed around him, like in scenes where he was exceedingly happy but had a hard time showing it otherwise. Huh. Buggy night. Those animations shouldn't be happening now. You shrug it off, figuring with whatever new update they did a few bugs came with it. No biggy, you'd report it come morning. 

You go about your nightly routine with a touch less weight on your shoulders. The assignment was done, you had a three day weekend ahead of you, and Xavier's new myth was about to drop. A simple dinner, a quick shower, and cozy pajamas set up the night to be a bit more peaceful. You were too exhausted to do the orbits yourself, so you open them up and put them on auto. You set your phone on the bedside table. You stare at the ceiling, hearing the occasional thud and laugh from your neighbors. And the occasional grunt or line of dialogue from Xavier or MC. Tomorrow is a day off, one long overdue, but you still need to get up and do laundry. The laundry room was always crazy busy during weekends, and you have a feeling it'll be even worse tomorrow. You groan loudly. You'd need to set an alarm to get there before every single one is claimed and hoarded. 

Besides. It wouldn't really be a full three days off, anyway. You had some more homework to organize, tasks to take care of. But at least you didn't need to go in to any physical jobs. You toss an arm over your eyes before blowing a raspberry.

"It's just for now." You mutter. You pick up your phone again to find the orbit completed, so you check the next one. Unfortunately you don't have high enough level cards in the stellactrum, and while you could brute force it you didn't want to wait anymore. You were tired. You yawn, exiting the game entirely as you go back to your alarm. You turn one on, later than you usually need to get up. You could sleep in a little bit, just not as much as you'd like. And for good measure, you take a screenshot of it. Just to assure yourself you actually set it. 

Phone on bedside table. Pajamas on. Sheets pulled up. Everything was just right. So you slowly exhale, and settle in. The exhaustion of the long day finally left, fading away as you fade into sleep.

It was another slow start to the day. Sun streaming in through the blinds, birds singing outside the building. You slowly crack one eye open. Warily eyeing the sunlight. While you didn't need to be up at the crack of dawn, it did seem a little too bright to be the time you set your alarm to. You lazily reach out, patting your bedside table until you found your phone. You check the time.

"Bastard." You groan. Second time in a row. You select love and deepspace as you toss off the covers. You slip on some house shoes, and tug on a sweater over your pjs. As the game loads up you pop in your headphones and grab your basket of laundry and supplies. Xavier appeared on the screen with a self-satisfied smile on his face. If you didn't know any better, you'd say he looked damn near proud of himself.

"I'm glad you slept in today. You haven't been sleeping well recently, so it's good to catch up on sleep." He tilted his head, his warm smile lowering your defenses and your frustration. But you still huff. You don't say anything, skipping through his responses to get to his exercise function. You mute the game and exit your apartment, heading to the laundry room. To your pleasant surprise, there was exactly one washing machine not in use. And it wasn't one of the shitty ones, either! You immediately claim it. You load up the machine with the clothes that needed washing, add the cleaning agent, and set the thing to run as long as the size of the load needed. With that task out of the way, you can go back to your room and make yourself something to eat. 

It didn't take long, so as you make your way back into your room you pull your phone out of your pocket. Xavier had just finished up his workout routine, so he was standing with a hand on his hip. Waiting for you. The normal dialogue didn't come up. You brush it off, unmuting the game as you put your phone on the counter. You exit the exercise function. The exercise achievement appeared in the corner of the screen, so with a little 'yes!' you go and claim the reward. You claim the extra gems with a grin. Every little bit helped. You go and check the other guys' achievements. Zayne's was also sitting at 59 days. That would be an easy extra 50 gems, so you go back to the main screen. Xavier had reverted to his red cardigan, with no other accessories. He watched you with a little smile, but his eyes seemed to be moving. Like he wasn't looking at your face- he was looking at you.

You scoff, rubbing your eyes. "I'm overworking." You mutter to yourself. You've gotta be seeing things at this rate. You'd been working your ass off, but it was all to a good cause. You only have to share your space with one roommate. You can make consistent payments on your loans. You enjoy your coworkers. You can even talk about the game in between customers with your favorite coworker. But that didn't make long days any less long, or rude customers any less rude. At least Puffball seemed to be perpetually on your side. You might as well do some remote work for your other job, check on some admin stuff from home while the laundry is running. 

You get what you need to make a simple breakfast. Xavier remained on the screen, waiting patiently for your attention. You glance at the screen. Might as well go ahead and get that other achievement. You tap on the switch character menu, turning everyone off except for Zayne. You go to confirm, and the main cafe came back.

