Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Illuga was never the type to download dating apps. 

Not because he was above them and not because he had some moral stance against them. 

It just…wasn’t necessary. 

His life didn’t leave much room for it, anyway. He works, sleeps, then works again. And the occasional night where the dead were quieter than the living.

“Tell me you’re not still doing that thing where you ignore your phone on purpose.” 

Illuga didn’t look up as he adjusted the flashlight on his belt. He nearly rolled his eyes in annoyance and almost didn’t respond. “I’m not ignoring it.” 

From a few steps behind him, Flins sighed heavily. “You’re definitely ignoring it.” 

“I check it when it matters, Flins.” 

“That’s not how phones work.”

Illuga finally turned around, a hand on his hip. He scowled at the taller man, raising an eyebrow and puckering his lips. Flins was leaning against the maintenance shed, his arms crossed, and looking entirely too relaxed for a man who insisted he was older than he looked—and entirely too invested in Illuga’s personal life. His pale skin gleamed in the flashlight's light, his soulless yellow eyes reflecting it. He smiled softly at the shorter man. 

“I don’t see the problem with my gentle prodding.” 

“You’re never going to let this go, huh?” Illuga approached his friend and leaned against the shed as well. His purple eyes scanned the ground, looking at the tombs with names that were worn by time. Flins looked down at him, humming. 

“There is a difference between choosing solitude and letting it become the only thing that feels safe.”

Illuga puckered his lips again. “I never said that…” 

“No,” Flins agreed. “You don’t usually say what you mean out loud.”

That made Illuga glance up at him. Flins was still smiling at him, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Something thoughtful lingered there instead, like he was reading a book Illuga hadn’t agreed to open. Damn that man and his perspective personality…

Illuga turned his gaze forward again. “You’re thinking too much.” 

“Heh…” Flins nodded. “I’m always thinking too much, my friend. It’s one of my charming qualities.”

“Yeah. And my aunt is a fish.” Illuga pushed himself up with a snort that might have been amusement if it lasted longer. “I’m more capable of believing pigs will fly than you being charming.” 

“Ouch.” Flins puts a hand over his chest, pushing himself up as well. “Your mouth does not hold back, does it?”

“Never to you.” It was Illuga’s time to smile as he closed his eyes. Together, they began walking in silence once more, patrolling the graveyard where they work. 

“You should get out more,” Flins eventually said. 

Illuga stopped. “I’m not doing that.”

“I didn’t say you have to. I said you should.” 

“...” Illuga continued walking again. 

“Look,” Flins said again. “I’m not trying to fix you or anything. I’m just saying…someone like you should be out and about, exploring not only yourself, but Teyvat as a whole. There are many things you have yet to experience, and here you are working at a graveyard.”

“Well…I like it!” Illuga said proudly. “It’s calm and peaceful. I like the silence and watching over people who can no longer watch themselves.”

Flins didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his gaze drifted to one of the older graves nearby. 

“I wonder…” He said quietly. “If the people you’re watching over would want you to stay here because you like it…or because it’s easier than going anywhere else.”

Illuga bit his bottom lip, his cheeks flushing pink. “That’s not—”

Flins held up a hand. “I am not accusing you,” He interrupted, apologetic. “I’m just asking…” 

Illuga looked away first. “...It’s not like that.”

“It’s just something I noticed,” Flins added with a smirk. “People who stop wanting things usually aren’t at peace.”

Illuga frowned. For a moment, the graveyard felt louder than it was. His eyes glared at Flins as he straightened up, feeling angry at his words. He let out a short laugh, sharp and humorless. “Oh…that’s easy for you to say.” 

Flins’s smirk vanished. “Illuga—”

“You don’t know anything about me,” Illuga cut in, voice tighter now. “I don’t need your advice. I’m done with this conversation.” He turned away, his shoes stomping against the grass as he walked faster, leaving Flins behind among the headstones and stone markers. He grabbed his flashlight from his belt, forcing his hand to hold it steady. Flins was always a hit or miss when it came to conversations. He always made things more personal than they should have been, making it awkward for any other conversation starters to come up. The others found him weird, but Illuga genuinely likes his company.

He just says the wrong things sometimes. 

Flins didn’t follow him, and Illuga kind of hated how grateful he was for it. People here understood permanence, and unlike him…

Illuga shook his head as those dark memories came pushing back at the slightest hint of frustration. 

He pressed on, ignoring the painful screams in the back of his head. 

______________

The last rounds were finished exactly at seven pm. There was nothing out of place, and nothing disturbing happened. Nothing to report. Just another quiet night. 

Illuga prefers it that way.

He returned to the small station near the cemetery gates, peeling off his gloves as he walked. He sighed softly to himself, welcoming the warm air as he entered. It was still warm, even with the heater off. Inside, a couple of coworkers were already getting ready to clock in for the next shift. 

“Hey, Illuga! One of them greeted, raising a hand with a grin. 

“Evening,” Illuga replied with a single nod. “Oh, I mean…morning.”

“You got the usual ghost tour last night?” Another person teased.

“Oh, ha, ha,” Illuga shrugged as he shook his head with a smile. “But no. No tourists…just me and the dead.” 

“That sounds like a slogan.”

“Or a heavy metal band name.”

“It wouldn’t be a bad name,” Illuga nodded, finding his phrase more pleasant to think about if it were a band name. A few scattered laughs followed. Illuga didn’t add much to the conversation, just nodding at the right times and adding in one-liners if prompted. He checked his gear, signed out the logbook, and felt that familiar satisfaction settle in his chest. He always felt good after clocking out for the day. 

The door behind them opened again, and the temperature shifted slightly. Flins stepped inside, his boots hitting the floor with two soft thuds. He looked the same way as always. Composed and neat. 

“Ah,” one of the coworkers said, giving the tall man a nod. “Flins. You’re here earlier than expected. Thought you’d be talking to ghosts.” 

Flins smiled politely. “I prefer to be punctual. It gives the early morning a sense of order.”

“That’s…that’s one way to put it.” 

A few awkward murmurs danced around as Illuga didn’t bother turning around to face Flins. He put the strap over his head to his bag and cleared his throat.

“So, Flins!” Another coworker said a little too loudly. “You ever get creeped out working here?” 

Flins blinked slowly, considering his words and how honest he was allowed to be. He eventually answered. “I find it…reflective.” He said at last. 

“That…doesn’t answer the question,” The coworker said with a sweatdrop on his face. 

Flins smiled even more. “It does, actually. You just didn’t like my answer.” 

The conversation faltered almost immediately at that. Illuga exhaled through his nose. Classic Flins. Doesn’t take long for him to make things tense. Finally, he turned slightly just enough to acknowledge the older man. 

Flins’s gaze met his for a brief moment. He opened his mouth to say something, but Illuga beat him to it, already walking to the door. “I’m heading out.”

Flins just inclined his head. “Rest well.” 

Illuga hesitated for half a second longer. “...yeah…you too.” 

He leaves the building, stepping out into the morning air and breathing in the fresh air. He let the door close firmly behind him.

Shift officially over. 

_______

Even if Illuga could afford a car, he wasn’t sure if he’d want to drive one. Driving meant silence where you couldn’t step out of when it got too heavy. But walking meant movement and direction. An excuse to keep moving forward even when the mind didn’t.

The streets near the cemetery were quieter than most parts of the city. There were fewer lights and fewer voices from people who were out and about during the early morning. Most people would assume it was about the peace when it came to walking, but that was far from the truth. While in some way it was about peace, it was mostly about control. If he kept moving, he didn’t have to think too long. He didn’t have to confront that dark shadow that is constantly following him, lurking when the time is right, and he’s in a dark place mentally. 

A bus passed in the distance, turning a corner and disappearing. As he continued walking, he soon was in the busy part of the city. Light spilled from shop windows and from the sun itself, overlapping pools of gold and white. Voices layered over each other in passing conversations. The life of an average boy who works at a cemetery bleeds down as he adjusts the strap of his bag. 

Nod Krai has always been his home for as long as he can remember. His family even originated from there, and not once had anyone considered moving out. Illuga loves it, having no thought of moving out to explore. There was no point. All of his family history is here, and he wants to keep it that way. 

Illuga followed the familiar path down the block until he reached the small cafe tucked between two storefronts. He half-smiled to himself, adjusting his pace so he could walk a little faster to get inside. The bell rang from above as he entered. Warm air hit him immediately—coffee, sugar, and something roasting as well. He breathed in the smell, his body already relaxing in the comfortable place. From time to time, Illuga likes to indulge himself with coffee. It may be overpriced, but it’s still delicious and adds that nice feeling in his chest whenever he’s about to sleep.

