Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A pair of eyes stared at the row of items, lidded with exhaustion and noticeably red around the edges. If that wasn't a dead give away to the woman's emotional state, then the small streaks of mascara below her eyes was hint enough.

Today had been shit, to put it simply.

First it started off with her running late to one of her classes in the morning, missing half a lecture and unable to convince anyone to lend her some of their notes. Not the end of the world, but it definitely put her in a sour mood for a while. Then she also forgot to bring her project with her for her next class, getting her a stern disapproval from her professor in front of the other students. Thankfully he had been lax enough to accept her bringing it in the next day she had this class, much to her relief.

Both those incidents combined already had her nerves working overtime, fretting over those small mistakes and how she'd make them up. She didn't have time to ponder on it for long, for she had a part-time shift starting in the afternoon. Except it wouldn't be something that could help her take her mind off the stress, as the minute she walked in she was confronted by her manager, who looked anything but pleased.

Apparently her performance was lackluster as of lately – a bullshit excuse, and she knew it, too – and they had decided to let her go in exchange for a new employee that they deemed more qualified. Qualified her ass—it was a fucking gas station, all she had to do was sit behind the counter all day and keep up her customer service smile and peppy attitude.

So, that was the icing on top of the cake that pissed her off. First her classes, now she had to search for a new job to cover the expense of said college classes. As if this day couldn't get any worse.

Except it could, very much so.

Once she had gotten back to her apartment, exhausted, stressed and upset, all she wanted to do was collapse in her bed and end the day there. Unfortunately, the comfort of sleep was a mere afterthought once she opened her phone, only to see a text she had missed from earlier. Her phone had been on silent all day, and she hadn't bothered to check it since she'd been so busy.

A good decision at the time, for the text she had received was from none other than her girlfriend, letting her know they were breaking up. No indication that she wanted to talk in person or over the phone about it, just a single text saying they were done. When she went to frantically text back, she realized she couldn't after she hit send—her now ex-girlfriend had already blocked her.

And that was the final cherry on top. While that relationship hadn't been for long and wasn't too serious, it still stung to suddenly get blocked when she thought things were going well. At that point she couldn't stop the tears from overflowing, all her emotions from the day pouring out.

Which lead to where (Y/n) was now, dressed in an oversized hoodie and sweats, uncaring to her physical appearance as she stared at the array of alcohol in front of her. A basket sat on the floor beside her feet, a couple of wine and vodka bottles laying in there, along with some fruity cocktail mixers.

She didn't have classes tomorrow, and now her schedule was completely free without a job, so she could wallow in her pity tonight and deal with the consequences tomorrow. She'd grab a few snacks to join the mix, and maybe some takeout on the drive home if she felt up to it—probably not though, as now that she thought about it, she wanted as little human interaction as possible.

Sadly, it seemed like the universe had it out for her.

Right as she was wandering out of the alcohol isle to find the snacks, another body ran into her from the side, causing her to lose her balance. Her reflexes were quick enough to catch the basket in her hands – she was not willing to pay for broken alcohol bottles –but that meant she was unable to catch herself as her bum and tailbone hit the ground.

A hiss escaped her lips as the pain shot up from the nerves there like a lightning bolt. It'd definitely leave an ugly bruise there tomorrow, and while it hurt, it wasn't as painful as her slowly depleting dignity was.

She couldn't catch a break today, could she?

A gasp sounded above her not a second after, before a voice – which was surprisingly soothing, despite how frantic he sounded – quickly began to ramble off an apology. "I'm so sorry, miss! I wasn't paying attention and I didn't see you around the corner! Here, let me help you up."

A hand appeared in her vision, one she hesitantly took after readjusting her other hand to grab the handles of her basket. The man pulled her up effortlessly, causing her to yelp a little in surprise as she stumbled into him, not expecting the strength behind his grip.

Another noise left him, this time sounding more embarrassed as he carefully helped her back into a straight, standing postion in front of him. After that he took a few steps back, creating a reasonable distance between them before he awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Sorry about that, too." He mumbled, a sheepish expression on his face while he avoided looking at her.

Her eyes squinted a bit at his behavior, taking a moment to observe the person in front of her that had squashed her plan of avoiding any human in sight. Truthfully, he was rather attractive—dark hair that reached his nape, eyes that were a striking crystalline blue with an interesting pattern in them, smooth pale skin, a sharp jawline, and a toned build. At least from what she could see, given his button-up shirt and slacks.

While he was a sight for sore eyes, the last thing she wanted was to interact with a person, let alone an attractive one—she also peeped the wedding band on his left hand.

(Y/n) released a quiet puff of air, lazily waving her free hand at him. "It's fine, don't worry about it." Was all she muttered before trying to maneuver her way around him, figuring that was the end of their interaction.

But then he spoke again after a pause, as if he was uncertain about what he was going to ask, yet wanted to anyway. "Are you alright, miss? Sorry, it's just, well..." He trailed off as she turned back around, staring at him blankly while he struggled to find the right words. "You look like you've had a rough night."

She narrowed her eyes, her lip unknowingly curling into a slight scowl to show her distaste. "Really? What gave it away?" The sarcasm was heavy in her tone, making him wince at her response.

While she didn't mean to come off rude, she also didn't care to keep this conversation going with a stranger. She needed to find the snacks, throw some random ones in her basket, and then head to self-check out. This was already too much human interaction than she was willing to deal with.

The exasperation must've been written all over her face, for the man's countenance quickly softened, a mixture of concern and understanding there. "Let me buy those for you. As an apology for running into you." He offered without a second thought, already holding his hand out for her to hand over the basket.

(Y/n) gave an owlish blink, not at all expecting that to be what came out of his mouth—now she felt even worse for her bitter behavior. "Oh, uh, I appreciate the offer, but you don't have to do that." She declined politely, an awkward laugh leaving her lips afterwards.

However, it didn't seem like he was going to back down. "Please, I insist. It's clear you're already having a bad night, and I feel terrible for making it worse." His words were coated in guilt, and the worry in those blue eyes was so palpable she found herself slowly caving in.

She blew a stray piece of (H/c) hair from her face as her gaze averted to the side. "You didn't make it worse... Okay, maybe you did since I can feel the bruise forming on my tailbone." She tried to lie, only to backpedal with a grimace when she felt the painful ache there. Then she sighed, already unsurprised when she met his imploring stare. "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

The dark-haired man visibly perked up, clearly taking her defeated question as an approval. "I'm afraid no isn't an option for this, miss." He replied back playfully, holding his hand out further as a silent invitation.

She couldn't help the breath of a laugh that left her in disbelief at this man's antics. Though, she certainly wasn't going to deny his generosity when it had been the only upside to her day thus far. She let the handle of the basket fall into his open palm, still unbelieving at the way he eagerly took it like he couldn't wait to help.

(Y/n) shook her head, a little self-conscious of her appearance and decisions at this point. She felt like she was falling apart at the seams, meanwhile this guy looked like he had everything together and could take on the world—she wished she had that in her right now.

She tried to brush it off, reminding herself she could wallow in those thoughts later. "Thank you. And, uh, I was planning to grab some snacks, too. You don't have to pay for those." She added that last part hastily, not wanting it to seem like she was taking advantage of his kindness by adding more onto the list.

He didn't seem to think anything of it though, a good-natured smile on his lips as he began to walk forward. "I don't have to, but I will." He said with a shrug, clearly not seeing it as a big deal. He stepped around her, his free hand lightly brushing her arm as a silent invitation to follow. "C'mon, if I remember correctly snacks are down this way!"

For the umpteenth time, she found herself staring incredulously at this man she just met. It'd been a while since she'd stumbled upon someone – quite literally – so amiable and considerate, to the point she was stunned. Not to say it wasn't a breath of fresh air, she just wasn't expecting her shitty night to suddenly be a little less shitty.

Nonetheless she was quick to trail after him, her hands shoving into the pockets of the hoodie that enveloped her form. "Uh, my names (Y/n), by the way." She broke the temporary silence between them, deciding she should at least introduce herself to the man that was being so kind to her.

The dark-haired man perked up in front of her, casting a glance over his shoulder. "Nice to meet you, (Y/n)! I'm Harvey." He responded with a grin, before quickly turning to face forward again—he didn't want to crash into anyone else tonight. "Hopefully this'll make your night a little better."

"Yeah..." She trailed off, following him into a isle that had an array of chips and dips on one side, and some candies on the other. "So, Harvey, what brings you to the store this late?" She found the words leaving her lips naturally, suddenly more invested in this person that decided to accompany her.

To her surprise Harvey's enthusiasm from seconds prior began to dim, as if she reminded him of something. Well, looks like she wasn't the only one having a rough night, it seemed.

She didn't push for an answer, instead busying herself by scanning through the chip options on the shelves in front of her. Eventually she decided on a bag of (F/f) chips, the plastic crinkling beneath her fingertips.

She turned around to face Harvey, who already held the basket out towards her, a strained smile on his lips. "I guess I also haven't had the best night." He admitted softly, his gaze flickering behind her as she set the bag inside the basket. "Today was supposed to be my first day on a job, but I... I messed it all up again."

The word 'again' made her raise an eyebrow, yet she didn't point it out as she followed his line of sight, landing on a different flavor of chips. "If it makes you feel better, I also got fired from my job." She replied sourly, walking back towards the various chip bags to grab the one he had been eyeing. "It was at a shitty gas station though, so I guess it wasn't much of a loss." She shrugged, tossing the bag in with the other before continuing down the isle.

Harvey stared down at the basket for a second, blinked, then quickly turned to follow after her. "A job is a job, regardless of how shitty it is. As long as it pays." He commented with a sigh. "Unfortunately, I can't seem to hold any job, no matter how simple." His voice lowered in defeat, while those blue eyes looked both lost and disappointed.

She wasn't the best at comforting people – especially someone she just met – so she shrugged a little while scanning through the candy options. "I get it, it can be frustrating trying to find a job that fits you." She mumbled thoughtfully, picking out two separate candy bags—a fruity one and chocolate one. "Sometimes it just isn't meant to be. It sucks, yeah, but you learn to move on knowing it wasn't the right fit, y'know?"

When she turned around, Harvey was already watching her with an amused smile. "Is that advice for me? Or for yourself?" He asked teasingly, holding out the basket when she went to drop her bags of candy in there.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Both. Now, want candy do you like?" Her blunt question caught him off guard, yet nonetheless he pointed towards a nearby candy bag—classic butterscotch candies. "Good choice." She hummed, snatching them up and dropping them in the basket.