With Xavier.

You hum. You go and do it again, turning everyone off except for Zayne, then go back. Xavier was still there. On a hunch, you select Rafayel instead. But it happened again. Xavier remained. He blinked innocently at the screen. You prop a hand on your hip, eyes narrowing.

"Now if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're the one doing this." You wag a finger, mostly teasing, but as crazy as it sounded it was starting to feel real. Between all the other incidents over the past couple of days it was clear something weird was going on. "Come on. Be a good boy. Let me get those other fifty gems. I need them for your myth, anyway." You wag your finger at him. He blinked innocently again. You groan. "Okaaayyy, I'm just gonna let you play the claw machine. Fine, fine, whatever." You go ahead and switch to the playtime function. You select Xavier again. He appeared in the same clothing as before, the red version of his sweater from his school days. The dialogue for it didn't appear. "Damn, the game is really acting weird..." You mutter. You go ahead and select the 'you go first' option, spamming his arm before setting your phone down again.

You return to your primary task of making breakfast. Between rounds you'd spam his arm with your pinky before going back to prepping. It didn't take long to whip something up, so you sit down with your phone still propped on the counter. He was exceptionally lucky. Not once did he need to cheat. And for some reason every single one of the plushies in the machine were ones you hadn't encountered before. "Go Xavier," You grin. You spam his arm again and he sharply turns, looking at the camera that divided his realm and yours. 

"Let's go for a few more rounds." He smiled. Your eyebrows furrow.

"Huh? That's Rafayel's line..." But true to his word, the icon in the corner went blank. It flickered between a few different numbers, all while Xavier reached into his pocket and pulled out a token. He slipped it into the machine. The icon continued to flicker before it eventually just vanished. Xavier went right back to the machine while you sat there with food almost hanging out of your mouth. "What the fuck is happening with this game?" You don't bother spamming his arm anymore. This is weird. Too weird, even for you. You card your fingers through your hair as he emptied the entire machine. Over and over again, the new plushie reward icon appeared in the corner. You easily would have the extra 20 gems from the collection rewards. Finally, Xavier emptied the entire machine and reappeared with the MC carrying all of the plushies. Her dialogue didn't appear, and Xavier's little smile had grown a little brighter.

There were lights glowing around him again.

"How'd I do, partner?" 

"What the fuck?" You stare on in shock. It didn't sound or look like he was speaking to MC- no. His eyes cut through her character model. He saw right through her. He saw you. You shudder, snatching your phone, tapping the screen a few times. He flinched away from a tap directly to the face, one eye squeezing shut. 

"Did you want another plushie? We have two more tries, we can get more."

"No," You point at him with your free hand. "No, don't act like this is normal. You can... you can see me? Hear me? Are you talking to me?" He blinked a couple of times, eyes darting from the plushies in the disembodied arms to you. 

"Yes...?" He cocked his head. "No one else is here. So it's just me and you." He was blinking again. Playing innocent. But you knew him too well at this point. Overanalyzed every line of dialogue, every story. He wasn't the wide eyed, innocent bunny he often portrayed himself to be. 

"Don't." You snap, the word coming out harsher than you had intended. You pause. Slow. Take a deep breath. "Don't. Don't play coy. I know you, Xavier. I know you better than MC does. She's figured out some of your tricks, but I know the fully story." He listened closely to your words, his eyes momentarily widening in realization. He blinks again.

"Really?"

"Really. Lumiere, Prince of Philos, Starfall Forest, the Backtrackers, going back in time to try to save MC, watching her die in multiple lifetimes..." You drift off, illustrating a timeline with your hand. "A little out of order, but yeah. I know. So don't try and act like you're innocent. I know you're a wolf in sheep's clothing." He listened intently to each word that came out of your mouth. His position remained relaxed. One hand on his hip, the other dangling by his side. But as reality settled on his shoulders his eyebrows lowered. His eyes narrowed. 

From prey, to predator.

"Good to know we're on the same page, then." In spite of it all he didn't seem frustrated. No, he seemed... Honestly a little relieved. He could drop the act. The mask was gone. 

"Not really." You correct him. You stand up, grabbing your phone again as you go to your room. You shut and lock the door behind you. This was too real to be a dream. For good measure, you pinch yourself. The sharp pain was a reminder this was, in fact, real. Your roommate shouldn't be back today but you figured it'd be best to do this in private. "I just... what? What the fuck is happening here? When did this start?" You gesture to the screen. Xavier hummed, crossing one arm over his chest while the other tapped his chin.