Behind the counter was a bubbly girl with blonde hair and bright eyes. She was leaning over the counter, hands moving as she worked with so much energy it could power an entire building. Illuga watched while shaking his head, never getting bored of watching his friend talk a customer’s ear off.

“...And I’m telling you, if you add cinnamon to that, it changes your whole life! I swear!” She said with the most earnest expression. The customer on the other side of the counter looked unconvinced, just wanting to get their coffee and leave. It seems the girl wasn’t making it easy for them…but then, the blonde girl shifted her head over, spotting Illuga. 

“Oh! Illuga!” The way she said his name always sounded as if it came with an exclamation point attached. She quickly finished the drink she was working on and gave it to the customer, who shuffled away. Illuga approached the counter, giving her a nod. 

“Yoimiya. Glad to see you’re as chipper as always.” 

“You’re pretty early today, Illuga! How was your shift?” Yoimiya asked. 

“Oh, you know. Quiet as always.” 

Yoimiya laughed, bright and easy, then gestured toward the register. “Same thing as always?”

Illuga nodded. “Yeah.” He was already pulling out his card as she pressed a few things on the register. “You look more tired than usual. Long shift?”

“Nah…just a normal one.” He swiped his card into the machine, watching it process before beeping. 

“Mm…I think that means it was long.” 

Illuga didn’t argue with her. There was no point. It was like arguing with a stubborn brick wall. As he put his card away, Illuga took out his phone, but didn’t turn it on right away. “How’s your dad?” He decided to ask.

“My dad?” Yoimiya repeats as she begins fixing his drink. She was the only one behind the counter, but she didn’t seem to mind. “He’s good! Next week I’m going to take him to get those new hearing aids! Our insurance is approved, so I’m excited about that!” She hummed excitedly. 

“Hey, that’s great!” Illuga beamed. “I’m happy for you!” 

“Hehe, thanks!” Yoimiya giggled. 

As she finished preparing his drink with ease, Illuga looked around the cafe with interest. It was quiet for a moment until Yoimiya perked up suddenly. “That reminds me!” 

Illuga looked at her. “What does?” 

“I saw this new dating app ad earlier when getting ready.”

Illuga blinked at her. “...And why does that remind you of me?” 

“Because you’re single.” 

Illuga deadpanned. “That doesn’t answer my question.” 

Yoimiya giggled again. “Well, it kind of does!”

Illuga sighed under his breath. “It’s always this, huh? I can never escape it.” 

“Escape what?”

“People bringing up my dating life like it’s a public concern.” He pouted his lips. 

Yoimiya placed his drink on the counter and leaned forward on her elbows. “It kind of is.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

“No…it’s really not.” 

“But it is!” The blonde complained. “It is if your friends all agree you need to go outside more! And working outside doesn’t count! It’s not fair! You’re annoyingly attractive, and you aren’t using your face to get a date!”

“That’s not a real problem.” Illuga pointed out with a sweatdrop on his cheek. 

“It is in my world! And you’re just letting it go to waste.” 

“I am not ‘letting it go to waste.’” The male air quoted. 

“Then what are you doing?”

Illuga looked away. “Living.” 

Yoimiya squinted her eyes at him, not accepting that as a valid answer. “Okay! New rule! You’re downloading the app!”

“Uh…what?” He looked at her. “I am not downloading it!” 

“You are! As per our friendship, I cannot see a fellow friend live his life like a sad sack of potatoes!”

“What??”

Before Yoimiya could respond, a voice from behind Illuga cut in in a gruff tone. 

“Oi.”

Illuga turned slightly to see a large man staring at him with an unimpressed expression. “If you’re gonna stand there getting grilled, can you at least download that damn app so I can get my coffee?”

Yoimiya gasped dramatically. “Rude!” 

The man didn’t even look at her. 

Illuga exhaled slowly, finding no way out of this. There was no way he was going to be forced to download this dating app to appease two people at once. But…he didn’t want to cause any trouble…or any more trouble.

“Fine,” He turned on his phone, groaning in his throat. “I’ll download it.” 

Yoimiya clapped her hands excitedly, squealing. “Great!” 

The man nodded once, satisfied. 

The blonde pointed at the man, grinning madly. “Community support!” 

“This isn’t support,” Illuga shook his head while downloading some random dating app. “This is coercion.” 

“No, no! It’s called character development! What’s that saying go? Killing two birds with one stone!” 

“No…just…no,” Illuga admitted defeat, grabbing his coffee in the most peaceful way possible. “I’ll check it out later, okay?” 

Yoimiya nodded. “That’s all I wanted. I want to see my friend happy.” 

Turning around and side-stepping the large man, he made his way to the door, hearing Yoimiya getting started on his order. For some reason, he couldn’t quite name…

The world felt like it had just nudged him one step off his usual path.

____________

 By the time Illuga reached home, the streets had grown noticeably quieter. The sight of the small house waiting for him at the end of the road brought him an immediate sense of relief. It wasn’t much, but it was his. 

The paint along the porch had begun to peel in places. One of the shutters sat slightly crooked despite Illuga fixing it twice. The roof had needed repairs more than once over the years, but hey…it’s still his. Or at least, as close to his as anything could be. 

The house had belonged to his family once, but now it belonged to him. 

Illuga took out his key and unlocked the door with a tired sigh. He closed the door with his foot as he walked inside, smelling the old wood. Home…such a strange word for him. Before he could even finish setting his bag down, a cheerful chirp echoed through the small living room. The male smiled, perking up. “There you are…” 

The cage near the window rattled slightly as its occupant hopped excitedly between perches. Aedon.

Three years ago, Illuga had found the nightingale lying in a ditch during a storm. Poor little Aedon was soaked and injured. He was barely moving, let alone breathing. Instead of taking him to a shelter, Illuga decided to take him home and nurse him back to health. The bird had recovered with a clean bill of health, and then stubbornly refused to leave. Illuga understood that feeling better than he cared to admit, because he didn’t want to let Aedon go, either. They became inseparable, and life had been good. 

Illuga approached the cage and opened the door. Aedon chirped again and hopped on his awaiting finger. “Demanding as ever, huh?” 

Aedon chirped in response.

“I was gone for one shift.” 

Another chirp.

“Fine. A long shift.” He used his finger to pet his head, and Aedon forgave him. Illuga chuckled and carried him toward the worn couch. The exhaustion settled over him the moment he sat down. His muscles ached, and his eyelids felt heavier than usual. And unfortunately, his brain had decided now was the perfect time to replay every conversation he had that day/night. It was only two interactions, but they were still…impactful. 

Flins…Yoimiya…

Dating apps. Relationships. Meeting new people. Why was everyone suddenly obsessed with his love life?

Illuga leaned back into the couch, kicking off his shoes. Aedon flapped to his shoulder, getting comfortable. 

“I don’t get it,” The human mumbled. 

Aedon tilted his head. 

“They all act like I’m missing out on something.” 

Aedon blinked. 

“I’ve got a house.”

Chirp.

“A job I like.”

Chirp.

“You.”

Aedon chirped twice in a row and puffed up proudly. 

Illuga laughed. “See? That’s what I thought.”

The nightingale answered with an enthusiastic trill. 

“Exactly.”

The man reached up and gently stroked the feathers along Aedon’s neck. The bird trilled again, chirping softly. It was simple and trusting with no expectations. No complicated conversations. No awkward attempts to set him up with strangers. Just the two of them…

“I don’t need anyone else.” 

Aedon chirped, and for a moment, Illuga chose to interpret that as agreement. He took out his phone from his pocket and unlocked it. There, he sees the awaiting dating app staring at him. He clicked on it, and Aedon made a chirping judgmental sound. Illuga shook his head. 

“Hey, now. I’m just checking it out. I promised Yoimiya I’d check it out.”

After making a profile and choosing a picture of him and Aedon as his profile picture, Illuga stared at his screen. It was now asking for his sexuality. Nothing worth getting excited over, but he’s bisexual with a preference for men. 

He stared at the screen more, then at Aedon. 

“This…” He squinted his eyes. “This is ridiculous.” 

Aedon chirped in agreement.

“Thank you.” 

The app began to load potential men who could interest him in the romance department. 

Arataki Itto — 27

Self-proclaimed entrepreneur. Gym enthusiast. Future millionaire.

Illuga stared at it for three seconds. 

Swipe.

The next profile appeared.

Diluc Ragnvindr —- 28

Winery Owner.

Early riser. Responsible. Financially stable.

Swipe. Illuga wasn’t really interested in redheads. But he is attractive.

My ideal date involves skydiving.

Swipe.