He stared down at the items for a minute, visibly confused. "You didn't have to get me anything." He stated, raising his head to look at her with furrowed brows.

She rose one of her eyebrows in return. "Why else are you here, then?" She asked, the silence he gave answer enough. "Listen, you've had a shitty night, and so have I. Surprisingly, I've been enjoying your company so far, and I think we could both use some relief, yeah?"

She cut straight to the point, deciding she might as well try. While she was originally wanting to drown in her sorrows alone, talking to him made her realize she felt better getting it all off her chest. Plus, it couldn't hurt to have a friend right now—she didn't have many of those.

However, Harvey must've gotten a different implication from what she said, his pale complexion flushing a soft pink. "Oh, uhm, I don't think that..." He stumbled over his words, struggling to find the correct ones in his panic. "I didn't mean to give the wrong impression, but I'm married. I don't think—"

He didn't get to complete his sentence, because she had already burst into a fit of giggles. "What? I didn't mean it like that!" She laughed more, causing the blush on his face to deepen. "I just met you, and also just broke up with my girlfriend today, so yeah, that wasn't at all what I was implying." Her laughter calmed down at the end, yet the amusement was still evident in her tone.

Harvey chuckled a little as well, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Right, yeah. That's a relief." He mumbled, before tensing up when he realized how bad that could sound. "The first part! Not your break-up, of course. I'm sorry that happened." He hastily clarified, not wanting to inadvertently hurt her feelings.

She snorted a bit, finding his misunderstandings more than entertaining. "Yeah, I got that. Don't worry about it." She reassured him, deciding to stop with her teasing on the poor, flustered man. "So, do you want to come over for a drink and snacks, or..?" She paused, letting the invitation hang in the air for him to either accept or refuse—either one, she'd understand.

Harvey's face scrunched up a little as he looked down at the basket once more, contemplative and reluctant. Eventually his head lifted back up and a smile began to form on his lips. "Sure, why not. I am paying for it, after all." He shrugged, his expression shifting back to that playfulness from earlier.

(Y/n) huffed, lightly smacking his shoulder as she passed by him. "Cause you offered! No take backs, man!" She called out, hearing his laughter behind her as he followed.

While that day may have been awful, she at least found a new friend from it. Surely that meant things would be looking up from there, right?

If only she would've known what meeting him would lead to.

Chapter Text

The (H/c)-haired woman stared up at the ceiling, humming along to the music playing from a speaker that sat on a nearby shelf. There were papers scattered across the desk she sat in front of, along with pencils, pens, and highlighters. Her laptop screen had gone dark a while ago due to inactivity, yet she didn't make any move to turn it back on, instead spinning idly in her desk chair.

How long had she been sitting here just listening to music? It felt like ages since she'd been studying for these upcoming exams, to the point where she was exhausted, physically and mentally. Not only was her brain fried, but a low rumble of her stomach indicated her body had been neglected since she started this session.

With a groan she stopped her chair with her foot before standing up to turn off her speaker, the motion a little too quick for her fatigued body. She had to pause in her movements, standing still to let a wave of dizziness and slight nausea slowly subside.

Yeah, that was enough studying for tonight.

Once the music was off she trudged out of her room, greeted by a gentle meow near her feet. A smile lit up on her face as she leaned down, scooping up the white, orange and black cat into her arms before continuing to walk towards the kitchen area of her small apartment.

"Is it dinner time, Patches?" She cooed towards the fluffy animal cradled in her arms, earning her another meow in response. "I know. I'm starving, too."

She set Patches back down on her feet so she could rummage through the cabinet for her food. With one of the cans in hand she went to get the can opener, all while her cat began to eagerly circle her feet, meows growing louder and more insistent.

"I know, I know! I'm working on it." She gave a breath of a laugh, trying to open the can as quickly as possible so she could feed the little beast. Eventually she cracked it open, managing to dump it into her cat's food bowl before she practically pounced on it and began munching away.

(Y/n) shook her head with a smile, entertained by Patches' behavior like she always was—there was never a moment where she acted like she wasn't starving. Now with that out of the way, it was time to solve her own hunger problem.

Opening the fridge nearby, she frowned at the lack of contents inside. There were only condiments, water bottles, sodas and a little bit of leftover takeout that she was certain had gone bad. She needed to buy groceries again, but money was a little tight at the moment, leaving her helpless in this situation.

She could always ask Margaret if she could pick up more shifts at the coffee shop to make some extra change. Her manager was a sweet and understanding woman, so she wasn't too worried about it. For now though, she needed to decide on what to do, seeing as the hollow ache in her stomach was eating away at her by the second.

She was about to go grab her phone from her bedroom to check for some nearby pizza places – not ideal, but it was cheap – when the ring of her doorbell echoed throughout her apartment. She halted in her tracks, staring at the front door with a puzzled look since she wasn't expecting any visitors at this hour.

One look through the peephole and her entire demeanor shifted, a grin lighting up on her face as she unlocked the door and threw it open at the speed of light. The dark-haired man on the opposite side looked startled for a split second, before returning her grin with the same enthusiasm.

"Harvey! My savior!" She cried dramatically, opening the door wider so he could step inside. "I've been dying of studying and boredom." She added on with a groan, her back pressing against the door to shut it after he entered.

Her antics got a chuckle out of him as he slipped off his shoes. "And I'm going to assume hunger as well?" He asked, drawing her attention to the two glass containers he held in hand. One was larger and slightly fogged from steam, while the other smaller with about four cookies inside. "I brought you some leftovers from the dinner I made, and some cookies from Eun-mi."

A grateful noise left her as she eagerly took the containers when he offered them to her, her tummy rumbling at the thought of delicious food. Since they'd become friends around a year ago, it's become a habit of his to bring her leftovers of whatever he cooked at home—hell, sometimes he was even sweet enough to cook just for her so she'd have some food for the week. He had taken quick notice of her poor eating habits and decided to help whenever he could, which she appreciated more than anything.

"Ugh, I love you. You two are seriously the best." She said with a happy sigh, already rushing towards her kitchen to find some silverware. "She decided not to come along?" She continued to talk while doing so, knowing he was already following her.

While she wasn't nearly as close with Eun-mi as she was with Harvey, she still considered her a dear friend. Eun-mi was a little more guarded and cold around the edges, a vast contrast to the trust and warmth her husband seemed to exude all the time. However, once (Y/n) had gotten to know her, she realized she wasn't that scary of a person, only someone that took time to grow comfortable around others.

Sometimes Eun-mi would tag along with Harvey to visit her apartment, though it was a rare occurrence given her busy life, being a mother and the main income of their household. (Y/n) never minded though, knowing their situation well by know.

Her question must've hit a sore spot, for she noticed Harvey wincing out of the corner of her eye while she grabbed a fork from her drawer. He was silent for a moment, those crystal blue eyes staring off while he leant against her counter, the two containers he previously held now resting on top of it.

She walked back over to where he was, her stare a mixture of curious and concerned, yet never prying as she focused on opening the lid of the larger container. A quiet meow caught her attention, causing her to roll her eyes when Patches rubbed up against her legs—greedy cat could smell the aroma of the food.

Harvey chuckled as he watched the cat impatiently circle her owner's legs, the scene putting a small smile on his face for a split second, before it vanished just as quickly. "We... got into an argument. It's why I decided to visit you, give her some space." He mumbled, sounding ashamed of the situation.

She paused with her fork hovering over the food, processing the information she was given. "I see... and what about Toby?" She softly asked him in return, worried about the small boy's involvement in this scenario.

"He wasn't there. He's visiting his grandparents right now." He reassured with a strained smile. "I don't ever want him to see that." He looked down at the ground, quietly sighing as he watched Patches' continuous effort to beg for food.

With a hum, she picked up her container of food in one hand and tugged on Harvey's sleeve with the other, already making her way towards her living room. "C'mon, it's therapy time." She stated while practically dragging him to sit down beside her on the couch, situating herself with one leg beneath her and the other balanced against the floor.

He held no objections to her antics, simply shrugging off his jacket to get more comfortable. "Are you qualified to be a therapist?" He asked while settling into his spot on the couch, his tone playful.

She rolled her eyes, using her fork to stab at the contents in the warm container she held—meat, potatoes, and carrots, a hearty meal that had her mouth watering. This man was truly a blessing in her life, she was positive she would've withered away from starving by now if it weren't for him.

"Not in the slightest. But neither of us can afford one, so this is the best you'll get." Her flat tone got an amused exhale from him, before she shoved a small potato in her mouth followed by a sliced carrot. "Now, tell (Y/n) what's been going on in that pretty head of yours."

The jacket he wore was discarded on the arm of the couch, his light blue eyes flickering back to her disapprovingly when he heard her muffled words. "You eat like a hamster that's never going to find food again." He remarked with a shake of his head, trying and failing to sound upset due to the smile on his face. "Just focus on eating, Bun. I don't want you to choke."

To that she gave a thumbs up, happily chewing on the delicious food that was in her mouth. There was silence for a moment, but she already knew that Harvey was contemplating on how to begin the conversation, so she didn't rush him. She continued to take eager bites of the meal he provided for her, each one somehow better than the last—he needed to teach her to cook like this one of these days.

Eventually a sigh broke the quietness that had settled, her (E/c) eyes peeking up to see Harvey with his head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling in a conflicted haze. It was in that movement she realized how lost and exhausted he looked, causing her chewing to slow down as concern washed over her.

"Like I said before, we got into an argument." His voice was a low murmur, gaze remaining in place and glazed over, like he was recalling the incident before his eyes. "She... she was upset at me since I had another job interview today, and it didn't go well."

(Y/n) frowned around her fork when he said that. Being friends with Harvey for a year now, she was all too aware of his track record when it came to employment. She always tried to be supportive of him, yet there wasn't much she could do, since she was fairly clueless as to why he seemed to be the human embodiment of a repellent—no one would hire him, and if they did, they never deemed him a good enough fit.

It was appalling to her, how someone as charming, cordial and energetic as Harvey couldn't fit in anywhere. Every trait of his made him sound like the perfect, hardworking candidate for most job positions, so this predicament of his was unfathomable to her. Then again, she also wouldn't be surprised if employers hated him for that very reason—she's had a few run ins with that type, the ones who didn't want an employee that was overly excited and willing to put in more effort.