"A few days ago, if I remember correctly. I heard your voice, and I knew it wasn't hers." He looked back at you. His motions were much more fluid, less practiced and more human. He turned to face you again. "Then, I noticed gaps in my memory. Going in and out of the Orbit Trials. Being drawn to the Destiny Cafe more often. Only to forget what I was doing." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I wondered if I wasn't sleeping well... then I saw you. Just... out of the corner of my eye. Then I heard you more." You weren't sure how to respond. So you let him continue. You listen intently, settling into a chair as he went on. "Then I noticed you weren't sleeping as much. I have my experience with technology so I started playing around and..." He glanced away. Sheepish. "You needed the sleep, but I didn't mean to make you late to work."

You laugh in disbelief. "It really was you... I was just joking when I accused you."

"I figured." He looked up. "I didn't think I was that obvious."

"No, I'd just been reading too many fanfics-" You cut yourself off, coughing. "Nevermind." If he can access your separate alarm app, he might be able to access tumblr. He does not need to know what you've read about him. Or written, for that matter. That's between you, the gods, and your grave. "No, you really weren't, but there was too much going on at once. Messing with my alarm twice in a row, turning off the music, not letting me exercise with Zayne, the random changes in dialogue, then stealing Rafayel's line... it was all kind of weird. Now this." You gesture between him and yourself. You were speaking semi-rationally, but it was because a part of you still figured this was a dream. A sleep deprived, overworked brain trying to come up with some fun wish fulfillment. Reality hadn't settled in yet. 

Xavier slowly nodded. In a flash, the setting changed. The menu for memories didn't even appear you were right back in the Destiny's Cafe. Xavier was dressed the same way, but MC's arms were no longer in front of you. Xavier moved languidly, a new ease settling on his shoulders. "Whatever system this is, it's surprisingly uncomplex. If Jeremiah saw this he'd be able to take the code apart easily."

"But... you're code, too." You point out. "All of this is code. You, the setting, the clothes, the dialogue." He sat down in the chair. The cafe was empty, as always, but now there wasn't any music. It was quiet. 

"I'm not sure of that." He disagreed. "Something is... different. And I know I'm not the only one with this level of awareness. The other guys..." he tapped his chin. "I'm not sure how much they know. I don't cross paths with them. That was intentionally designed. None of us are supposed to cross paths."

"But you technically have, with Sylus." You point out. "You destroyed Onychinus's protocores as Lumiere." Xavier's eyes cut up.

"Sylus is associated with Onychinus?" 

You facepalm. "I thought you would've known that if you were fucking with the code. You know, making yourself aware of the broader story? Seeing what EVER is up to?" Xavier shook his head.

"Not a priority." He cracked a smile. "But thanks. That's good to know."

"What're you gonna do now that you know, anyway? What happens behind the scenes? Just... go back to living life as usual? Back to fighting Wanderers?" You watch him. He fell quiet. His eyebrows drawn tight, a tiny flicker of confusion on his face.

"I... suppose there's nothing else to do. Until my ship is fixed we're all still stranded here."

"Like you have been for a hundred and fourteen years." You nod along slowly. His eyes cut up to you again. He watched you. Assessing you. You sit in silence, allowing him to process his thoughts. You knew your reaction was... subpar. Far too calm. Far too reserved. You're here, talking to your favorite character, and he sees you. All of you. His gaze was no longer a preprogrammed general view. No. He sees you.

Maybe that was the most terrifying part of it all.

You decided the impending crashout can be saved for later. Xavier had been watching you the entire time, his head slightly tilted. Thinking. Deeply.

"How far can this go?" You suddenly ask. "You've messed with my alarm. Don't do that again, by the way. You're messing with the game somehow. How far can this go? Can you get into my other apps, does it depend on if it's something your game can have associations with..." It drew him out of his thoughts. He shrugged.

"I'm not sure." He admitted. "I'm going to run more tests. I can access your alarm. And it appears whatever it is going on around us, I have access to some of your forms of social media." You think for a second.

"Okay, social media... I've sent a friend who plays the game, so I'll send her pictures from time to time. So that makes sense. The game needs to know what time it is so having access to time and alarm functions makes sense as well." How far would this go? How far could this go? Was he going to be playing tricks or getting into messes? No, no. You know him. He's too careful for that. You looked up, and find him watching you again. Analyzing. You scoff a laugh. "You're oddly calm about this."

"So are you." He tilted his head to the side. 