I’m into guys who are—

Swipe. Not even gonna finish that.

Illuga kept swiping at the different profiles, finding fewer and fewer of them interesting by the minute. Some seemed obsessed with money, and others treated the app like an advertisement for themselves. A surprising number appeared to believe shirtless mirror photos were a substitute for a personality. Illuga wasn’t convinced at all. 

“People actually do this?” He asked in disbelief to his bird friend. 

Aedon chirped. 

“I know…” 

He kept on swiping for another good five minutes. His thumb was beginning to hurt, and the excitement Yoimiya had tried so desperately to instill in him had long since evaporated. Maybe this was the universe’s way of proving he was right all along. Dating apps were boring and pointless. Why should an app determine his compatibility with someone else? 

Just a waste of—

The next profile appeared, and Illuga’s thumb stopped. He stared at the screen.

Lohen — 25

The profile picture wasn’t particularly extravagant. There was no expensive car, no dramatic pose, and no attempt to show off. Instead, the man sat under a tree, a book resting in his lap. His short, fluffy green hair was slightly windswept, and there was something relaxed about the small smile on his face. For some reason…

It felt…normal.

Illuga frowned even more, sitting up. His eyes shifted lower to look at his occupation. 

Archivist. 

Interests: Reading, history, boxing, and old stories. 

“I think everyone has a story worth listening to.” 

That was in his bio…

Illuga stared at the sentence again. Aedon hopped onto his arm and peered down at the screen, chirping. He looked up at Illuga, tilting his head. 

“I know…” The human mumbled. Nothing stood out about this Lohen fella. In fact, it was almost painfully ordinary. Perhaps because it didn’t feel like Lohen was trying to sell himself. 

There were a few more pictures. One showed him standing beside a river, and another showed him smiling awkwardly at the camera while holding a cup of beer and leaning close to a fairly large man with blonde hair. They appeared to be drunk. The last picture was Lohen looking down at something he was holding to be a burnt pastry. It made Illuga snort and shake his head. 

“Liar. No one smiles like that after burning food…”

Aedon chirped. 

For a moment, Illuga found himself lingering longer than he had with anyone else. The realization made him blink as he leaned back. “Huh…” His thumb hovered over the screen before swiping right, before he could think too hard about it. The app immediately exploded with bright colors.

It’s a Match!

He was taken to a chat where he and Lohen were now messaging one-on-one. The cursor blinked at him expectantly. 

Wait…what exactly was he supposed to say?

A few seconds of deliberation, he finally typed:

Illuga: Hello.

Bah. No way. That’s way too simple.

Aedon chirped at him, and Illuga ran a hand through his hair.

Another second later, a message bubble popped up from Lohen’s side of the chat. 

Lohen: Hello. That’s a surprisingly formal greeting for a dating app, hmm? 

Illuga blinked, not expecting a message so fast. 

Illuga: sorry. I don’t usually use these. 

Three dots appeared almost immediately. Then disappeared. Then appeared. 

The man seemed to be thinking…

Lohen: First day?

Illuga: Is it obvious?

Lohen: Heh. A little. : P

Illuga found himself smiling despite himself. Just slightly, though. The conversation wasn’t anything special.

The three dots appeared again as Lohen was typing another message. Illuga waited, and waited, growing a little bored with playing the waiting game.

The exhaustion he’d been successfully ignoring suddenly crashed into him all at once. That coffee didn’t do jack shit to boost his adrenaline. It usually isn’t like this, but for some reason, he was more tired than usual. His eyelids felt heavy, and the warmth of his home didn’t help. Neither did the nightingale currently settling against his side. 

Aedon fluffed his feathers and tucked his head under a wing.

Traitor.

“I’m not sleeping…” Illuga muttered while adjusting himself on the couch. Aedon chirped sleepily, sighing. But for Illuga, he really wasn’t going to. All he needed was a minute, that’s all. Just a short nap…then he’d get up and maybe start on some chores and check that message he’s waiting for. 

His phone remained loosely held in his hand as he shut his eyes. A minute became two, then it became five. 

Finally, the phone vibrated as a new message popped up.

Lohen: Night shift?

The message sat unanswered as the screen dimmed. Aedon shifted closer to his owner, and Illuga mumbled something in his sleep. And across the city, somewhere beyond Illuga’s awareness, Lohen waited for a reply that wouldn’t come until much later.

Chapter Text

The first thing Illuga became aware of was how bright it was outside since the curtains were open. He slowly opened his eyes and squinted. The next thing he noticed was a tiny trilling sound coming from his stomach. 

Blinking a couple of times, Illuga realized it was only Aedon staring at him with those beady brown eyes. He stared back before smiling. “Hey…” He croaked, his voice cracking.

Aedon chirped. 

“Don’t look at me like that…” 

Another chirp.

Illuga rolled his eyes before pushing himself upright. He instantly regretted it as his neck and back ached in protest. He groaned softly, rubbing the back of his neck and then stretching his arms over his head. His work clothes felt wrinkled, stiff, and unpleasant after sleeping in them for several hours. As the sunlight streamed through the living room window, he saw the floating dust particles in the air. The sight made him frown. 

“When did it get so bright?” 

Aedon hopped onto his shoulder, tilting his head left and right.

The clock on the wall answered for him. “And I slept for that long?” It was half past noon.

Aedon chirped as Illuga narrowed his eyes. “You could’ve woken me up.” 

The bird simply puffed out his feathers. 

“Right. My mistake. Expecting responsibility from someone who eats newspaper when I’m not looking. Don’t think I don’t see you.”

Aedon let out an offended trill, and Illuga chuckled. “Okay…sorry.” The human stood up, stretching until several joints popped. His eyes scanned around his house, noticing the little things he hadn’t noticed before. 

The dust layer on the bookshelf…the dishes sitting in the sink…the uneven stack of books near the coffee table…nothing was particularly dirty, but it wasn’t messy either. Yet, it still bothered him.

“I should clean,” Illuga decided out loud while softly hitting his fist into his hand.

Aedon chirped in response, to which Illuga deadpanned. “Don’t give me that look.”

Another chirp.

“I know I said that last week.”

The bird’s judgment was palpable as Illuga sighed dramatically. “Fine. After I shower. Then I’ll make us something to eat, okay?” 

That earned a much more approving sound. 

“Heh…” Illuga grabbed Aedon and put him on his finger. “You’re very demanding for someone who contributes nothing to this household.” He looked down to see that his phone had dropped on the floor. As Aedon flew away to rest inside his cage, Illuga’s eyebrows rose slightly as he turned it out. 

Right…the dating app. 

For a moment, he’d completely forgotten it existed. He had forgotten about Yoimiya’s relentless insistence, Flins's not-useful advice, and…

Crap. Lohen.

He was met with several notifications waiting for him. He almost hesitated, but clicked on the messages on the homescreen, opening up the chat to see a small stream of messages.

Lohen: Night shift?

Lohen: Sorry if that was personal

Lohen: You don’t have to answer if you’d rather not. 

The chat read that an hour had passed before Lohen texted again.

Lohen: Though I’m starting to think you fell asleep~

Lohen: If that’s the case, I hope you’re resting well :) 

Illuga blinked, rereading the messages. They weren’t remarkable in any case. If anything, they were normal. Not like he was expecting anything crazy. There were no complaints, no guilt-tripping, and no demanding a response. Waiting patiently where he’d left it. 

Aedon chirped from inside his cage, staring at his human companion. 

Illuga eventually exhaled through his nose. “I know…” 

Part of him wanted to put the phone away and pretend he’d never downloaded the app. That seemed to be simpler and safer, but at the same time, he didn’t want to be rude…

With thumbs dashing across the screen quickly, Illuga typed out his message.

Illuga: Yeah. I fell asleep. Sorry.

That seemed to do the trick. But Lohen’s response was immediate. 

Lohen: Ah. So I was right.

Illuga: About what?

Lohen: Falling asleep.

Lohen: I considered several other possibilities hehe

Illuga: Such as…?

Lohen: Being abducted of course ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

Lohen: Or falling into a hole…

Lohen: Or secretly being a fugitive on the run

Illuga snorted before he could stop it. He stood in the middle of his living room, staring down at his screen.

Lohen: Though judging your profile, you don’t seem like the fugitive type~

Illuga: Judging by my profile?

Lohen: You have a bird. A cute one at that.

Illuga glanced at Aedon, who puffed his feathers proudly as if he could read the messages from where he was. Sneaky little shit...

Illuga: That’s Aedon.

Lohen: Aedon?

Illuga: My nightingale.

There was a brief pause that was long enough for Illuga to think that the conversation was over. As he goes to turn off his phone to start cleaning, Lohen had sent another message.