Whatever the reason, she felt awful for him, especially when she knew how anxiety inducing it could be to be unemployed and have no reliable income. Even if he had Eun-mi – who she assumed was making a decent amount of money from her job, given their living situation – it likely didn't feel good to not contribute anything to that income. Not to mention their son Toby as well, who he loved more than anything in the world and would do anything to support his future.

She stayed quiet, letting her thoughts bounce around in her head until he was finished with his rambling. She continued to eat her food, yet the various flavors coating her tongue didn't taste as savory anymore, a bitter hint to them as her stomach churned uneasily from the circumstances.

"She's been complaining about it more often lately, and I understand why, it's just..." He trailed off, hands mindlessly fiddling where they laid on top of his stomach. "I wish she understood that I'm trying to keep a job, instead of acting like I'm some good-for-nothing husband who can't help his wife and son." There was a sourness that layered over the disappointment in his words, like he couldn't decide whether to be ashamed at himself or indignant at his partner for viewing him that way.

A slow hum of acknowledgement left her as she let those words roll around in her head for a bit. One last piece of meat was shoved into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed before the now empty container was set on the coffee table beside her.

She leaned into the couch cushion beside Harvey, regarding him with a contemplative stare. "Well, I'm not exactly sure what Eun-mi does for a living, but you take care of Toby while she works, yes?" Her question was met with furrowed eyebrows, followed by a hesitant nod. "Do you clean the house? Do the laundry? Do the dishes? Make the most delicious food in existence?" The last part of her list may have been a little exaggerated, coaxing a quiet chuckle from the man.

"I guess so, considering you scarfed it down in less than five minutes." He replied teasingly, eyeing the container that looked like it had been licked clean.

She waved him off, continuing on with her point. "Then I'd say she's being unreasonable here. Not to barge into your marriage or anything, but just because you don't have a job, doesn't give her the right to say you don't do anything." She paused, her lips pursed together and eyes squinted as she tried to think of the correct term for it. "You're like a, uh, male housewife, and that's some hardwork right there! A... a househusband? Is that a word?"

To her delight that got a genuine laugh from him, her own giggles joining in the mix for a second. Once their laughter died down, Harvey let out a sigh, yet this time it sounded a little more content rather than dejected, much to her relief. She couldn't do much to fix his problems, but she could at least lend him a listening ear.

"Eun-mi seems to think the opposite. It's like she's getting more and more desperate for me to make money." His eyebrows creased together, his expression puzzled as if he were finally trying to figure out why she was acting that way. "Which I'm not entirely sure why. It couldn't hurt to have extra cash, but I'd say we're fairly well off right now."

(Y/n) gave a hum of agreement to that last statement. She'd been to their house, and in her eyes, they had quite the luxurious life. She'd kill to have a nice, big house and not some stuffy apartment that a total of four rooms—five if she counted that small, cramped space she shoved a washer and dryer into to make a laundry room.

"That does seem weird." She mumbled back thoughtfully, her right leg bouncing in place against the floor. "What is Eun-mi's job? I don't believe you or her ever told me."

Curiosity aside, it felt a little invasive to bring that up, now that she thought about it. If Eun-mi nor Harvey had told her, then it was probably for a reason, and she definitely didn't want to pry into their lives like that.

He must've seen the regret already forming on her face, for he quickly spoke up before she could. "She doesn't really like to talk about it, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind me telling you." He reassured, laughing under his breath when she visibly sagged with relief. "She works for this big tech company that her parents own. It's called MindCore Technologies, if I remember correctly."

At the familiar name, she perked up with interest. She had heard about that company a couple of times in the news, and she vaguely remembered that the company revolved around enhancing the mind and its capabilities. A few augmentation devices that they were working on was shown, and to her they were simultaneously fascinating and disturbing—the latter stemming from some of the procedures required to implant said devices.

She never would've guessed that Eun-mi was working at that company. It was definitely a big deal given her parents were the owners, though that didn't make any sense as to why she'd want to keep her employment there secret. Maybe she was embarrassed working for her parents, or she was afraid people would assume she didn't work for it? That was the most reasonable assumption, she supposed.

A low, impressed whistle left her mouth as she maneuvered her leg to join the other on the couch. "Damn, I've heard about that company in the news. Planning some big project for next year, or something..." She trailed off, unable to recall exactly what the reveal was, before shrugging it off. "But yeah, I don't see why money's an issue if that's the case. She must be loaded with a career like that."

There was silence for a minute, causing her (E/c) eyes to flicker towards him questioningly. Harvey was already staring at her, his brows furrowed and lips turned downwards in an uneasy frown. Any relief from earlier was gone, replaced by a tautness in his muscles that had her unknowingly sitting up straighter.

"I... I probably wasn't supposed to hear this, but she was on a call the other day arguing with her father." He began talking slowly, his tone low and uncertain. It was like he didn't know if he should tell her, yet also couldn't fight the urge to let someone else know—to let her know. "Their company is facing some debt right now that they're trying to get out of. I think that's why she's been so worried lately."

Her face fell at the revelation, an understanding passing over her features as she came to terms with the reason why Eun-mi was acting out on him. If something were to happen to her occupation and they had no active income, while Harvey couldn't hold a job for the life of him, then the stability they had definitely wouldn't last. Aside from that, they also had Toby to think about, to ensure he has the best childhood he could possibly have without getting entangled in this mess. There was definitely a lot at stake if her family's business shut down.

"That... that makes sense. If the business goes bankrupt, then it could potentially be shut down, and she'd be out of a job." She mumbled her thoughts, worriedly chewing on her bottom lip. Then she huffed, shaking her head as her eyes narrowed at her friend. "Still, I don't agree with the fact that she's taking this stress out on you. You're trying, and you do a lot at home, so she needs to be more forgiving."

Just because Eun-mi had the weight of the company on her shoulders didn't mean she got to push that onto Harvey. He was clearly dealing with his own issues, that of which revolved around trying to please her by finding a job he could hold onto for once. Not to mention he took care of Toby and the house, which to her was a full-time job in itself—parenting was no easy task and it was very time-consuming.

She wouldn't pry into the details of their life, that wasn't her place, but the least she could do was offer her viewpoint to her friend who looked hopeless on what to do. In her eyes, he shouldn't have to feel guilty for not having a job, not when he was putting in the effort for that and so much more. He deserved better than that.

A long, drawn out breath left Harvey as his head fell back once more to rest against the top of the couch. "Yeah, you're right, Bun. I'll have a talk with her about it tomorrow." He nodded, silently confirming to himself that he'd finally be honest and let her know how he was feeling.

Apparently he didn't want to dwell on the topic any longer, for he rolled his body to the side to face her. (Y/n) rose an eyebrow, her expression questioning when she saw the light, teasing grin on Harvey's face.

"So, what about you?" He asked, painfully vague on purpose so he could see the way her (S/c) face twisted with confusion, along with her nose scrunching up.

"Me? What about me?" Her tone was skeptical, eyes squinted in an accusatory stare like she already knew where this was heading—he brought it up often, so it wouldn't be a surprise at this point.

Harvey smirked, a mischievous gleam in those crystalline eyes of his. "I mean, are you planning on living alone with Patches for the rest of your life?" He replied light-heartedly, gesturing towards said cat who was laying in her bed in the corner of the room.

A groan left her, his words confirming her suspicions. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with dying alone as a crazy cat lady!" She said defensively while pointing at him, to which he raised his hands in mock surrender, grin never faltering. "Patches is the perfect companion, thank you very much."

After her faux outburst she let herself fall backwards on the couch, her back against the arm rest and legs curled up below her. Slowly the amusement wore off, her gaze softening when that familiar ache in her chest returned—a constant mix of disappointment and desperation then never faded.

She sighed, letting her eyes close for a minute in hopes to soothe the feeling away. "But on a more serious note, I'm probably going to give up on dating." Was her straightforward answer to his question, deciding it might help to release these bottled up emotions when she had the chance.

Harvey blinked at her from where he sat, slightly taken aback at first, until it shifted towards sympathetic. "That bad, huh?" He murmured, his tone gentle and words light, an unspoken understanding in them.

She huffed, frustration beginning to permeate her voice when she spoke again. "Kind of? I just... It's so difficult to find someone that I can see myself with, that I can see actually..." She paused, her throat uncomfortably tight as she hesitated on the last few words. "..actually loving me."

It was quiet, yet she didn't let it be for long, the silence making her all the more uncomfortable with her sudden wave of emotions. These feelings were nothing new, but as the months ticked on, it had began to intensify, gnawing away at her and leaving a dark hole in its wake—a hole that no person she met could seem to fill.

"It's stupid, how I always wanted to find that kind of love. Always had this little spark inside of me to keep me going." She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, lips pursed into a forced line as she focused on staying composed. "Now... now it feels like that light kind of just... died, and the acceptance that love might not be for me has set in, yet it's too much to bear."

Her hands subconsciously curled into her chest, centered over where her heart was picking up speed. For some reason telling him so far didn't offer that relief like it usually did when she confided in him, causing her to shift and fidget in her spot. If anything, she swore she was starting to feel more anxious than before—the opposite effect she was aiming for.

Then she realized why she didn't feel comforted by telling him.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to calm her nerves. "I know you've talked about the rough patches you and Eun-mi have been through lately, but despite that, what you guys have is special." Those words were spoken meekly, holding nothing but a quiet longing that paired with heartache. "I wish I had something like that, a person that truly believed with their whole heart that I was their one and only, and wouldn't trade it for the world."

After she ended her rambling, regret sunk in at the prolonged silence that followed. The (H/c)-haired woman quickly sat up, avoiding looking anywhere near him as she rubbed her hands together. "I... Sorry, I didn't mean to get all emotional." She mumbled sheepishly, casting him a worried glance out of the corner of her eye.

Except he didn't look annoyed or uninterested like she thought he would, his countenance entirely warm and compassionate after hearing every small detail she spilled out in front of him. She wasn't sure why she was so afraid—Harvey had always been an extremely kindhearted man, to the point it could've been seen as a fault of his. His reaction alone made it evident he'd never judge her or make her feel silly for how she felt, and that helped her relax a little.

He scooted closer to her on the couch, only so he could place a gentle hand on top of her own that were situated on her lap. Wordlessly she lifted one of her own, letting him scoop it up in a light grip, his thumb soothing over her knuckles in a comforting motion.