"Yeah, I'm not processing this just yet. Don't be surprised if I start screaming and having a meltdown in twenty minutes."

"Don't." He shook his head. "You'll need to switch your laundry, first." HIs matter-of-fact tone only prompted one reaction. Laughter. Laughter, plain and simple. What else was there for you to do? Your favorite love interest has come to life and is chiding you on switching over your laundry. Everything about this was so impossible and bizarre all you could do was laugh. The floodgates opened, and you had to put your phone down to throw your arm over your mouth. Xavier is self aware. Xavier is self aware. Xavier is self aware.

The jealous, manipulative, gaslighting, adorable, sweet, kind Xavier is self aware.

"What the fuck?" You laugh, gasping for air. Tears were pouring down your cheeks. You couldn't see the future but you could guess there was no perfect ending to this fairytale. You wheeze, wiping the tears from your eyes. Your phone was perched on a table near your chair, and Xavier was visibly bewildered. 

"Are you alright? Take a deep breath. Breathe." He instructed, reaching a hand out like he could ground you. But as his hand approached the invisible wall he paused. Before dropping it. But you heeded his advice. Taking one deep breath between fits of incredulous giggles. One in. Hold. Out. You repeat this process, trying to stifle any more laughter until you've cleared your head and can breathe again. In and out. Slow. Pacing yourself. You could hear Xavier doing the same, modeling the breathing pattern for you. It works. With time, your breathing evens and your fits of laughter settle into the occasional chuckle at your own incredulity. Xavier was watching on in concern. Appraising. As soon as you settled he slowly nodded, as if assuring himself you were okay, before speaking again. "All I said was you'd need to switch your laundry from the washer to the dryer soon. What was so funny?"

You chuckle again. "Bud." His eyebrows furrowed. "That means you were snooping. That's why I was laughing." You perch your hand on your palm. "I'm not gonna have a moment of privacy ever again, am I?" He blinked, eyebrows still furrowed. He really was hard to read at times. That was by design, of course. The perfect prince charming, handsome and soft, hiding a killer's edge. Besides, he survived over a century faking his identity and faking his death. He had to be a good actor. 

Lucky you, you knew some of his tricks already. 

"I wasn't snooping." He protested, glancing away with that subtle scowl. "I just pay attention."  

"Right." You laugh. "Listen, let's make a couple things clear, okay? I don't know what... this is gonna turn into, but I'm gonna need you to be upfront with me." You gesture between him and yourself. "I'm not making any assumptions. I'm not gonna jump to any conclusions. I don't have any expectations. But don't try me. I've got enough shit on my plate as is, I can't afford to be even more distracted. I have a degree to complete, I have two jobs I'm working. This game is a fun escape, a way to wind down. It's comfort." He dropped the scowl as you continued speaking. Allowing you to finish your thoughts. He took it all in, before lighting up. 

"What's your degree in?" He cocked his head again. Why does he have to be so cute?

"Astronomy."

Those little lights appeared again.

He blinked a few times. Bunny brain buffering. 

"Astronomy?" He echoed.

You nod. "Astronomy. I know it's not a lucrative job right now, but... it's my passion. It's home. It's... why I was drawn to you." The little lights grew brighter. Your fingers slide into your hair, playing with it. 

"I have a degree in astronomy, too." He turned, approaching the overstuffed chair. He crouched down, pulling out a bag that had been hidden behind it. Just something simple. A brown cross body bag stuffed with books. He pulled one out, showing it to you. A thick book on astronomy. Typically the words on items in the game weren't fully visible, but there were a few notable exceptions. You stand up, going to your desk to dig around and find your own astronomy textbook. You hold it up to your phone, allowing him to look at it in kind. Xavier wasn't one to grin from ear to ear, but he was smiling wide nonetheless. The kind of smile he wore in that one standard five star of his, when he was goofing around with MC and some pocky. 

"I use your study function all the time when I'm working on homework." You admit, setting the thick textbook down with a thunk. 

"Next time, why don't you actually let me help you?" He propped his book on his hip, his free hand outstretched as if you could actually take it. "I don't plan to be a distraction."

"You've already made me late to work once." You shoot back.

"... I'm never gonna live that down." He set the book down on the table, rubbing the back of his neck. It was so interesting to watch him move about freely. Some of his movements mimicked his default animations, but he moved more smoothly. It was more reminiscent of his animated five stars. He had the freedom of mobility. Now, admittedly, it does make you curious. 