Lohen: That’s actually a pretty cute name.

While it wasn’t a direct compliment to him, Illuga still felt himself blush. 

Lohen: How long have you had the little guy?

Without really meaning to, Illuga answered. Then another question came. Then another, and another. It was nothing invasive, but genuine questions. Before he realized it, nearly twenty minutes had passed. Twenty minutes he’d originally intended to spend cleaning and showering. Yet the dishes were still in the sink, the dust still sat there listlessly, and the laundry remained unfolded. And somehow he was sitting on his couch talking to a stranger about his pet bird.  This Lohen guy is really nice! Illuga found himself smiling more than he liked, but strangely, he didn’t want to stop. For the first time in a long time, he felt…

An hour had passed in a flash. Illuga really did need to take a shower and clean up. The conversation shifted from Aedon to work. Then work to hobbies, to favorite foods, and then somehow whether cereal counted as soup. Illuga wasn’t entirely sure how they’d ended up there, but he didn’t mind one bit. The only thing he was certain of was that the sunlight coming through the window had noticeably shifted. He looked around, then sniffed at his sleeve, making a sour expression.

Definitely shower now. No questions asked. 

His phone vibrated as he turned it off for a moment. He opened it back up to the messages.

Lohen: You disappeared.

Illuga rolled his eyes.

Illuga: I’ve been replying this entire time y’know

Lohen: Fair. But your response time increased by 2.3 seconds. 

Illuga: …

Illuga: You measured it?

Lohen: No…

Lohen: Maybe…

A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of Illuga’s mouth. 

Illuga: I need to go.

The response came immediately. 

Lohen: Already?

Illuga slowly glanced toward the hallway. The shower wasn’t going to take itself. Neither was the cleaning, unfortunately. 

Illuga: I slept in my work clothes.

Lohen: That’s a crime oml 

Illuga: ikr

Lohen: Go shower. Maybe send a pic when you’re done (꒪ᗜ꒪;)

Illuga: Wow. Not even a full day, and you’re asking for a dick pic

Lohen: Wow. Those words DID NOT come out of my mouth…or…I didn’t text that.

Lohen: You’re the weirdo for actually thinking that.

Lohen: (｡ᵕ ◞ _◟)

Illuga: Sry sry…

Lohen: But seriously. Go take that shower.

Illuga: I’ll text later.

For a moment, the typing indicator appeared and disappeared. It appeared again, then disappeared, before Lohen finally sent the text.

Lohen: I look forward to it.

Illuga finally turned off his phone and stood from the couch, finding himself strangely pleased. Someone was looking forward to hearing from him. It was a ridiculous thing to feel happy about.

And yet…

The smile remained on his face all the way to the bathroom.

_______

Getting out of the shower always made Illuga feel refreshed. At the very least, he no longer felt like he’d spent the night sleeping in his work clothes. And Aedon certainly seemed happier as the nightingale had returned to his cage and was currently asleep on his perch, feathers puffed up and head tucked under a wing.

Illuga began to busy himself by resigning himself to cleaning. He folded the laundry, dealt with the dishes, and dusted the shelves. He’d even put some food for Aedon as a little snack if the bird ever decided to wake up. 

All that remained was the bookshelf by the TV. Which, unfortunately, looked like it hadn’t been organized in months. 

Humming, Illuga approached it with a hand under his chin. He pulled out several books from one of the shelves and began dusting behind them. Most of the titles were familiar. History books of Nod Krai, mystery novels, and a few field guides. Nothing unusual. 

He took out the last book at the end of the shelf until something slipped free to the ground. Illuga paused and bent down to pick it up. It was a small photograph that had managed to escape the book it was hidden in. The edges had yellowed with age, and in some places, it was torn. Illuga simply stared at it before his chest tightened. In the photo were four teenagers smiling back at him. Three familiar faces crowded around the camera. 

One was making a ridiculous face, while another had an arm thrown around someone’s shoulder. The third looked caught between annoyance and laughter, and there…there was him. Younger, happier…the photo captured a moment so ordinary it almost hurt. A day before everything changed. A day before…

His grip tightened at the photo, his mouth grimacing. No…don’t…

The memory clawed at him anyway in the most painful way possible. A flash of headlights…rain…screaming metal…the sound of something breaking…bones shattering…

Then there was silence. Too much silence…

Illuga’s breathing slowed as he attempted to calm down. But he knew he couldn’t because he knew where this road led. The same place it always led. 

“If only I’d…”

“If I hadn’t…”

“It should have been…”

He began to spiral down a deep tunnel there was no escaping. He had forgotten he had hidden that photo for a reason, knowing that it would lead to this. He doesn’t have the heart to throw it away, finding it a precious memory he wanted to hold on so dearly, but also forget. The more he stared, the more it hurt. The more it hurt, the more—

His phone vibrated, the sound loud enough to make him jump. He took a deep breath, his hand trembling as he walked over to the coffee table to pick up his phone. He blinked once. Twice. Three times. While the photograph remained, another vibration followed. Reluctantly, he turned on his phone to see he had gotten a text from Lohen.

The name glowed softly from the lock screen.

Lohen: Important question…

Illuga stared, then unlocked his phone.

Lohen: Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or 1 horse-sized duck? 

Illuga stared some more, dumbfounded. He reread the question over and over before he let out a short, disbelieving laugh. The question was so fucking stupid, Illuga couldn’t even process it. He began to laugh out loud next, putting the photo back on the shelf and gripping his phone with both hands now. “No way…you’re kidding…” 

His phone vibrated again as Lohen sent another message.

Lohen: This is serious

Lohen: Lives are at steak

Lohen: *steak

Lohen: *stake!!! Omg I swear fucking autocorrect…

The knot in Illuga’s chest loosened immediately. He leaned against the wall, the noise in the back of his head going quiet. He shook his head with a small smile. 

Illuga: One horse-sized duck. It’ll be easier to take out

Lohen: Wrong

Illuga: It’s literally not but ok…

Lohen: Agree to disagree

Against his better judgment, Illuga let out a little giggle. What perfect timing for Lohen to text him like that in the middle of his spiral. 

Even with the pain temporarily subsided, at least he can breathe again…

___________

Over the next few days, Illuga has been texting Lohen. It’s honestly been the best days of his life. With his work schedule, it’s been a little hard to be consistent texting the other man, but they made it work somehow. Illuga wasn’t allowed on his phone during his graveyard shift, but he would sneak little texts here and there. Lohen seemed to be up at any time of day. He always received an immediate text. Every day was the same. Wake up, feed Aedon, work, sleep…and somewhere in between all of that was Lohen. The other man had somehow become a constant presence in his life. It wasn’t overwhelming…he was just there…like a song quietly playing in the background. 

The strangest part was how easy it felt. 

“Are graveyards as creepy as people say?” Lohen would text.

“No.” Illuga would text back.

“Disappointing…”

“Well, we have a raccoon that steals lunches.” 

“Wow…that’s…something.”

________________

Lohen: What are you doing?

Illuga: Feeding Aedon

Lohen: Tell him I said hello

Illuga: He pecked me today :p

Lohen: Tell him I said hello anyway lollll

________________

Lohen: Favorite food?

Illuga: Why?

Lohen: Because I’m asking duhhhh

Illuga: Um…I don’t really have one. I don’t really have a preference

Lohen: Interesting…

Illuga: Why?

Lohen: I’m asking.

Illuga: You do know that isn’t an answer, right?

_______________________

Their conversations weren’t deep, yet somehow they always lasted longer than intended. Illuga found himself checking his phone more often, wondering if Lohen was online. Wondering what ridiculous question he’d ask next. 

It had become so noticeable that even Flins said something about it at the end of their shift. He was standing in front of his locker, stuffing his belongings into his bag. For perhaps the fifth time in ten minutes, his phone buzzed. Illuga glanced at the screen to see that he had gotten a message from Lohen. And without thinking, he smiled.

“Oh, dear…”

Illuga froze, turning his head toward the voice. Oh. It was just Flins.

The older man was leaning against a nearby locker, arms crossed. His expression was one of immense amusement. 

“No.” Illuga immediately said. 

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“You were about it!” 

“I was…” Illuga groaned while Flins chuckled. 

“My friend, I don’t believe I’ve seen you smile that much in months.” 

“I…I do smile.” Illuga said with a stutter. 

“At funerals, perhaps.” 

“Oh, ha, ha. Very funny.” Illuga rolled his eyes. He slammed his locker shut with a sigh. Flins remained unbothered as he gave the younger man a smirk. 

“Who is he?”

“Nobody.” Illuga studdered.