"Hey, don't apologize, Bun. You're always here for me when I need someone to talk to about my problems, and I'll do the same for you. I want to be here for you." His voice was soft and delicate, reflecting his touch on her hand that seeped newfound warmth into her. "I think your person is out there somewhere, now just... isn't the right moment." He added that on slowly, trying to find the right words to address her emotions.

(Y/n) pouted a little, clearly not finding that answer very helpful. "Everybody says that, but how am I supposed to know when the right moment is?"

To that, he gave an unhelpful shrug, smiling when she shot him a faux glare in return to show her dissatisfaction. "You won't. Honestly, the moment it does happen, you'll probably think it's the worst and most inconvenient timing ever."

"Really? Was that how it was for you and Eun-mi?" She asked, not at all sounding convinced as her expression was one of disbelief.

It stayed that way, even when he gave a nod and grin of confirmation. "Absolutely, yes. I don't think I was at all prepared for a relationship when I first met her." He snorted, likely recalling that exact day. "And look at us now, 9 years of marriage."

She squinted at him for a second, searching for any hint of a lie, before she finally gave a loud groan in defeat. "Ugh, fine! I guess I'll wait for the most horrible moment of my life and see if my knight in shining armor comes along and sweeps me off my feet!" She complained, voice purposely whiny.

Harvey gave a huff of a laugh, pulling his hand away so he could poke her shoulder. "Hey, now! I didn't say it'd be a horrible moment, just the timing! And I'd certainly hope it's not a situation where you need saving, either."

She lightly swatted his hand away, sticking her head up in blatant refusal. "Nope, that's exactly what you said. Nothing else." She stated firmly, seeing him roll his eyes in the corner of her gaze. "Anyway! Now that I'm done sobbing over my lack of a love life, it's cookie time!"

Her random cheer brought an abrupt laugh from the dark-haired man, who watched as she shot up from her spot and rushed towards the kitchen. He saw Patches lift her head up to see the commotion her owner was causing, to which he shook his head in amusement.

"They're your favorite, (F/f)."

"Ah, Eun-mi you angel!"

Chapter Text

"Mm, Harvey?"

A quiet groan left the woman's mouth, laced with confusion and exhaustion when she felt the couch shift. Slowly she cracked her eyes open, being met with the sight of her nearly pitch-black living room, the TV long since turned off. All that illuminated the room was the soft, white light of the moon that peeked through nearby windows, casting random spots in a natural glow.

Checking the other end of the couch, she noticed a missing presence. She remembered watching a movie after their little ranting session, munching on the cookies Harvey brought and sipping on some sodas while it played on the screen. She wasn't even sure what movie they had watched, since it ended up being tuned out as they started a new conversation, one that was less negative than the previous one.

Sluggish in her movements, she pushed herself into a sitting postion, lazily rubbing the dryness from her eyes as she observed the empty container and soda cans on her table. It was a bit of a mess, one she'd clean later when she didn't feel like she could fall asleep at the drop of a hat.

Her (E/c) eyes scanned her surroundings once more, squinting through the darkness as she struggled to see with the little light she had. Eventually she spotted a pitch black figure in the doorway leading to her room, her breath hitching and body tensing as she became paralyzed where she sat. One blink and the silhouette vanished, an eerie shiver running down her spine and a dreadful sensation curling deep in her gut.

"Harvey? Is that you?"

It felt like a stupid question to call out, yet realistically she knew it couldn't have been anyone else. Had someone broken in, her cat Patches would've been losing her mind. Now that she thought about it, she didn't see her beloved feline anywhere in sight, which was odd since she almost always spent the night in her cat bed or beside her—it varied depending on how cuddly she felt.

That sinking feeling of unease worsened by the second, washing away any traces of weariness that was there previously. Hesitantly she stood up from the couch, her feet having a mind of their own as she began to head in the direction of what she assumed to be where Harvey went. As she walked, those (E/c) irises glanced around her apartment, searching for any signs of Patches and finding none.

Once she finally reached the open door of her bedroom, she peeked inside with bated breath, only for her eyebrows to furrow together. There was no random person or Harvey in sight, but her laptop at her desk was wide open, the screen a blank, bright white that illuminated the entire room. Every now and then the screen would flicker, casting the room in complete darkness before lighting back up again, each one sporadic and more unsettling than the last.

At a purposely unhurried pace, she moved one foot in front of the other, inching towards her device that seemed to be going haywire. Did it break in the middle of the night? She swore she would've noticed had that been the case, seeing as she used it for a majority of her studying session. It was strange that it'd break after and not during that time period. Not to mention she'd never seen a computer glitch out in this way before, an unnerving factor she couldn't seem to shake off.

"Harvey..? Are you in here?"

She despised how small her voice sounded, how shaky and weak each word was as it slipped off her tongue, emphasizing the unexplainable apprehension that churned in her stomach with every step. At this point she was waiting for him to pop out of her closet with a grin, all while laughing at her for falling for his stunt—except he wasn't the type to pull any sort of prank, let alone something that'd scare her, and she knew that.

There were no sounds aside from her own footfalls and hushed, uneven breaths. She came to a stop in front of her desk, holding onto her office chair and leaning around the side to get a better look at her laptop. So far nothing had changed, for it continued to flicker randomly, her heart sinking bit by bit each time she was plunged back into the darkness of her room.

She sighed, the sound heavy and unsteady. "This really isn't funny." She tried and failed to make her voice firm, an obvious tremble in her throat. "Come out! I mean it, Star." The familiar nickname slipped out, a desperate attempt to ease the tension of whatever was unfolding around her.

Unfortunately, she didn't get the result she was expecting, for the next time the laptop glitched out and plunged the room into complete darkness, it stayed that way. Nearly immediately her breaths began to quicken, alarm bells ringing violently in her head while that dread in her stomach twisted sharply, every nerve-ending in her body alight with panic.

What the fuck was going on?

A part of her didn't want to know the answer to that question, rather insisting that she needed to get out—to run purely out of instinct, even if she didn't know what from.

The longer the silence dragged on and she was left in darkness – she realized there wasn't even moonlight anymore, as if it had disappeared from outside – the more her body continued to scream at her to move, to do something to avoid what her brain was currently perceiving as danger.

(Y/n) thought about it, yet when she finally decided she'd stumble her way back to the living room, she found her feet glued to the floor. It was as if her entire body had become paralyzed, unable to budge her legs no matter how desperately her mind screamed at them to. Her panic was deepening by the second, clearly sensing that something was very, very wrong with this entire situation.

Then, the computer in front of her flashed back to life, and with it a loud, horrific scream that peirced the air, so guttural it had her breath escaping in a silent, petrified gasp.

If that wasn't terrifying enough, then the image displayed on her screen would haunt her for days. There was a man, painfully bright and pastel in a way that would've been perceived as cute, even more so with the swirl in his fluffy pink hair and matching colored bow tie. It was anything but that, due to the crimson red hue that stained his person from head to toe.

God, there was so much blood.

Blood leaking from a gouged eye wound, blood leaking from a gash in the cheek, blood leaking from the head underneath parts of disheveled pink hair, blood leaking from various sized cuts and stabs wounds all over—the list went on and on, to the point she felt nauseous at the sight. Despite being on a screen in front of her, nothing but pixels, she felt utterly sick to her stomach, an indescribable, gut-wrenching sensation that wouldn't fade no matter what.

The man was banging violently against the glass of the screen, screaming jumbled words she couldn't make out, even with how uncomfortably close she was. It all sounded like nonsense, nothing but noise to her ears as she stared at the scene in pure horror, her pupils two constricted dots that couldn't seem to look away no matter how much she wanted to.

Her breathing picked up, more hurried than before and shallow, unable to properly catch her breath as her lungs squeezed painfully tight in her chest. A rawness clung to her throat, itching to voice her unadulterated fear, yet being unable to croak out a single sound. It was as if she was frozen in time, forced to watch the scene unfold in front of her without being able to stop it.

The man's pounding on the screen became more frantic, each scream and beg as unintelligible as the last. Sobs began to join the mix as tears streamed down his face, mixing with the blood smeared on his cheek and creating light red rivulets that dripped down to stain his already ruined suit.

She couldn't understand what he was saying, even as his voice started to get louder and louder, drowning out the rest of the world around her. Eventually it was all she could hear, and the longer she stared at the mutilated man on her screen, she could feel that apprehension inside her twisting agonizingly tighter by the second, until she was certain her gut was going to rip apart from the nauseating pressure there.

Then something snapped, the pieces clicking together as she focused on the one good eye he had—crystalline blue, with a barely noticeable, white star-like pattern.

Oh god... No, that couldn't be. Could that..?

Harvey..?

Suddenly the world around her began to shift and her feet could move, a choked noise leaving her lips as that sharp pressure in her chest abruptly released. She barely registered that she had recoiled backwards unexpectedly, having been struggling this entire time to move and finding herself now capable of doing so, that unseen force gone faster than she could blink.

"Don't listen to her! It's all a lie!"

It was the first coherent sentence she heard so far, and it left her mind reeling when she realized it sounded exactly like Harvey's—except she'd never heard his accented voice layered with such anguish before.

While she fell the pink-haired man continued to desperately claw and bang on the laptop screen, like he was trying to break his way out to her.

The sharp sound of glass shattering reached her ears before she hit the floor.

(Y/n)'s eyes shot open with a gasp, her heart racing in her chest and breaths an uneven mess. Worriedly her (E/c) eyes darted all over the place as she went to sit up, only to halt when she realized there was a weight around her waist. Slowly she glanced down, spotting the arm and following its path, until it landed on the person it was connected to—Harvey.

His eyes were closed and lips slightly parted, letting out soft, shallow breaths while he slept. Further up her gaze landed on his hair—the same dark shade it's always been and falling down in gentle waves, not a cotton candy pink that was swirled into a pompadour. His pale skin was also blemish free, not a bruise or bloody wound to be spotted.

Their position was awkward, likely due to the fact she didn't even remember falling asleep. They were both sitting up, with their backs against the couch while they leaned into each other's side for support. Her head had previously been resting on his shoulder, having fallen there when she could no longer keep it upright during their talking, instead resorting to mumbling against his shoulder until she drifted off.