"Well, first off, no you aren't." You tease. "But... who else knows? I mean. Who else is aware of..." You gesture wildly. "Multiple dimensions? Your own self awareness? I don't know what to label this."

"No one else, as far as I'm aware. I've done my research." Xavier returned to the veil between worlds. That one wall dividing the two of you. "Jeremiah, Captain Jenna... I believe I am the only one." You hum. 

"And the others?" 

He cocked his head. "What others?"

"The other love interests. Rafayel Qi, Zayne Li, Sylus Qin, Caleb Xia..." You drift off. His eyes flash. But only for a split second. He shrugged.

"Wouldn't know. I don't come into contact with them." His answer was gentle, but brushed them off. You had a feeling you knew where this was going. 

"Gotcha." You stop it before it can start. "Just trying to see how far this goes, if we need to keep anyone else in the loop. I mean... can you imagine this information falling into EVER's lap?" He paused. Everything about him momentarily stilled. 

"I can." His lips pressed into a thin line. "Let's ensure it never does." You nod curtly. All jokes and hysteria aside, if this really was happening to you, you couldn't imagine the world shattering consequences of EVER getting involved. A mega corporation committing atrocities in the name of eternal life would absolutely do otherworldly damage to try and find the science between multiple dimensions. You shudder. 

"In the meantime," You stand up, brushing yourself off. You know you were due for a freak out at some point, but you might as well do your laundry while you waited for it to happen. "I do have things I need to do today. And I was hoping to keep grinding for gems in the meantime. I really want that new myth of yours..."

"I might need you to explain some things from your end." Xavier nodded. "I'm... still a little unsure of some of these terms. Myths? Are people making up more stories about me?" You open your mouth, an immediate yes on the tip of your tongue, but you elect not to tell him about fanfiction about him just yet. 

"I'll tell you everything I can. I'm not crystal clear on everything, either. But I'll tell you what I understand." You grab your keys, slipping on your shoes as you walk to the door.

"That's all I ask." He smiled. With that, you nod, and turn off your phone.

Xavier watched as this plane of existence vanished before his eyes. One moment, you sat before him. In your oversized comfies, the plane positioned as if you were having a face call with someone. But there wasn't a phone, not on his end. It was as if some portal manifested, then vanished. He had never really thought of it before. But the way the busy cafe would suddenly empty, the new voice. The voice he would hear during orbits and trials... It was a slow realization. And now, he finally could see you clearly. Speak to you clearly. He slowly settled into the oversized chair again. The world around him, as if someone hit 'play' after pausing, sprung back to life. The espresso machines whirred in the back, people entered the cafe, employees returned from the back. The world, once hushed, burst with life once more.

He pulled his bag back around. His astronomy book nestled amongst many others. Books on interdimensional planes of existence, physics, space travel. He had been on this planet long enough to see man's first steps on the moon. The chronorift catastrophe. But he had never in his centuries of living experienced that.

It was new. Refreshing, almost.

He settled the bag on his shoulder, leaving the familiar cafe without so much as a word. 

Jeremiah. If anyone would be able and willing to help him put this puzzle together, it would be his old friend. 

It wasn't often for Xavier to have a 'first'. He had lived so long he often wondered if he'd run out of 'firsts' to have. His first step, smile, and giggle as a child. His first word as a toddler. His first love? His beloved starlight. First loss? His beloved starlight. His first training partner? Her. His first heartbreak? Her. 

It was all her, wasn't it? 

His life orbited around hers. She was his star, his sun, and he? The moon, or some forlorn, rocky planet. Always orbiting. Always present. Always constant. But he could never get too close, for fear of destruction. Or perhaps, in a twisted scheme of fate, she would burn up and burn out first. If that was so, he would be destroyed along with her. It seemed to be their fate. Always orbiting. But never close enough.

Xavier's footfalls were remarkably quiet. He knew how to move quietly. Make no sound, leave no trace. It's how he survived this long without being found. Modern technology made it harder at times. But he was lucky to still have comrades left who kept up with the times. They were dropping like flies. What once began as a sizable expedition dwindled over the century. People settled down. People left. People died. And people betrayed.

His fleeting image came and went like a ghost in the reflective surfaces of glass paned windows. Much like his life on this planet. Here one moment, gone the next, without so much as a whisper or a footstep left behind. He paused only in front of the bus stop. Awaiting the next one that would bring him to Philo.

He dreamt of her. Often. More often than he'd admit. He dreamt of the Queen he left behind. He dreamt of the partner by his side. He dreamt of the girl who died on his shoulder that fateful night under the stars. In all his years on this planet, he had never once thought about how those dreams never showed her face. Not until recently. Not until he finally saw your face.