“Ah. A nobody.” 

“Stop that!” Illuga complained. 

“Stop what?”

“That!”

“You are being very, very vague right now.”

Illuga considered throwing his bag at him, but unfortunately, that would require effort. “It’s not like that, you know…” 

“Mhm…”

“We’re just talking…”

“Mhmmm.”

“We met online.”

“Oh, congratulations!” 

“Why are you congratulating me? I just said I met him online!” 

“Because you found someone.” 

“I…I didn’t.”

“But you smile every time you look at your phone.”

“That’s not true.”

His phone buzzed, and Illuga immediately looked down out of habit. The silence that followed was devastating, and Flins looked unbearably pleased. 

“...”

“...”

“...Goodbye, Flins.”

“Heh…” Flins waved. “Tell your boyfriend I said hello.”

“He is not my boyfriend!” Illuga stormed out as he got a couple of whistles and cheers from his nosy coworkers.

___________

After going home to change and take a quick nap, Illuga had gotten a text from a friend he hadn’t heard from in a while. They decided to meet up for lunch since she’s barely in town and hang out. 

Luch with Linnea was exactly as chaotic as Illuga remembered…

Within the first ten minutes, she had become distracted by a bird outside the restaurant window, nearly knocked over her drink while reaching for her notebook, and somehow started three separate conversations at once. She’s as cute as she is energetic. If he didn’t know any better, she and Yoimiya were basically the same person.

Linnea is an advisor for a company, but he always forgets the name. She’s constantly on the move, so he doesn’t get to see her a lot. Despite that, their friendship is still strong. 

“Sooo!” Linnea leaned close to Illuga as she sat across from him in their booth. “I noticed you’ve been smiling more!” 

Illuga looked up from the menu he was checking out. “Not you too…”

Linnea blinked. “Huh?”

“Nothing…” The male sighed. 

Her eyes narrowed as she puckered her lips. “Oh, no. That’s super suspicious!” 

“It…really isn’t…” Illuga said with a sweatdrop on his cheek.

“It absolutely is!” 

Illuga sighed again. Once again, there is no escaping this conversation. Was this the glow everyone is talking about? “Fine…Yoimiya made me download this dating app…no big deal…” He shrank in his seat, preparing for Linnea’s dramatic gasp. And right on the money, he was right. She slapped both hands onto the table, her pink hair fluttering around her. 

“WHAT?!”

“Keep your voice down!” Illuga hissed. 

“YOU downloaded a dating app?!”

“Yes, I did.”

Linnea looked moments away from exploding as she squealed. “Oh my gosh…”

“Don’t…” 

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH! Illuga! This is good news! How come you didn’t tell me sooner?!” She yanked the menu out of his hands and got close to his face.

“Because I knew you would act like this!” Illuga managed to calm her down by ordering some Lakkaberry pie. She begins to eat while stuffing her face, the food keeping her in place. 

“You’re finally putting yourself out there, Illuga!” She said with her mouth full. “I’m so happy for you—mgh—seriously!”

“We’re not dating or anything. We’ve just been…talking.” 

“Talking or not! I shipped you two already!” She sighed while wiping her lips with a napkin.

“Oh, let’s not…”

“Can I see him?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please?”

After a little more back and forth, Illuga lost the battle and Linnea won the war. With a defeated sigh, he pulled out his phone. “Fine…” 

“Ohh~” She bounced up and down in her seat, excited as Illuga handed her his phone. “Don’t be weird, please…for Kuutar’s sake, Aedon is still scared to death of you.”

“It’s not my fault! I didn’t know Lumi would attempt to catch him!” She pouted while taking his phone. She stared at the photo of Lohen for a moment before her eyes widened. Her jaw dropped to the ground as the color drained from her face.

“NO WAY.” 

“What?” Illuga tilts his head.

Linnea pointed aggressively at the screen while turning it back to him. “What do you mean by ‘what’?!”

“I mean what?”

“ILLUGA!!” 

“WHAT?!” Illuga shouted, growing a little anxious and confused. 

“That’s Lohen!!!”

“...Yes?” How did she know his name? He hadn’t even told her yet.

She stared at him while he stared at her.

“...Should I know who he is?” 

The horrified expression on her face was answer enough. “How do you NOT know who that is?!”

“I work nights, Linnea. That’s…kinda obvious.” 

“That isn’t an excuse!” She gave his phone back to him, and he took it with an even more confused expression.

“Well, you know I don’t use social media. I spend most of my free time talking to a bird who somehow understands me.” 

“Okay…that’s fair…but still!” She pulled out her own phone and searched for Lohen’s name. “Lohen! He’s a former boxing champion!” She turned her screen around to show Illuga. There on her screen was a younger-looking Lohen. His hair was much longer, and he had a grin on his face that definitely wasn’t family-friendly. He looked almost…manic. Like he was itching to get hurt on purpose.

It was kinda…hot. Compared to the Lohen and the pictures he’d seen, this was a wild transition. He had no idea Lohen was a professional boxer, let alone a famous one. 

Lohen hadn’t brought it up at all…

“I mean…” Illuga shook his head. “He only brought it up once before, but he didn’t elaborate on it, and I didn’t push…what happened to him? Does he still do it?”

“No.” Linnea shook her head, humming sadly while putting her phone away. “He got injured really badly during a match. Career-ending, from what I remember.” 

“Oh…” Illuga truly had no idea. 

“Yeah…he was devastated and stopped interacting with social media as a whole. His fame died down a lot over the years.” 

“I guess it’s something he doesn’t like talking about.” 

“Yeah…” 

The conversation definitely dulled a little bit after that, but thanks to Linnea and her ability to bounce back, it was much more lively soon. Illuga talked to his friend, and they caught up with each other about their lives. However, Illuga kept in the back of his mind how Lohen used to be famous. 

Why hadn’t he brought it up? Shouldn’t he have done his research? Would Lohen be made if he did bring it up? 

Illuga didn’t know, but something pushed him to ask Lohen about it.

So, pulling out his phone while Linnea was talking his ear off, he pulled up Lohen’s messages. 

Illuga: I didn’t know you used to be a professional boxer!

The response was immediate. 

Lohen: Ohoho~ Finally did your research huh?

Chapter Text

Lohen: Ohoho~ Finally did your research huh?

Illuga stared at his phone, dumbstruck. In hindsight, Lohen had probably been waiting for him to find out. He glanced up at Linnea, who was going back to eating her pie, then at his phone again.

Illuga: You never told me…

Lohen: You never asked

Illuga: That isn’t an excuse btw

Lohen: Oh it absolutely is

Lohen: Agree to disagree?

Despite himself, Illuga smiled. He shook his head and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Man…he needed a haircut…

Illuga: But seriously why didn’t you tell me?

This time, the response took longer. The indicator kept on appearing and disappearing, which worried Illuga a little. 

Lohen: Honestly…I wanted you to get to know me first

Lohen: Most people hear or see my name and they only want to see my dick lolll

Illuga: Oh?

Lohen: Though my fame isn’t what it used to be, I still have a few fans

Illuga: I see…

Lohen: Yeah. It’s annoying

Illuga: Fair enough

Lohen: Besides. You talking to me for weeks before figuring it out is objectively hilarious. 

Illuga: Oh, whatever. Even if I knew you had some fame, I wouldn’t have cared. You’re…really nice to talk to. I enjoy our time talking.

It took Lohen a bit of time to respond. Illuga put his phone away and looked back up at Linnea.

“He wasn’t mad when I told him I didn’t know he was famous…” The male said with a hum while reaching for his drink. “In fact, he seemed to find the whole thing hilarious that I didn’t know.” 

“It is pretty funny!” Linnea giggles. “But also understandable! As you said, you aren’t on social media a lot, so you wouldn’t have known! How do you feel?”

“Honestly…” Illuga looks at the ceiling, pondering his feelings. “I’m not mad. If it’s something he doesn’t want to talk about, then he shouldn’t have to. Am I surprised? Yeah. Do I care if he was famous or not? No. He’s genuinely nice and doesn’t flaunt it around.” 

“Wow…” Linnea cooed. “Love at first text~.” 

“Oh, hush.” Illuga balled up a napkin and threw it at her playfully. His phone vibrated again, and he picked it up to see that Lohen had texted him again. 

Lohen: Do you really feel that way?

Illuga: Of course! I like talking to you!

Lohen: I see.

Lohen seemed to stop texting after that as he went offline. Nothing too strange. The other man has a life outside his phone. Not thinking about it anymore, Illuga continued his lunch outing with Linnea, catching up with her more until it was time to leave. They spent another hour wandering the city while Linnea became distracted by every interesting storefront she passed. By the time they parted ways, the sun had already begun its descent. 