Gentle and careful in her movements, she slipped out of his grasp, using her standing position to help lower him into laying on the couch. She winced when he stirred around, holding her breath and remaining completely still for a second, before she released it upon him settling back to sleep right after.

For a while she simply stayed crouched beside him, staring at the steady rise and fall of his chest with wide, worried eyes.

What the fuck was that?

She had her fair share of night terrors in her lifetime, but none as disturbing and vivid as that one. It felt too real, too specific in the way it was presented to her. She wasn't superstitious by any means, but the heavy and dark sense of foreboding that dream left in her gut wouldn't be shaken off for a while. Maybe after some time passed she could decide whether to take it as a warning or a crazy, fucked up dream.

However, the longer she stared at Harvey's resting and unharmed form – much to her relief – she couldn't help but replay those last two sentences in her head. He didn't know many people, so she could only assume who those statements must've applied to—his wife, Eun-mi.

That didn't make sense though, nor did it connect to what he said. Don't listen to her? For what? Why and what would she possibly be lying about?

Sure, Eun-mi didn't share much about her life, but she didn't hide it away, either. None of it was adding up, instead making her head spin as she went in circles with those questions.

Then she paused, blinking a couple of times as she remembered what Harvey mentioned during their conversation. Eun-mi worked at that big tech company, MindCore Technologies, that was run by her parents. Did it have something to do with that?

She understood she probably would've sounded crazy if she tried to explain this to anyone. Hell, even she felt insane by paying any thought to that nightmare. Yet there was a small voice in the back of her head begging her to dive deeper, to at least pay it some mind before it was swept under the rug where all her other night terror memories were.

Since she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep anytime soon, she decided it couldn't hurt to do a little research—strictly out of curiosity, of course.

She stood up, eyeing Harvey's sleeping form for a second longer than necessary, before she quietly moved over to the opposite side. On the other end was a throw blanket, mindlessly tossed over the side and top of the couch from the last time she used it. She grabbed ahold of the soft, fuzzy material and tugged it along with her as she stepped across the floor, gently pulling it over his figure until it was up to his shoulders.

After that she began to tiptoe her way out of the living room, wincing everytime a worn floorboard creaked beneath her feet. Once she made it to her bedroom she carefully pushed the door until there was only a crack left, ensuring the light of her computer wouldn't reach outside the room.

Before she could move away the door began to creak open, making her nearly jump out of her skin as she whipped back around. When she saw no one her brows furrowed, until her gaze went lower to find the culprit—Patches, pawing at the door as she tried to squeeze her way inside.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Jesus, Pat, you scared me." She whispered, opening the door wider to usher the cat in before moving it back to where it was.

Wordlessly she stepped over to her desk, trying to move as quietly as possible when she sat down in her chair. Patches trailed after her, paws lightly padding against the floor until she jumped up into her lap, circling a few times before curling up into a comfortable ball.

(Y/n) gave a few gentle pats to the multi-colored cat, running her fingers along her soft fur until a low, quiet purr began to rumble from her. At least she had a companion to keep her unease at bay while she did this.

With her laptop already opened – she must've forgotten to shut it after studying – she hit the power button, waiting for the bright flash of a screen. There was a subtle churning in her stomach while she waited, that sensation of dread creeping back in like molasses, expecting the flashes from her dream to appear before her eyes in the next few seconds.

It never did, a breath of relief escaping her lips when she saw the tab of her online flash cards pop up as soon as it turned on. She exited out of that tab along with the others she had up, opening a new browser afterwards and quickly typing in the name of the company Harvey mentioned.

The first result was their official website, as expected. That's where she visited first, deciding that'd be a good start for some surface level knowledge on what they did. Who she assumed were Eun-mi's parents showed up as the owners and creators of the company, with their daughter's profile below theirs.

She scrolled further, locating the products they offered from their company. When she saw the pricing of said products, she winced—no wonder they were in debt, there's no way people could afford most of these technologies. A shame, since some of them sounded like they could genuinely help people in need.

The first device had an attachment on both sides of the head then connected in the back, apparently holding various sensors that transfered information to the brain based on what they detected of their surroundings, intended for those who were blind or visually impaired.

Then there were two eyepiece devices that connected to each side of the eye, a different option that allowed full recovery of one's eyesight. That, or they offered a separate set meant for altering the reality around a person, either for those who were incapacitated in regards to movement, or as a feature people could mess around with, similar to a toy... a very expensive one.

Next were two earpieces that could be surgically implanted into the ear, meant to restore hearing for those that were deaf. Then there was a voice box device, used to replace the damaged vocal chords for people who were mute.

(Y/n) frowned to herself, pausing for a minute as she skimmed over the first four augments the website offered. While it disturbed her a little – she personally wouldn't want any type of device surgically attached, regardless if it fixed an issue – it seemed relatively normal. It was just another advanced technology company, looking to find improvements that leaned towards a future where technology was at the core of every solution.

However, as she scrolled to the next two products, she found herself grimacing. There was a small device that embedded in the temple, used to create an interface between the digital world and the person's conscious, to where they could see and interact with a screen through their eyesight.

Did that really work? It sounded impossible, even in an age where technology was reaching new heights that nobody expected. It also felt eerily invasive, being permanently connected to the internet that's used for anything and everything nowadays. She didn't even want to think about the possibility of someone managing to hack into a device that was embedded in your physical body.

Lastly, there was an augment that ran along the side of the head, with wires that embedded into parts of the brain, meant to ensure that correct signals are received in people that experienced issues due to injuries or defects.

There was another one after that, but all it said was, 'New project coming soon!' accompanied by a countdown, which currently read six months from now. No details about what it was going to be, not even a hint.

Now at the bottom of the page, the apprehension swimming around in her gut had yet to dissappear. As unsettling as the devices looked and sound, there truly wasn't anything wrong with the concept of them. Not to mention they were a large and widely known company, with many reviews that approved of the augments that were purchased by customers, at least from what she saw when she checked that tab.

Everything looked normal, but it didn't settle the unease she felt. Something was wrong, and she wasn't sure if it was plain paranoia from that fucked up dream she had, or a gut feeling after reading through the website—both of which weren't very credible.

As she exited out of the official website, another link caught her eye. It was a random text-based website with threaded discussions, yet the title of said thread was what caught her attention.

'Does MindCore Technologies experiment on people?'

Her breath stilled for a second, eyebrows creasing together as she reread the title. Surely that couldn't be true. The internet always loved to blow things out of proportion or make up bullshit claims purely out of boredom... but it also couldn't hurt to see how on earth they came to such an insane conclusion.

'I had a friend, Noah Patton, who used to be an employee at MindCore Tech., and he always told me he had this weird feeling when working there. Could never explain it, only that everything felt off, like the people were keeping up some sort of facade for the public eye.

Two weeks into him working there, and suddenly a lot of people were laid off, himself included. I remember him calling me about it, complaining that he'd have to find a new job but also relieved he could get the hell out of that creepy place.

That night when he was supposed to be gathering his stuff, he called me in a panic. He couldn't get out much, only saying over and over that there were bodies and he needed to leave. I tried to ask him what he was talking about when suddenly the line cut out, and I haven't seen or heard from him since.

No one can find him, not even his family who went to the police for a missing person's report. It's been months now and the police have long since given up, and I have no idea what to do.

I still think about how he called me that night, and I can't shake off the feeling that something happened to him at the hands of the people who worked there. Maybe he saw too much, judging by how he said something about the bodies, and they silenced him. Or maybe they used him as one of their next experiments for the devices they make.

I don't know where to go or who else to tell about this. No one will take me seriously about this, not the police, not his family and not my friends. They all think I've lost my mind, but I know something happened to Noah, and I'll lose my mind soon if I keep this to myself.'

(Y/n) swallowed thickly, a sudden dryness in her throat after reading the initial post. She merely sat there for a while, staring wide-eyed at the screen while the hand that was originally petting her cat stilled, resting stiffly along her side.

Obviously she didn't want to believe any of this was true. Harvey's wife worked at the company—she was practically an owner as well if her parents were. She didn't doubt that Eun-mi made most of the companies decisions alongside them, especially if Harvey overheard her arguing with her father about the debt situation.

No, it couldn't be real. Sure, Eun-mi kind of had that unsettling demeanor when they first met, but as she warmed up to her, she seemed like a genuinely kind and caring person. There's no way she would willingly allow the experimentation of people at her company—unless she wasn't aware of it, and it was solely the team that worked on the technology advancements doing it without the higher ups knowledge.

Even that didn't really make sense, but she was pulling at straws at this point. Her head was already reeling from this new perspective she found, torn between trusting the logical reasoning in her brain or the unexplainable dread that kept lurching in her stomach—one definitely sounded more sane than the other.

Slowly she began to scroll further down, deciding that reading some of the user's replies would help calm the disarray she was in. That, or make it significantly worse, depending on if they proved this story to be true.

'I've heard about this from other people too!! Apparently a lot of family and friends that have someone work there have noticed them going missing, but the police never do anything about it. Maybe the police are working with them to keep the people silent about this?'

'Wow, I mean, I thought the surgeries required to get some of these augments was already fucked up, but this is way worse. I guess they needed some people to test them on before release, willing or not. Then the new employees they get must be next in line when a new product is made.'

'This all sounds like bs. You guys watch too many crime documentaries, go touch grass'

'Yeah, you can't believe everything you hear lol'

'Exactly! How can anyone brush off the fact that their employees get laid off and go missing, right before they release a new product? It's not a coincidence.'

'You guys need to get off the internet fr. People go missing, it happens'

'"It happens"? Yeah cause it's totally normal that the only people that go missing are the ones that worked at that company. Stfu"

'All these conspiracy theorists acting like there's something sinister going on with this company. Do you guys not do research? They're in serious debt, it's natural to lay off employees when you can't pay them.'

'Okay and what about them going missing as well? Maybe YOU need to do some research. These aren't baseless claims, so many people have experienced the same thing. None of this is normal or just a coincidence.'

'Omg, all of you are crazy. Who cares about this shit'

She agreed with the first half of that last comment, cause she certainly felt crazy reading all this. How could any of this be true and never discovered? It didn't make sense that no one would've found out and spilled to the press about it—except it could, if they truly were silencing those who tried.

She couldn't fathom Eun-mi willingly being apart of this. Even if she's only known her and her husband for a little more than a year now, it felt very out of character for her. Maybe she truly didn't know who she was... or Harvey, for that matter.