It was something out of a movie. He first saw it in the Destiny's Cafe one night. It was late. He was simply reading a book. He had felt drawn to that place more times than he could count, but his memories of those moments were always fuzzy. He knew he met her there. He always did. But why would he meet her there in the middle of the workday for a few seconds? Why would he be there, and then suddenly no longer feel her presence? And why hadn't he questioned it before?

The bus rolled up. He got on, paying the fare before he went to a back seat. He settled into it, setting his bag beside him as a silent blockade. No one else was on the bus at the moment, but it was still worthwhile to do it. 

That day. That day would be burned into his memory. He was reading his book, when he heard the ding of the door opening. He set the book down, greeting her as he always did. 

But he saw you.

For the first time, he saw this person. For the first time, he knew what his Queen once looked like. Or something similar. You looked remarkably like her. And yet, he could tell, it wasn't the same. This wasn't the case of some past or future timeline. No, you were someone else entirely.

You looked tired. But you were smiling. You turned the screen, some two way visual portal, towards a computer screen.

"I passed!" You had grinned. He stood up and approached the screen. There were tapping noises, before he felt the urge to ask about your day. This incessant tugging that made his mouth move before his brain did. Xavier, the one always three steps ahead. Xavier, the one who'd lived multiple different lives... was speaking without thinking. Acting without thought.

You rambled on about some class. You were still dressed from work, some cat fur clinging to your shirt. But in spite of the eye bags you were glowing. It was you. It had always been you.

But who are you?

Xavier looked out the window. That fateful day will forever be burned into his mind. It was you. You were his Queen, his classmate, his partner... and yet she wasn't you at all. You were her, yet she wasn't you? Xavier considered himself intelligent. He attended multiple universities to take up time on his planet. Multiple degrees and certificates buried away in shoe boxes and random discount picture frames. But for all his wits, he could not for the life of him understand what was happening.

So he went to the library. To the old bookstore. He went to physicists' lectures and gathered every piece of intel about the Deepspace Tunnel he could. Even if he had to break protocol at work to do it. It's fluctuations had been more extreme than usual. Odd, too. The readings were showing up in a bizarre way, something no one had ever seen before. It was so jarring. EVER couldn't figure it out. The Hunter's Association couldn't figure it out. His few remaining compatriots couldn't figure it out. But his Hunter's watch had started showing signs of metaflux in the cafe. No one else noticed it. It never manifested any Wanderers. But it would show the tiniest disturbance just before and just after you appeared.

The bus finally rolled up to the street corner. He was still the only one on board. He grabbed his bag, walking towards the front. He offered a soft 'thank you' to the bus driver, but said nothing else.

Astronomy. You study astronomy. The stars held so many secrets, secrets he wished he could share with someone.

His footfalls fell a little louder now. Not enough to announce his presence. Just enough to echo that he was once here. No footprints would remain. Even the echo would fade.

But maybe he finally has someone he can be remembered by. Someone he can share the secrets of the stars with.

 Laundry folded and put away, dishes done, room cleaned. Apartment vacuumed, mopped, dusted. There was no doubt in your mind it was cleaner than the day you moved in. 

You did everything in your power to keep your brain and hands busy. Anything to avoid the impending crash out. It was real. It was real. He talked to you. He saw you. He saw you in the random comfy sweatshirt you threw on. He saw you exhausted. Now, the appeal of this game is that these men would and do love you for who you are. No matter the timeline, place, or what you look like. But that's easier said than understood, much less taken to heart. Besides. A fictional character spoke to you. You knew your crash out would be valid.

You pinched yourself on and off throughout the day. Wondering if you'd slept through your alarm in your exhaustion and simply dreamt the whole ordeal anyway. But no, the sharp pain reminded you that this was reality. You didn't even bother to claim the mid day stamina. You weren't sure you were ready to face him just yet.

But as the day came to an end, your homework was staring at you. And you always, always used Xavier's study function while working on astronomy. You press your lips together. The tradition wouldn't end now. No, not today. So you sigh. You open the game on your phone, putting water in the kettle to make tea. That same song you knew by heart began to play, so you sang along. Grabbing a mug and your favorite tea blend for focus. Caleb's face flashed by, then Sylus's. But by then the enter game option had loaded, so you tap it. 