He and Lohen were texting as he went home for the night.

Life continued much as it always had afterward. Illuga worked, slept, fed Aedon, cleaned his house, and texted Lohen. The conversations continued as naturally as before. If anything, they seemed to happen more often. At this point in their budding friendship, Lohen would send pictures of things he encountered throughout the day. A strange-looking cat, an oddly shaped cloud, and a sandwich that looked way too good to eat. Illuga wasn’t quite sure why he was receiving photographic evidence of these random things, but he found himself looking forward to them regardless. In return, he would send photos back of things in his life, such as feeding Aedon, showing off the cool lantern he uses at work, and his book collection. 

The days passed quickly. 

Perhaps…a little too quickly.

It was Illuga's day off, so he decided to pick up some bird food for Aedon. He was running low and needed a new bag anyway. He had it tucked under his arm, and he found himself checking his phone again. It’s a habit he was beginning to develop. A dangerous one, according to Flins, but a completely reasonable one, according to Illuga. 

As his screen lit up, he had gotten a new message from Lohen.

Lohen: Busy?

A smile tugged at Illuga’s lips. 

Illuga: Walking home

Lohen: Ah

Lohen: Be careful

Illuga rolled his eyes. 

Illuga: I’m walking. I’m sure I’ll be fine.

Lohen: Exactly. You’re walking.

Illuga: What does that even mean lolll

Lohen: It means people are stupid. 

Shaking his head and laughing softly, he slipped his phone back into his pocket. The street ahead was unusually crowded for the afternoon. A small group of people had gathered near the corner as voices carried through the air. It was loud and angry; distant shouting could be heard. Illuga frowned. Something about the tone of the voices put him on alert.

“Wonder what’s going on over there…”

His steps quickened as he squeezed his way through the small crowd. As he got closer, the shouting became clearer. In the middle stood two men. One was large and bulky, and the other was skinny and fair. Neither looked particularly interested in backing down.

“...I’m telling you to leave me alone.” The first man’s voice was calm and collected. The kind of calm that usually came right before someone snapped.

“Or what?” The bulky man barked. “You think yer better than everyone else?” His speech is slurred, and his movements are slow, indicating the man was definitely drunk. 

“I didn’t say that, sir.”

“Bastard!” 

Wonderful. One of those arguments. 

Illuga sighed and adjusted the bird food under his arm before weaving through the crowd more. No one was going to break it up, so he guessed he’d had to. Not that he minded, it just felt like he needed to break up a fight. It’s a beautiful afternoon, and no one is appreciating the warmth that today brings. 

“Alright, alright, break it up, guys.” He said while waving his hands. Despite his height, he couldn’t see the faces of the two men all that well. 

Neither man seemed interested in hearing him. Not surprising. He made his way through the last of the people in the crowd and let his frown deepen. “Hey, come on. Seriously…”

“Mister tough guy over here thinks it’s funny to steal MY beer!” The bulky man growled, shoving the other man’s shoulder. Several people gasped, trying to escalate the fight. Seriously, did anybody have anything better to do??

“Hey!” Illuga shouted, moving between them before things could get worse. “That’s assault, sir!” 

“Move aside, pipsqueak!” The drunk sneered. “This doesn’t involve you.” 

“You’re right,” Illuga said evenly. “Which is why it’d be great if nobody got arrested today. You seem a little on edge, and I apologize, but please step down.” 

“Who do you think you are, hah?!” The drunk man roared as he bulked up his muscles, standing over Illuga and the other man by at least four inches. “If there’s a fight you want, you’re gonna get it!” And instantly, the drunk man slapped his hand down on Illuga’s bird food, which made it fall to the ground and tear open. Everyone in the crowd ‘oohed’ and gasped, loving the drama. 

Illuga stood in his place, barely flinching. He stood his ground, glaring at the man. “Sir, I warn you that you will be taken to jail if—”

“To hell with you! That little shit behind you started it!” The drunk man raised his fist, getting ready to hit. Illuga still stood there, readying himself to dodge. He knows a few things about how to protect himself against stronger people. It was a class his father made him take when he was only a kid, but boy, does it have its uses. 

Opening his mouth, Illuga got ready to move when all of a sudden, he felt an arm wrapping around his waist and pulling him back just before the fist came down on him. It happened so suddenly, he barely knew what to think. His eyes widened as the drunk man was now lying on the ground, completely unconscious. Blood dripped from his nose while someone in the crowd loudly declared that he’d “never seen a knockout that fast before!”

“---What?” Illuga turned his head, the crowd erupting in cheers and shouts, cheering on the winner of this one-sided fight. “Huh??”

The arm around his waist finally loosened, but it didn’t let go. “Oh, good. You’re not dead.” 

Illuga slowly turned around, and the world seemed to stop for a moment. The man standing behind him has pale skin with short, fluffy mint hair and dull red eyes. He has a beauty mark under his right eye and a smirk that could kill even a straight man’s sexuality. His hair, however, was covered by the cap he was wearing, but a few strands were shown. That familiar face he’d spent the last several days staring at through profile pictures and grainy photos Linnea had shown him. Slowly, the man took off his cap, running a hand through his luscious hair.

The man before Illuga smirked even more at his shock, and he gave him a wink.

“...Lohen?”

Lohen’s smile widened. “Hello, Illuga.” 

For another couple of seconds of staring, Illuga’s brain completely ceased functioning.

“...” 

“...”

“...What?” Lohen laughed. He actually laughed. The sound was warm and amused. It’s…uncanny to hear his voice so clearly. Hell, Illuga has never heard his voice before now that he’s thinking about it. He always thought Lohen would have a deeper voice, but it’s surprisingly…perfect for his face. 

“That’s usually not the reaction people have when meeting me. Then again, our paths have crossed just like how they crossed on the dating app, no?”

“...What…What are you doing here?!” Illuga shouted, finally finding his voice. 

“I…live in this city?” 

“No! I mean here! Here, here!”

Lohen folded his arms. “Ohhh…I was wondering how long it would take before you started asking questions. What a wonderful coincidence we were here at the same time!” 

“Um…I!” Illuga didn’t know what to say. He took a step back, blinking rapidly. 

The crowd around them was still buzzing excitedly. Several people were checking on the drunk man, while others were already losing interest and moving on. No one seemed interested in Illuga and Lohen anymore.

Lohen was real…

Actually…real! 

Not a profile picture, and not a text message. Not a tiny icon on the corner of his phone screen, but a real person standing in front of him. He’s so…attractive!

Lohen raised an eyebrow. “You look disappointed, Illuga.” 

“I’m…I’m not…” 

“You...sound disappointed.” Lohen grinned.

“I’m not!” Illuga confirmed much louder. “I just…I nearly got punched, so spare me.”

“You were about to dodge.” 

“...How did you know that?”

“It was obvious from a fighter’s point of view. Or…former fighter. You braced yourself on the soles of your feet and tightened your shoulders.”

“...” Illuga opened his mouth, only to close it. Annoyingly enough, he wasn’t wrong…

Still, Lohen winked at Illuga. “I guess it’s nice to meet you. Illuga. Officially.” And until now, Illuga only noticed that Lohen decided to remove his arm from around his waist, which made his ears grow warm. Which was ridiculous because they’d been talking for weeks. Of course, they were going to meet eventually, but he hadn’t expected it to happen immediately after almost being punched by a drunk stranger.

“Ah um…yeah. Nice to…meet you, too.” Illuga stuttered, feeling like he was back in high school, where he had developed a crush on the popular guy in school.

Together, the men shifted their gaze to the torn bag of bird food lying on the ground. A sigh escaped Illuga’s mouth. “My bird food…” 

“Very unfortunate.” Lohen sighed with him. 

“Aedon is going to be very disappointed in me…that bird judges everyone and everything…” 

Lohen stared before barking out a laugh. Illuga found himself smiling. 

Even his laugh is beautiful…

“Let me buy you another pack, then.” The taller male decided after finishing his laugh. Illuga’s eyes widened, and he shook his head.

“No way! I couldn’t possibly let you do that for me! I can just buy another one!” He crouched and began scooping up the pellets to throw them away. He didn’t want to litter. “We only just met… officially!” 

“Well, yeah,” Lohen crouched down as well. “True, but you have to understand that I already know you, Illuga. This may be our first meeting, but this isn’t our first conversation.” 

Illuga looked up to see the earnest expression on the other man’s face. His eyes gleamed with this certain something…

His stupid cheeks turned red. 

“It’s way too early for you to be this smooth…” 

“Is it? Heh…” He rested his chin against his hand. “Me? Smooth?”