"Don't listen to her! It's all a lie!"

Those words echoed in her head, paired with the haunting screams of agony and shattering glass that would forever be burned in her brain. Was it really a warning? If so, then for when? How was she supposed to know when it could happen? Fuck, she didn't even know what it was. None of this made any sense.

If there was one thing she was convincing herself of, was that Harvey was innocent in all this. The nightmare she had suggested that much – showed he was a future victim, if anything – and she refused to believe someone so selfless and considerate would ever partake in such a horrendous act.

But then with that conclusion, that meant that... Eun-mi was...

"Bun? What're you doing up?"

She jumped in her spot, slamming her laptop shut as quickly as possible while Patches gave a loud meow of protest at the commotion. The cat went scattering out of her lap, leaving her to spin around in her chair and face the source of the voice.

A light flickered on, causing her to squint for a second until her eyesight adjusted to the brightness. Harvey stood in her doorway, staring back at her with tiredness in those light blue eyes, before it shifted to confusion mixed with curiosity at her outward reaction. His dark hair was messy and clothes slightly disheveled, clearly having woken up not long ago.

She blinked at him, casting a side glance to the digital clock on her desk—three forty-seven in the morning. "Oh, uh, I randomly woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. So, I... decided to get some studying in." The lie was quick to fall off her tongue, already aware of what it could look like if she told the truth.

As much as she wanted to tell him, she knew he'd probably assume she was paranoid and get defensive. It was the most reasonable reaction to someone telling you that your wife might potentially harm you in some way, and has already likely done it to multiple other people. Not to mention she didn't know for certain if it was Eun-mi, or merely other people at the company—it was such a confusing mess, one he didn't need to get tangled in right now.

Harvey rose an eyebrow at what she said. "Studying? At this hour? You can barely focus when you're awake." His response was one of disbelief, clearly not buying into that. Nonetheless, he wasn't one to pry, so it was quickly shrugged off with a new question. "Have you had anything to eat or drink yet?"

A huff of a laugh left her. "Have you seen my fridge? That shit is barren." She mumbled, watching as her cat began to circle Harvey's legs, meowing at the nearest person that could get her food.

Harvey leaned down enough to pet Patches, who immediately began to purr at the attention. He gave a few scratches to her chin before standing back up, looking contemplative for a second before he perked up.

"C'mon, then. I know a place that opens pretty early and serves great breakfast. My treat." He said while already walking out of the frame of her bedroom door, an eager Patches following him.

She got up to trail after the two, her movements sluggish and riddled with exhaustion. There was also a small ache in her back, likely due to how they fell asleep sitting up against each other.

Her tired (E/c) eyes watched as he grabbed a can of cat food, already knowing exactly where it was stored. "You mean your wife's treat, since I bet you spend all her money." The joke felt bitter on her tongue, what used to be good fun now clouded with uncertainty.

Harvey was none the wiser, focused on opening the can of food while Patches made all sorts of noises at his feet. "I have some money! I still get paid the first few days before they fire me." He countered while trailing over to the food bowl near her.

(Y/n) rose an eyebrow at that, fixing him with a stare that was doubtful. "And that's how much?" She asked, being met with a quiet huff then silence as his only response. "Exactly."

When Harvey stood back up after filling up Patches' bowl, he pouted at her. "You're so mean to me." He complained lightheartedly as he walked over to the sink, where he set the empty can and spoon aside.

She gave a playful roll of her eyes at his dramatics. "Hey, you decided to be friends with me. Now you gotta deal with the consequences, Star." She cooed, not sounding apologetic about it in the slightest.

When he turned back around his expression was surprisingly soft. "I'd say it's worth it." He murmured, lacking any playfulness and filled with nothing but sincerity.

A light flush began to burn at her cheeks, to which she quickly deflected. "Sure it is. Now, let's go already! I'm starving." She groaned, rushing towards the door to grab her essentials that sat on the small sofa table nearby.

The dark-haired man trailed after her with a chuckle. "When aren't you?" He teased, earning a faux glare in return that had his smile widening.

"Shut up. I like food." She grumbled defensively while slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"I know you do." He replied back as he went to grab his jacket off the couch. She could practically hear the smirk in his next words despite his back being towards her. "Yet for someone who loves it so much, you're terrible at feeding yourself."

"...nuh-uh."

Chapter Text

The sun began to set under the horizon, casting warm hues of yellows, oranges and reds over the landscape, while the fluffy clouds above resembled that of cotton candy from their light pink hue. A gentle breeze brushed by the figure standing outside next to a car, causing the flowing fabric around her legs to sway, while her (H/l), (H/c) locks briefly waved around her face.

It'd felt like ages since she had been standing outside her car, merely staring at the house in front of her rather than approaching it. Her teeth nervously dug into her bottom lip, chewing at the rosy skin while her (E/c) irises did a quick once over of what she wore for the umpteenth time—a light blue sundress that fitted at the top and had long, off-shoulder sleeves, while the skirt flowed out from the waist and reached down to her calves. Along with it she wore matching wedge heels, a few bracelets, rings and a special necklace—one she realized she hardly ever wore, much to her own guilt.

Her fingers rose up, carefully pinching the end of the necklace between her fingers and shifting it around. It was simple, a silver chain with her birthstone at the end, accompanied by the first letter of her name and a small heart charm.

The necklace was a birthday gift she received from Harvey, albeit a late one. He'd felt so horrible about missing it that he insisted she shouldn't worry over the price of it. Of course, she never found out what the price was, seeing as he made sure to remove any and all tags before gifting the box to her.

Still, that didn't stop the familiar pang of guilt she felt, especially when knowing his situation when it came to jobs and money. Yet at the same time, knowing he prioritized her enough to pay for such a gift despite his financial struggle... it brought mixed feelings of comfort and sympathy to her heart.

Even being his friend for a little more than a year now, she doesn't think she'll ever be able to comprehend the amount of goodwill and selflessness that was in Harvey's body—even more so when so many humans lacked those two traits nowadays. He truly was one of a kind, and she was more than grateful for him.

(Y/n) shifted where she stood, constantly switching between fiddling with the necklace and adjusting her purse strap. There was a pit of anxiety in her stomach that didn't want to fade away, if anything it only seemed to worsen the longer she stood there and let her thoughts spiral.

Ever since she had that nightmare and researched that company, she hasn't been able to look at Eun-mi the same. Their meetings were already sparse in comparison to her and Harvey's, so now she barely ever saw the woman due to distancing herself from her. As much as she didn't want paranoia to get the best of her, she could never shake off the unease that washed over her when she was around, to the point she felt physically sick to her stomach and would have to leave early.

A part of her desperately tried to reason with herself that it wasn't real, that the night terror she had was only that and had no connection with reality. Yet no matter how hard she tried, no matter how many times she tried to interact and converse with Eun-mi in a good-natured attempt to bond with her, everytime she ended up nauseous and dizzy—like somehow her aura alone was enough to send her body into a state of illness.

It was upsetting, even more so when Eun-mi was always beyond concerned whenever she ended up in that state. There wasn't a hint of malice in those pink irises of hers, no animosity held towards her in that soft, yet firm expression she held, only worry for the state of her well-being.

If Eun-mi's reaction was that prominent, then Harvey's was even worse. She swore that poor man looked like he was about to go into a full blown panic whenever he saw the ghostly white sheen on her skin, accompanied by the beads of sweat rolling down her uncomfortably warm skin.

He always acted like she was dying in front of him, ushering her to the nearest seat before rushing around for what he deemed was essential—medicine, water, food, an ice pack, whatever she needed he was hurrying to get it without another word.

Honestly, it was a little amusing when she thought about it, how he'd be running all over the place while Eun-mi simply stayed by her side to comfort her. Which, actually caused the opposite effect, but of course the brown-haired woman couldn't have ever known that.

(Y/n) shook those thoughts from her head, releasing a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Harvey and Eun-mi were kind enough to invite her over for dinner tonight – to celebrate her completing her second college degree, no less – so she was going to try her hardest to not let herself spiral this time. That was easier said than done, but she couldn't continue going on like this.

With a deep breath she finally stepped away from her car, her heels quietly clacking against the pavement that lead up towards the front door. Each step closer felt heavier than the last, the sound echoing louder in her head, as if she were heading towards her inevitable doom.

Once on the doorstep she paused, swallowing down the lump in her throat as her hands smoothed over the skirt of her dress. Again, her gaze swept over her own figure, ensuring not a single part of her outfit was out of place. She eyed the press-on nails and various rings on her hands, two accessories she wore often now feeling oddly silly.

Was it too much? She knew she had to dress nice for the occasion, but everything suddenly felt wrong on her body. She'd never felt that way before, but then again, she never really dressed up in this way either, since most were casual hangouts and she never cared for her appearance.

Worriedly she tugged on a strand of (H/c) hair, the slight change she added to her hairstyle suddenly out of place. Why was she caring about this so much? She understood her unease around Eun-mi, but Harvey? She's always been comfortable around him, never once self-conscious about how he might perceive her—save for the few times they had those vulnerable conversations, though she felt that way talking to anyone about those topics.

Anxiety began to twist into frustration, unable to pinpoint the reason behind the prior emotion. Her paranoia was now interweaving itself into her close friendship with Harvey, and she held no control over it. She shouldn't care about something as simple as what she wore, not when it was around her friend who literally met her when she had makeup smeared all over her face from crying, and was dressed in a baggy, oversized hoodie and sweats.

And yet, that thought still failed to ease the growing pit in her gut.

What was wrong with her?

She found herself asking that question more than she'd like after the incident that played out in her head.

With an irritable huff, she found her hand moving before she could doubt herself more. Her knuckles knocked against the wooden surface of the door a few times, her hand lowering back to her side while her lips twisted into an uncomfortable frown.

Whatever this feeling was, she needed it to be non-existent tonight—no more overwhelming nausea or abrupt dizziness, she wanted everything to be normal.

Yet she felt anything but, even when a sweet, innocent face was the first to meet hers when the door opened.

A familiar head of dark hair met her gaze, before vibrant blue eyes peeked up from under those bangs. Immediately she felt her frown melt away into a smile, unable to help the way her form visibly relaxed at the toothy grin that was sent her way—one that was missing a tooth, to her amusement and fondness.