You lean on the counter as the game loaded in. As soon as it did, Xavier greeted you in the Destiny's Cafe. There was a stack of books on the table, and he was sitting with a steaming cup of tea as well. He was in the middle of reading when his eyes darted up.

"Ah. There you are." He smiled. His smaller, more content smile. "I was wondering when you'd come back."

"Took the time to clean today." You explain your absence, half expecting no response. But he proved you wrong chuckling that soft little 'ufufu' laugh of his.

"You could have told me. I would have kept you company." 

There it was. More confirmation that this morning was not at all a dream. Not a figment of your imagination. You just shake your head. You watched, the steam lifting from his cup of tea dancing in the air. It was so realistic. So lifelike. The graphics in this game were top notch, but this was something else. This was life like.

"Nah, needed to clear my head." You shrug a single shoulder. He nodded.

"Ah. Just as well, then." He didn't press. You really should've known he wouldn't. The kettle began to whistle, so you leave your phone as you grabbed the handle. You pour the water over the prepared tea leaves, allowing it to sit for a few minutes. You carry your mug and phone back into your room, shutting the door with your foot as you approach your desk. You'd already set up your workstation. Computer open, journal and pen, calculator, textbook, and a prop for your phone. You settle into your seat, setting your tea down a safe distance away to ensure there wouldn't be any messes or accidents. And now, Xavier sat across from you. Joining you in your study session.

You finally take a closer look at his stack of books. Books on astronomy, physics, the deepspace tunnel, space exploration, theoretical explorations on the concept of multiple dimensions... He even had a workspace mirroring yours. Books, journal, pencil, tea. He looked up at you, grabbing his pencil.

"I figured we could study together tonight." He offered. "And maybe I could help if you run into a problem...?" Your lips curl up into a smile.

"I've used you as a duck before. Just to talk out loud and process a problem." You grab your own pen. "So yeah. I'd love that." 

"Good." He nodded, and the study timer appeared on your phone automatically. Your eyebrows furrow. 

"Did you do that?"

"Did I do what?" He tilted his head with that innocent look on his face.

"No, don't do that." You quickly caution him. "Don't start. Do you... have more control over the game now?" He blinked a couple of times, but your hardened gaze successfully got his attention.

"Somewhat." He shrugged. "You want to study, I want to study... but we don't need a time limit." The timer went away. You shake your head at him.

"That's enough mindfuckery for the day. Let's just focus on this." You gesture between your textbook and his books. He didn't seem to mind, just nodding again in agreement.

"Sure." 

You navigate the interface yourself, selecting the study function. You pick the longest time available, 30 minutes. And with that the view changed. The lighting shifted, and the camera focused on Xavier. He picked one of his books, beginning to read it while jotting down notes. The music that usually played was much quieter. And the low mumbling was gone.

He remembered.

You don't bother commenting on it. It was Xavier, of course he'd remember. 

But you do the same as him. You open your textbook and start reading. It was just a refresher for you, really. You had some math homework to deal with and needed to remind yourself on some background knowledge. Not a big deal, in all honesty. Nothing you haven't done before. You read and take your notes between sips of tea, blowing on the top as you skim over the passages.

An astronomy major working at a cat cafe and a remote administrative job. It was an odd mix of experience, but it got you by. 

You move on to some of your math homework. You navigate through the college's class portal until you arrived at the assignment. You begin, writing out your problems on paper as you began to work through them. Piece by piece, one at a time. This homework wasn't even due for a while but you figured it would be best to knock it out while you could think straight. Your roommate was out. Your noisy neighbors too hungover from the night before to make trouble just yet. You had the next day off, and the day after that, too. Laundry done, apartment clean.

For once, your mind should be crystal clear. But the occasional hum or the scratch of pencil on paper reminded you why your mind was fuller than ever before. 

You scratch out the last half of the work you just did. No, you got something wrong. You rework the problem up to that point, but you still got the same answer. Your lips press together in a thin line. You rewrite the whole thing, to no avail.

You know this one, and you know you know it. So why couldn't your brain connect the two pieces? 

Xavier quietly cleared his throat, making you look up at him. He had been watching you.

"You look stuck." He observed, voice soft. "Want to talk through it?"

"Sure, I guess." You throw yourself back in your seat, rubbing the bottom half of your face. '"I just reread the section on how to work through this problem, but I'm getting stuck halfway through. My calculations aren't right. But I know that I know how to do this. So what am I doing wrong?"

"May I see?" He flipped to a blank piece of paper. You shrug.

"Why not? Can't hurt. Won't it be inverted, though?" You pick up your notebook and show it to the screen. He could see the original equation and jotted it down, looking between it and your notebook. 