“Yes, smooth.” 

“I wasn’t trying to be, y’know.” Lohen began scooping up pellets and placing them back in the torn bag. 

“That’s somehow worse…” Illuga mumbled with a sweatdrop on his cheek. He missed the even wider grin that spread across Lohen’s face. 

The last of the pellets disappeared into the trash can, and both men clapped their hands to get the dust off of them. Illuga looked back at the man who was being hauled up by two police men, his nose still very much broken. “Man…I kinda feel bad for him…” 

“And why’s that? He started that fight with me. I was just minding my business when he bumped into me and started yelling.” Lohen said, redirecting Illuga’s attention by putting a hand on his shoulder. Illuga looked at him and gave him an awkward smile.

“Right…well…” 

“Well…” Lohen echoed.

An awkward silence settled between them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t exactly exciting, either. Texting had never required figuring out who was supposed to leave first. In real life, a lot of things can be left unsaid, even though you can read in between the lines more clearly. Rubbing the back of his neck, Illuga cleared his throat. “I…should probably go buy another bag. I really wouldn’t feel comfortable letting you buy it for me.”

“Sure, sure,” Lohen waved it off. 

“I also promised Aedon I’d be back…”

“You…” Lohen snickered. “Promised your bird you’d be back?” 

“Yes.”

Lohen hummed, looking genuinely thoughtful. “Okay…and does he hold you accountable?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, dear,” Lohen covered his mouth. “What a sneaky little bird. I just have to meet the guy. Hopefully, he won’t size me up.”

Illuga laughed softly at the joke. “No, I promise he won’t!” 

The corner of Lohen’s mouth twitched as he glanced toward the street. He removed his hand from Illuga’s shoulder and crossed his arms over his chest. “Still…it’s a nice day to be out.” And that much was true. Warm sunlight stretched across the sidewalks, and a cool breeze drifted through the city. Illuga agreed with a silent nod. 

“And,” Lohen took a step back. “We’re already out.”

“...”

“And…we’re already here.”

“?”

“And we already know we don’t hate each other in person.” 

Illuga nodded. 

“It be a shame to waste a perfectly good coincidence,” Lohen said in a dramatic tone. He turned his back to the other man, but looked back with a smirk. It was a convincing argument. They were already out and about, and their meeting each other wasn’t planned. It’ll be fun…Illuga thinks. A few weeks ago, the idea of spending an afternoon with someone he’d met on a dating app would’ve sounded ridiculous. He would’ve passed up the opportunity, no doubt, but now he’s hesitating.

Why was that? Illuga wasn’t so sure if he wanted to officially hang out. He liked the way things were before. But expanding their relationship is also important. He hadn’t expected to actually date anyone. Was he just looking for more friends? Was he looking for comfort to fill that burning hole in his heart?

“Or, you know, we can just…go home,” Lohen suggested, turning his body around to Illuga once more. There wasn’t a hint of pressure or guilt in his tone. Just an easy option he can choose so easily. And for some reason, that made saying no much harder. 

“...Well…” Shifting from one foot to the other, Illuga took out his phone to look at the time. “I guess we can hang out…for an hour.” 

Lohen’s smile brightened instantaneously. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Illuga nodded, convincing himself that he wanted to hang out with Lohen. “Yeah.” He confirmed. “You’re right…it’ll be a waste of a coincidence if we don’t. Besides, seeing your face in real life is comforting to know.” 

“Ohoho~” Lohen giggled, getting close to Illuga’s face. “Look at you. Being a charmer and whatnot.”

“I wasn’t trying to be…” Illuga took a step back, laughing awkwardly. “Don’t misunderstand. I was just—”

“I was teasing you. Lighten up!” Lohen said to a flustered Illuga. “Come on. Let’s go get you that bird food.”

_______

Despite Illuga’s protests, Lohen DID end up buying the replacement bird food anyway. Apparently, being a former professional boxer came with the ability to completely ignore objections. After buying the food, they wandered around the pet store, looking through different aisles. Illuga carried the bag while Lohen casually examined each shelf with a tiny hum. 

He picked up a brightly colored bird toy meant for cats and turned it around in his hand. “Hey, hey.” 

“Hmm?” 

“Do you think Aedon would like this?”

Illuga leaned over, taking a look for himself. “Oh, no.”

“No?” Lohen raised an eyebrow and put the toy back. “Why’s that?”

“Aedon is… particular. He doesn’t like anything fun. At least for me.” Illuga blew a raspberry at the thought of his high-maintenance bird chirping at him in discouragement.

“Your bird hates fun?” 

“Yes.”

“What a fascinating creature…” Lohen whispered. “And you said you found him in a ditch?”

“Yeah…” Illuga laughed. By the time he was done, Lohen was already at another shelf. He had to waddle over because holding the bird food was heavier than he thought. He sees that Lohen had picked up a bell and was ringing it. 

“Would he like this?”

“Aedon…would throw it.” He looked away, almost ashamed. 

“He’d…what?” 

“He’d throw it,” Illuga repeated. 

“Birds can do that?” 

“He learns quickly when he’s motivated.”

Lohen barked out another laugh, which was even louder than the one before. The employees nearby glanced over at them, and Illuga shrank a little. “Come on…it’s not that funny!”

“But it is!” Lohen covered his mouth. “Oh my gosh, Aedon is quite the character, huh?” 

“Let’s just…go to another aisle!” Illuga pushed the other man gently where they were out of sight. “Seriously, do you always laugh this loud?” 

“Not when I’m around non-boring people. I like you! You’re funny without trying to be!”

“I…guess.” Illuga honestly didn’t know how to react. Except his stupid knew how to as they turn bright red. He looked away, embarrassed. 

Lohen smirked, putting down the bell.

_______________

By the time they left the pet store, the afternoon had begun melting into evening. 

The city had softened around the edges, the street was less crowded, and the warmth of the day had settled into something comforting and pleasant. Neither man seemed particularly eager to end the conversation, which was how they found themselves in a nearby park. Illuga carried Aedon’s food still while Lohen walked with his hands behind his back. For a while, they didn’t speak. It wasn’t awkward, but it was…comfortable and easy. Neither felt obligated to fill every second with words. 

Eventually, they found an empty bench under a long tree. Lohen sat first and patted the spot next to him with a nod. Illuga hesitated for a moment, then sat beside him. Not too close, but not too far. Just enough space to be…polite. Lohen is definitely a funny character with a charming smile and witty personality. He didn’t think the other man would be so funny so effortlessly. 

The sound of children playing rang somewhere in the distance while birds darted between the branches above. 

Finally, Lohen spoke.

“You’re much quieter in person than I anticipated.” 

Illuga glanced over. “I’ve talked all afternoon…” 

“So it seems…” Lohen laughed, and Illuga rolled his eyes. “But what I meant is…a different type of quiet.”

“That…” Illuga deflated. “That doesn’t make any sense…”

“It does in my head.” Lohen poked his temple. “Trust me, you don’t wanna know what’s going on up here.”

“Oh, trust me, learning what’s going on in your head is the last thing I wanna know.” Illuga joked. It caused Lohen to laugh that stupid laugh again. And deciding to ignore it completely, Illuga focused on the path ahead. A woman walked by with an enormous dog. The dog looked happier than most people he’d ever met. Lohen followed his gaze. 

“So…you like animals, then?”

“Huh? Yeah.” 

“Aedon doesn’t count, by the way.”

“Oh, what?” Illuga snickered. “Aedon is an animal, so he counts!”

“Nuh huh. He’s like your son, no?”

“Well…yeah, but he’s still an animal! So, yes, I like animals!”

“Fine, fine…”

“What about you?” Illuga found himself relaxing. His shoulders weren’t tense, and his thoughts weren’t racing. He wasn’t thinking about work or the accident. Or the guilt that followed him everywhere. He was just…here…with Lohen. He was so easy to talk to, and he wasn’t over the top with the teasing. Illuga appreciates that a lot. 

“Me?” Lohen pointed at himself. “Oh, nah. I don’t really like animals. They aren’t my thang, y’know?”

“I get that,” Illuga nodded, understanding. 

“Huh…you’re not mad?” 

“Why would I?” Illuga made a funny face. “We all have different opinions, no? Not everyone has the same thought process…even though mine is right about liking animals.”

“Oh, okay, okay, whatever!” Lohen burst out laughing and nudged Illuga’s shoulder. “But usually when I tell people I don’t like animals…they look at me like I just told them I drink blood for breakfast.”

“You probably do, for all I know,” Illuga teased.

“Be careful what you wish for~” 

“Haha!”