"Hi, (Y/n)! Dad told me to get the door for him cause he said it'd be you. He's busy cooking right now!" Toby greeted her enthusiastically, ever the polite kid as he stepped aside to open the door wider for her.

With a laugh she stepped inside, allowing him to eagerly close the door for her. "Well, thank you for answering the door. That's very nice of you to do that while your father's busy." She replied softly, a grin spreading across her face at how he practically beamed from the praise.

"I like helping him! But he said I'm not allowed to be in the kitchen yet." A pout formed on the kid's face, staring dejectedly towards the entrance of the kitchen—much like a puppy who was begging for a treat.

She gave a short hum as she kneeled down to his height. "Cooking can be a little dangerous. Honestly, I'm not all that good at cooking myself, so I don't think he'd let me help either." That last part was whispered like a secret, causing a quiet giggle to leave the boy. "Maybe one day I can convince your dad to let us both cook with him, yeah?"

Toby perked up, those light blue eyes sparkling with utter delight at the idea. "Yes, yes, yes! That sounds amazing!" He agreed excitedly, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Can we learn to make spaghetti? That's what he's making me right now, cause it's my favorite."

"Sure thing, kid. I love spaghetti, too." She replied with warmth, before standing back to her full height and dusting off her dress. "Now, I'm going to go bother your dad for a second. How about you set up that new board game Harvey told me about, and we can play a round later. Okay?"

Her hand went to ruffle his head of dark hair, while he grinned happily at the suggestion she made. "Okay!" Already he began to run off down the hall, before pausing to peek around the corner at her, as if remembering something important. "It's a little hard to understand at first, but don't worry, I'll explain it to you!"

She reciprocated the grin he sent her with a sweet, appreciative smile of her own. "Thank you, Toby. That's very nice of you." She responded gratefully, causing his smile to widen more before he bounded off towards his room.

A quiet sigh escaped her, that interaction alone managing to bring a lightness back to her heavy heart. It was odd, how she never thought she'd be fond of children until she found herself around one more often than she expected. Sometimes it made her ponder on what she wanted her future to look like, but that was another topic for another day.

With Toby off in his room, she stepped towards the entrance of the kitchen. As she walked through her eyes immediately spotted Harvey with his back to her, stirring a pot of something on the stove with two other pans next to it, making her stomach rumble from the delicious smell that wafted through the air. Yet it mixed unpleasantly with the way her gut churned at the sight of him, leaving her standing awkwardly in the doorway rather than trying to approach.

Part of her debated going back to Toby and playing with his toys with him – an easy excuse for avoidance – but the dark-haired man must've felt her stare on his back. He went to peek over his shoulder while setting a wooden spoon aside, looked back at the pot, before his head whirled back around just as quickly with furrowed eyebrows.

The (H/c)-haired woman shifted on her feet, a wave of nerves washing over her when not a single word was spoken and he simply just... stared. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of the wide, star-patterened eyes that never left her form, only that it was bringing up that anxious sensation from earlier when she struggled to even remove herself from her car.

When the silence became too much, she finally broke. "God, what's with that look? Did I dress up too much for the occasion?" She groaned, realizing that her fears were being confirmed right before her eyes. "It's stupid, isn't it?"

The man in front of her startled, gaze flying up to her face like he had been snapped out of a daze. "Oh, no! That's not— You look really nice! It's perfect, don't worry about it." Each word left his lips in a rush, only beginning to slow and soften with reassurance at the end. "We are celebrating your graduation, after all. You deserve to look pretty!"

A barely audible sigh left her, an odd sense of relief washing over her at the verbal assurance. She shook it off, instead raising an eyebrow at the wording of his last sentence—the perfect bait to mess with him.

"You saying I don't usually look pretty?"

It took everything in her to keep the smirk off her face when Harvey's expression visibly dropped in panic. If that wasn't funny enough, then the growing flush on his cheeks certainly was, nearly resembling a cherry from what she assumed was pure embarrassment.

"No, no, no! That's not what I meant, Bun! I just mean that you don't usually dress up and since it's a special occasion..." He trailed of with his rambling, eyeing the way her shoulders shook and her face slightly scrunched up with barely contained laughter. "...anddd you're messing with me. Right, of course you are." He rolled his eyes, sending a faux glare her way before returning to stirring the food in his pot.

The laughter she tried to contain broke free, a fit of giggles bursting past her lips. "You should've seen your face. You got so red!" She said after her laughing fit, needing to take a few breaths to calm herself down.

A grumble was all she heard in return, to which she stepped her way over to where Harvey stood. On a clear part of the counter she hoisted herself up, sitting on the edge and setting her purse aside as she eyed the man. Her giddy smile only widened when she saw his own, unable to hide it well behind the fake annoyance he tried to direct at her.

Then her gaze lowered, (E/c) eyes crinkled with amusement when she realized what he was wearing. "Nice apron you got there." She jested while lightly swaying her legs back and forth.

He had a light blue kitchen apron on, stained with a few ingredients from the meal he had prepared tonight. Aside from that, she was more focused on the words printed across the fabric. In a cute light pink font with hearts it read House Husband across the chest, a gift she had gotten him for Christmas as an inside joke to their one conversation.

Harvey hummed, sending her a side glance as his smile shifted into a smirk. "Oh, I don't know... I think it's kinda cheap, bad quality. Might need to get a better one soon." He replied, pretending to look contemplative on the matter despite his grin.

To that, (Y/n) shot him an offended look and pointed her finger towards him. "I'll have you know I paid sixty dollars for that! It is not poorly made." She huffed playfully while crossing her arms over her chest. "Last time I ever get you any sort of gift."

Harvey rolled his eyes, briefly patting her knee as he passed by to grab something. "You already know I love it. It was very thoughtful of you." His tone had turned soft along with his expression, nothing but sincerity in his demeanor.

She hummed, her hand mindlessly raising upwards to fiddle with the accessory looped around her neck. "Yeah, well, so was the necklace you got me." She murmured while watching as he shuffled around the kitchen, grabbing and placing various items.

He paused in his movements, turning his head to stare at her, before perking up like an excited puppy. "You're wearing it! I thought maybe you didn't like it since I've never seen you wear it before." His voice turned slightly sheepish at the end as he walked near her to grab the pot. "It looks lovely on you, Bun."

She could feel a wave of heat rush to her cheeks at the tenderness in his tone, the gleeful and affectionate glimmer in those crystal irises doing little to help. As he walked away she sighed, brushing off the random embarrassment that seemed to overtake her.

"Thanks. So does your apron." She joked with a smirk, all while watching him pour the pot into a strainer in the sink. The sight of what came out had her raising a questioning eyebrow. "Noodles?"

Harvey gave a short hum of confirmation while he poured them back into the pot. "It's for Toby. He's still picky when it comes to food, but he's been trying more things lately." He responded softly, a content smile on his lips while he talked about the boy. "I made us honey garlic chicken and broccoli with some rice. Hopefully that's okay with you?"

While he walked back over to set the pot down, (Y/n) finally took notice of the two pans on the other side of the stove—one with the food he mentioned and the other with the homemade sauce for Toby, who she now recalled told her about his separate meal earlier. Immediately she could feel her mouth water at the sight, now locating where that delicious smell had been coming from since she walked into the kitchen.

She couldn't help but shoot him an incredulous look while he stirred the noodles with some sauce, as if that question didn't even need to be asked. "Star, I think we both know you could put anything on a plate in front of me and it would be gone within seconds." She stated the obvious, earning a quiet chuckle from him.

A comfortable silence settled over the two while Harvey finished up both meals, even offering her a slice or two of garlic bread to munch on once it came out of the oven. They were meant to pair with Toby's meal, but she wouldn't pass up a yummy offering like that—not when she had hardly eaten anything today, a fact that he likely already knew about without even asking.

While she chewed on her second piece, she finally took notice of the missing presence in the house since she had arrived—the reason why she hadn't felt that stomach twisting sense of unease that usually sent her home from how much it affected her.

"Uh, where's Eun-mi? Surprised I haven't seen her yet." She commented slowly, her gaze flickering back towards Harvey as she finished off the piece of bread.

He froze from where he stood, one arm outstretched to grab some plates from the cupboard above. After a second he resumed his task, the ceramic clank of the plates hitting the counter making her wince. She could already tell where this was heading before he even spoke.

"She's still at work." He replied, voice low and bitter, a harsh contrast to the cheerful and playful attitude he had before. "Apparently she had some important meeting she couldn't miss."

(Y/n) frowned, her lips pursing together while she watched him fish out some silverware to place on top of the stack of plates. "Ah, and... how are things between you two?" Her voice was delicate, a gentle invitation for him to spill everything that's been bothering him.

Truthfully, she thought their marriage had been doing better since the last time they spoke. Whenever she hung out with the two of them, they always acted like any normal couple would—close and loving, with those moments of playful banter and quiet understanding. Though, she supposed she was only around them so much, and that couldn't capture what was happening behind closed doors once she left.

There was silence as Harvey stared down at the counter, brows furrowed in thought while his hands rested on either side of the dishes he brought out. Wordlessly (Y/n) stood up, walking over to where he stood so she could grab them. When his eyes widened and his lips parted she merely held up a hand, cutting off any objection before it could leave his mouth and taking the stack of plates and utensils—she didn't comment on how there were only three sets of them.

She could feel his stare on her back the entire time she walked over to the dining table to set up three spots. After she neatly placed everything down, she finally heard him speak, causing her to turn around and meet his gaze that was already settled on her.

Immediately she felt her heart sink, seeing the confusion and hurt that swirled within those crystalline eyes, paired with an apprehension underneath that she knew the feeling of all too well, even if for a different reason.

"Honestly? I don't know anymore." He sighed, a heavy sound that was brimmed with exhaustion. "It feels like she's... avoiding me whenever she can. If she's not at work, then she's out with friends or co-workers, or at her parents house for whatever reason."

Frustration started to seep into his words, paired with a sour expression he couldn't wipe off. "She's also been extremely short with me lately, always blowing up at the smallest thing and storming away." He ran a hand down his face in a stressful motion, eyes flickering to the ground while his eyebrows creased together. "Then there's Toby, who she barely seems to acknowledge anymore, like suddenly she doesn't remember having a kid."

A scoff left him at the end of that sentence, a smile on his face that was entirely bitter at first. Eventually his countenance softened at the edges after a few leveled breaths, yet the frustration and confusion remained as clear as day, forever etched into his pale complexion with that mental tiredness he couldn't seem to shake.