"No, I can see it." He muttered. His eyes darted back and forth, scribbling notes and working through the equation. He worked quickly, his pencil flying before pausing. Like he was doing the math in his head. After a few seconds he hummed. "Ah. I see. You mixed something up here," He turned his notebook around to show you. Where you had been messing up he used a different method. He pointed at it with his eraser, calmly walking you through the steps to get to the answer. You follow, writing down what he said.

And he was right. Of course, he was right.

You input the answer with the new method, and the webpage showed a short animation of a check mark to show you were correct.

Studying with Xavier had even more perks, all of a sudden.

He no longer needed to just sit there as you ranted and tried to walk through the answers yourself. No, you could work through them and have him partner with you. Help you check your work. He certainly had different methods at times, but you got to the desired answer. You knew he was smart, that was a part of the reason you were so attracted to his character. But there was something that set your soul alight knowing the two of you had something in common. Something you shared. A love of the stars.

The tea cups in both worlds were slowly drained of their contents. Books in both planes set aside. Until there came a point when the line between their existences looked less like a phone's screen and more like a mirror. 

You finish the final problem, hitting submit. You push back, a heavy, elongated, satisfied sigh escaping as you stretch your arms over your head. Sometimes those assignments made your head spin. But for once, the exhaustion held a sense of satisfaction. And beyond that, camaraderie. Xavier didn't look as nearly as tired as you felt. But as he closed his book, a bookmark rest snugly between pages in that theory about alternate dimensions, you could feel a shared satisfaction at the end of a long day. He watched you. Closely. He leaned forward, perching his elbow on the table, while leaning his head in his hand. His gaze heavy. Intentional.

"You look tired." He murmured. Barely audible over quiet music that had begun to play towards the end. "Ready to go to bed?"

"Not yet." You hum, but a yawn interrupts you. You just had to do your winding down tasks. Brush your teeth, wash your face. Put on pajamas and curl up in bed. "And I wanted to pass a few more orbits with you before I went to bed..."

"The orbits will be there in the morning. There will always be more wanderers to kill." He moved, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from you as he began to pack away his things. "Go to bed with me. Then we can fight together come morning. Sound fair, partner?" The slight playful lilt in his voice was undeniable. A tease and a taunt all wrapped up into one. A playful side of him you adored. 

"Sounds fair, Xavier." You stand up, stretching your arm above your head. Barely missing a sudden, soft pink on the tips of his ears. "I'm gonna get ready for bed. Be right back." You leave your phone on, grabbing your empty mug. You go and wash it in the sink, before going to handle other things. You brush your teeth and wash your face. Prepare your hair accordingly. Your routine didn't take too long, and soon you were turning off the lights in the room as you returned to your bedroom. You exchange your lamp for your fairy lights, illuminating the room in soft, warm light. Giving you just enough to see. In the background, you notice your phone flash. You pull your top on, looking over your shoulder. Xavier was setting his bag down on the floor. The 'camera' pointed towards his bed. You could see and hear him in the background. 

The sleep function allowed you to see him in bed. But whatever was going on was allowing you a brief peek into his room as well. He took off his shoes, organized his books on a bedside table. He exchanged his outdoor clothes for indoor clothes, settling into something more comfortable to sleep. This sneak peek into his casual, domestic life outside of the story made your heart flutter.

In spite of it all, at the end of the day, he was a person just like you.  Crown prince, Backtracker, time traveler, monster hunter, black market operative... And yet, here he was. Lying down in bed. His eyes locked on yours, a soft, sleepy smile on his face. Lumiere, High Highness, King of Darknight... But the man before you was Xavier. Just Xavier.

You go and settle in bed. There was no music. No option for it, either. No timer. Just him. He lifted his hand, reaching out to the screen as if he could brush some hair out of your face. But his hand stopped just short. You set your head down, plugging your phone in as his own hand dropped down onto the pillow.

"I'll see you in the morning, starlight." He whispered. His eyes still locked on you. You hum sleepily in acknowledgement, snuggling into your bed. Only then did soft music begin to play. But it wasn't the music from the game.You crack an eye open and notice a cd player on a table behind Xavier. A single, soft light showed it was on. You can't even manage to thank him. All you can do is shut your eyes again. A part of you still believes this is a dream. A sweet dream, but a dream nonetheless.

But as you drift off to sleep, a pair of blue eyes your constant companion, a soft voice remains proof this was all too real.

"Sleep well, little star."