"I... I keep trying to please her and make everything better, but it's like my efforts only make her angrier." Harvey's voice became quieter, a flash of guilt beginning to show in those light blue irises. "It scares me, seeing our marriage fall apart before my eyes... and knowing that no matter how hard I try, I'm just not... good enough for her."

Immediately (Y/n) winced at that, unwilling to let that pass by. She noticed that Harvey had this habit whenever he told her about their problems—he'd vent out his frustrations at first until he slowly began to place the blame on himself, rather than acknowledge the damage Eun-mi's actions had on him.

As much as she adored how altruistic of a man he was, she wasn't willing to listen to him put himself down for the sake of his wife for the umpteenth time.

"Don't you dare say that. Don't ever say that." She interjected, a hardness to her gaze when his own snapped up to meet hers. "All I'm hearing right now is that you're trying everything you can to help, while Eun-mi does nothing about it. To me, it sounds like she doesn't bother trying to communicate with you anymore about what's bothering her, which isn't going to fix anything, either."

"No, she really doesn't." Harvey gave a dull hum in agreement, leaning his back against the counter while his gaze sunk downwards once more. "It's like she shuts down after coming home from work, or when it's her days off all she can focus on is work. It's like... like Toby and I don't even exist anymore in her world, and when she finally sees us, we shouldn't be there... like we're some kind of mistake she made and she's finally realizing it..."

There was a barely noticeable crack in his voice from that last sentence, the small break in his words tearing at her heart. She'd seen him emotional before when they had these kind of conversations, but never to the point where he sounded so torn up and on edge, as if he knew that was the hard, cold truth and there was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable. It hurt to see him this way, to see the once cheerful, enthusiastic and compassionate soul be reduced to such a despondent state.

Seeing him in such a way – and also recalling all their previous talks beforehand – made her truly wonder if this relationship was even salvageable. It wasn't her place... yet she felt like it was worth bringing up.

"Star, I don't want to push too far on this topic since it's not my place to say..." She began to speak hesitantly, ensuring her voice was calm and gentle so her words would hopefully land easier. "But are you sure this is working out? I get you've been together for nine years, but with everything that's happening maybe you should think about—"

"No."

(Y/n) felt herself physically recoil at the abruptness of his response, blinking a couple of times in disbelief as her mouth hung open. She awkwardly pushed her lips together after being interrupted, tilting her head in an attempt to meet Harvey's gaze, to no avail as it remained locked on the kitchen tiles.

A low, shuddered breath left his lips, before he started to speak. "No, absolutely not. Everything will be fine, it's only a rough patch between us. Eun-mi needs some space, and I need to be more respectful of that." He murmured, his words as tense as the rest of his body was, like a rubber band ready to snap after being pulled too tight.

Her lips pursed, pulling a face that was simultaneously incredulous and concerned. "You're deflecting." She said bluntly, pointing out the obvious first. "Why do you always go back to what she needs? What about you? A relationship goes both ways, y'know?" She continued on, her voice raising slightly due to her own frustration.

A quiet laugh left him, hushed and lacking any humor. "What do you know about relationships? Last I checked, you're the last person who knows how to commit to one." There was no malice to his tone when he mumbled that, only a blandness like he was stating a fact—that arguably made it worse, in her eyes.

For a minute all she could do was stand there and stare. Those words were like a knife to the heart, a personal attack that was aimed at one of her biggest insecurities. He knew how she felt on that topic, had heard her spill her guts multiple times about how hopeless it all felt—an ammunition she had unknowingly provided since she would've never expected him to take that kind of shot at her.

She did her best to swallow down the lump in her throat, a dryness forming there while her eyes began to sting at the edges. "Wow, okay..." That was all she could croak out at first, too speechless to know how to respond. "...guess I'll celebrate on my own, then. Have a nice night, Harvey." She finally managed to get that out, barely above a whisper since she couldn't attempt anything louder in fear of her voice breaking.

Without another word she turned on her heel and headed towards the kitchen archway, quickly making a beeline for the front door. Except she paused in her footsteps, realizing she had left her purse back on the counter and would have to retrieve it. Honestly, she debated simply leaving for tonight and letting him bring it to her tomorrow.

With her mind made up, she continued towards the front entrance of the house, wanting nothing more than to dissappear in that moment. As soon as her hand brushed against her door handle, she felt a grip around her other wrist—firm enough to keep her still, yet light enough to let her pull away if she wanted to.

She barely turned her head, enough to cast at glance at who she already knew was behind her. While her gaze remained guarded, those crystalline eyes were filled to the brim with pure guilt and self-reproach, the rest of his expression twisted with regret.

Overall, he looked like a sad puppy after being scolded for something they did wrong, and she hated how the sight alone already began to ease the ache in her chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I don't know why I said that. I shouldn't of... you didn't deserve that, I'm sorry." The apologies left his mouth in a clusmy tumble, clearly desperate to fix his hurtful mistake. "I didn't mean it, I was just upset and I... I took it out on you, when you were only trying to help. I'm sorry, Bun..."

His words hung in the air for a while as she simply stared back at him, debating whether or not to cave into his pleading. It was genuine, there was never a doubt in her mind about that when it came to Harvey, but that didn't mean those words didn't leave behind a figmental wound that wouldn't heal anytime soon.

As if he could read the emotions that were swirling around inside her head, his face dropped, disappointed but accepting. "I understand if you want to leave. But at least let me pack you some of the food to-go, please?" He murmured with a strained smile, slowly letting go of her wrist. "You also left your purse behind, so I grabbed it for you—"

Once she turned around fully, she ignored his other outstretched hand where her purse straps dangled off his fingers. Instead she stepped forward, body acting before her mind as she closed the distance between them, her arms wrapping around his waist and head finding a comfortable resting spot upon his shoulder.

At first Harvey froze, his entire body tensing up while his arms hovered uncertainly to the sides. It didn't take long for him to relax though, one of his arms gently curling around her waist while his other hand went to soothingly rub along her upper back.

(Y/n) felt herself melt into the embrace, desperately trying to use his reassurance to rid of the constant noise going on inside her head. The smell of strawberries and vanilla invaded her senses, allowing her to relax more and almost making her laugh and cry at the same time. Of course that's what he smelled like, a hauntingly sweet reminder of that image that always flashed in her mind that was painfully bright and pink, like the scent.

Unknowingly she began to shake in his arms, to which she felt his head lightly rest against her own. "Is... is this an 'I forgive you,' hug?" He asked softly, hesitation and worry both prominent in his tone. "Or a distraction so you can try to kill me?" There was an attempt at playfulness there, yet the amount of concern coating his voice didn't really pass it as such.

She heaved out a breath, trying to calm down the wave of emotions that was making her stomach nauseous. "The first one. I'd never kill my food supply." She mumbled back, also unable to properly express humor with how overwhelmed she felt. "You're still a jerk for that, though."

A sigh left him, his hand continuing to trace comforting patterns on her back. "I know, I know. I really am sorry, Bun. I don't know what came over me." He murmured with remorse, sounding more than ashamed of his actions. "I do appreciate your concern and wanting to help, I just... I think I need to figure this out on my own."

Gently she pulled away, far enough to where she could make out his facial features. "If you only want me to be there to listen, that's perfectly fine. Whatever helps you most, I'm happy with it." She reassured him, wanting him to know she was there for support no matter what.

Even then, she knew it'd be difficult to comply to that request. If that conversation was anything to go by, she had an inkling of a feeling that it wasn't going to improve anytime soon—that subtle churning in her gut reminded her that it could also be much worse than just that.

She pushed it aside for now.

Harvey smiled down at her, the energy from before flowing right back into him as he perked up. "Thank you. I'm very lucky to have you as a friend." He replied gratefully, giving a gentle pat to her back before he stepped away from their hug. "Now, how about we have some food? I can make you something for dessert afterwards, too."

She squinted her eyes, taking in the way his grin turned sheepish—a telltale sign he still felt awful. "You don't have to do that..." She trailed off, seeing the way he was staring at her and realizing it was a losing battle to argue. "But I suppose I'll let you anyway or else the guilt will eat you alive."

The man in front of her lit up at her reluctant agreement, to which she rolled her eyes and failed to stifle the growing smile on her lips. Just like that she could feel that swarm of emotions trickling away, the radiating warmth of his personality managing to keep away the cold dread that often consumed her, like he always did.

The purse he once held was carefully set onto the nearby sofa table, that beam on his countenance never faltering. "You know me so well." He cooed teasingly as he walked back to the kitchen.

(Y/n) trailed after him, shaking her head with a soft smile. "Whatever. Should I grab Toby since the food is all done?" She asked, glancing around at the set table and the food resting on the stove.

Before Harvey could reply, someone else did for him. "I'm already here!" Toby chirped, popping up beside the (H/c)-haired woman as he beamed at the two. "I could smell the sauce for my noodles! It smells yummy." He commented while already rushing towards the table.

His dad couldn't help but laugh at that. "You could smell the sauce, huh?" He asked, more so to himself as he shook his head. "Well, you can only have some once you try a piece of the other food, okay?"

Toby, who was seating himself in one of the chairs, let out an exaggerated groan. "Whyyy? I don't want that stuff, I want spaghetti!" He whined, pouting towards his dad's back while he was transferring the meals into proper dishes to place on the table.

(Y/n) went to take a seat beside the boy, trying to compromise with him. "Just one piece, then you can have spaghetti. You never know if you might like something new if you don't try it. Do you think I'd eat everything your dad makes if I didn't like it?"

Toby hummed, his face scrunching up as if he were contemplating what she said. "No, I guess not. Is it really that good?" He asked curiously, the nod he got in return making him perk up. "Okay, I'll try some!"

A teasing smirk tugged on her lips at what she was about to ask him next. "Even the broccoli?"

The immediate disgust that took over Toby's face made her laugh. "There's broccoli? Ew, no way!"

She could hear Harvey's laughter as well while he carried the two dishes out to the table. "You have to eat more vegetables, bud. They're good for you."

"But they're nasty! Who wants to eat something that doesn't taste good?" Toby complained while throwing his hands up in the air dramatically.

She rose an eyebrow at that and sent a pointed look towards Harvey. "He kind of has a point."

The way his head snapped up in disbelief made her burst into laughter. "Wha– No, he doesn't! Don't encourage him!"