They talked for a bit more, their conversation drifting into a comfortable silence. It was only when it stretched on long enough for Illuga to glance toward the sky. 

“...Ah.” 

Lohen looked over. “What?” 

“I have work tonight.” The words left his mouth with disappointment. “Sorry…” 

“Nah, it’s cool. I get it.” For a brief moment, something flickered across Lohen’s face. Disappointment. Though it was gone in a flash, Illuga saw and couldn’t help but feel guilty. “I suppose I should stop selfishly stealing all of your free time, hmm?”

Illuga laughed softly. “You make it sound like I was being held hostage.”

“Oh? Were you not?” 

Illuga laughed a little louder this time. The two men rose from the bench, and Illuga grabbed the bag of Aedon’s food. They made their way to the park exit, the city lights beginning to come on to welcome in the night. Eventually, Lohen shoved his hands into his pockets. “You know…”

“Yes?” 

“I’m glad we met.”

The sudden sincerity caught Illuga off guard. “Huh?”

Lohen’s usual teasing smile softened into something warm. “I’m just saying it would’ve been embarrassing if we got along this well through text and hated each other in person.” 

Another laugh escaped from Illuga. “Heh…that would’ve been unfortunate…”

“Tragic, even. But…I mean it. I had a lot of fun today. You saved my ass from a drunk bastard, and made me laugh more than I ever did in, like, months.”

“Yeah?” Illuga blushed. “I…” He stuttered. “I had fun, too.” 

Lohen snickered. “The gods really blessed us with this beautiful coincidence.” 

“Coincidence…right.” Illuga shifted the bag of bird food under his left arm. “Well, I should—” Just as he was about to say his goodbye, Lohen had suddenly taken his right hand. His touch was soft and light. It was like touching a cloud. Illuga’s words died abruptly as Lohen bent down and pressed a kiss against the back of his hand. 

“!” Illuga’s face exploded in red as he made a sound that died in his throat. He practically jumped three feet backwards as he shouted in distress. “WHAT?!” He nearly dropped the bird food.

Lohen blinked once, unbending his back with a shocked face. “Oh…”

“OH?!”

“My apologies…”

“What do you MEAN your apologies?!”

“I thought I was being…charming.” 

“It was NOT charming, man!”

“It wasn’t?”

“NO!”

“...”

“...”

“Not even a little bit?”

“NO!”

Lohen immediately lifted both his hands. “My mistake. I shouldn’t have assumed so blindly…” There was genuine regret in his voice that stabbed Illuga with guilt.

Crap…did he overreact?

No, no, he DEFINITELY overreacted. Poor Lohen looked so embarrassed. Which somehow made this worse.

“No, no, wait…” Illuga took a deep breath, approaching the other man. “I didn’t mean to…I just…” He looked around and scratched the back of his neck. “It just caught me off guard, that’s all.” 

“Ah…” Lohen nodded. “I shall write that down for future reference.” 

“Lohen!” Illuga groaned, exasperated. 

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. For real.” He smiled again. “I won’t do it again without your consent.” 

“It’s…It’s okay.” Illuga gulped. “It’s okay.” He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. “I have to go, okay? I’m sorry for overreacting…I’m not used to…physical stuff.”

“That’s okay. Text me later?” Lohen began to wave.

“Yes. I promise.” Unable to say anything else, Illuga bowed his head and walked around Lohen. Fast. Very fast. SUPER fast. His ears burned, and his heart was pounding. And he absolutely refused to think about any of this anymore. Just gotta get home, feed Aedon, and get ready for work.

And try to ignore that handsome man who made him scream like a girl.

“Hehe…nighty night, Illuga!” 

Illuga didn’t respond. How could he? 

Only after he’d disappeared around the corner did Lohen finally lower his arm. The smile on his face lingered. It was soft, warm, affectionate, and kind. But slowly, it stretched wider and wider until it became something else entirely. 

Something sharp, and something dark, with victorious all swirling at the same time. Lohen laughed quietly to himself and started walking home.

Chapter Text

His first message arrived at 7:30 PM after he clocked in. 

Lohen: How’s work?

Illuga glanced at the notification, texting a sentence and shoving his phone back into his pocket. 

Illuga: It just started so I don’t know lolll

Not even a second after he sent the text, he had gotten a response. He pulled his phone out again, looking at the screen.

Lohen: Excellent

Illuga: ?

Lohen: That means you’re not being attacked by ghosts.

Illuga snorted out loud.

Illuga: Oh come on. Ghosts aren’t real

Lohen: Said the teapot to the kettle…

Illuga: Haha. But they still aren’t real

“Ready to go?” Flins said from behind Illuga. The shorter man jumped a little and pocketed his phone again. He nodded quickly, grabbed his flashlight, and turned to the older man with a meek smile.

“Yes…let’s go.”

Flins and Illuga made their way outside to the cool evening. As the sun set even more, the wind began to pick up. 

“How are you faring with your texting buddy?” Flins asked after a moment of silence. Illuga looked up at him and smiled shyly.

“It’s been nice…believe it or not, we’ve actually ran into each other today by pure coincidence!” 

“Oh?” Flins raised an eyebrow. “You did not plan this meet-up?”

“No, actually.” Illuga shook his head. “I was just walking home from the pet store because Aedon needed more food. That’s when I saw this fight going on—” 

His phone vibrated in his pocket three times in a row. He excused himself and pulled it out, checking the messages on the lock screen. 

Lohen: Saw a bird just now

Lohen: It reminded me of Aedon

Lohen: I think it was a robin

Illuga smiled. He did his password and quickly texted back.

Illuga: Oh yeah?

Lohen: Yes. And it was less judgmental

Illuga: Impossible

Lohen: You’re right. My mistake~

There was a brief silence from Lohen, so Illuga turned off his phone only to get another text. Then another, and another.

“My, my,” Flins chuckled. “Your friend is not the quiet type.”

“He isn’t,” Illuga laughed. “Sorry…I know we shouldn’t be on our phones, but he’s just really…talkative.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Flins whispered with a wink. Illuga chuckled, nodding. 

“Deal.”

The two continued their patrol through the graveyard. The path ahead stretched quietly under the moon, lantern, and flashlight, casting long shadows across the grass and stone markers. For a while, neither spoke. Illuga doesn’t mind the silence with Flins. It’s always easy with the older man, even if he does say a few things that irk him. 

Illuga’s phone vibrated once more, then twice. He tried his best to ignore it, but it began to vibrate more and more until he couldn’t ignore it. He snatched it out of his pocket and answered Lohen’s persistent texts, smiling at them and even chuckling. 

Flins stared, curious. “I see you’ve become even happier since talking to this guy.” 

“Spare me the details. My other friends have told me.” Illuga groaned.

“I am merely making an observation.” Flins smiled. “He must be really special…”

“He…” Illuga blushed. “He is…” 

“You know…” Flins adjusted the lantern in his hand. “During our time, not only as coworkers, but colleagues, you tend to isolate yourself.” 

“This again?” Illuga groaned. “I appreciate your concerns, but really. I have people I talk to outside of work!”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve spent a very long time convincing yourself you don’t need anyone other than your bird companion.” 

“...Are you sure you’re working at the right place? You can be a therapist.”

Flins stopped walking. “Illuga…you’re missing my point.” He laughed softly. “What I’m trying to say is that you keep everyone at arm’s length. You are very good at caring for people, Illuga, even for the people who are buried here. I just want to remind you that—”

Bzzzt!

Illuga’s phone vibrated, and he felt relief that there was a distraction from this already tiring conversation. He pulled out his phone, which led Flins to laugh.

“Ahh…youngins and their technology nowadays. I can finally make that joke with you.”

Illuga frowned at Flins. “Seriously, how old ARE you?”

___________

With each day that passed, Lohen’s texts were not only frequent, but so were his awful puns and flirting. Every minute, the other man seemed to be flirting like he was some jock in high school. It always leaves poor Illuga a blushing mess. Of course, he couldn’t text every second of the day because of his job. Really, he tried to be consistent, but it’s overwhelming. 

Had he told Lohen about his overwhelming amount of texts? No, of course he hasn’t. He doesn’t want to make Lohen feel bad and stop altogether. The attention was nice, and feeling seen was a feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time. Perhaps that was why he found himself checking his phone more often than he should. It was crazy, embarrassing, even. Yet when his phone vibrated as he walked home from work that morning, he still found himself reaching for it almost immediately. 

Lohen: Question.

Illuga: That’s never a good sign lmao

Lohen: Hurtful. Ouch. :( 

Illuga shook his head as he continued down the sidewalk.

Illuga: Lolll

Illuga: What’s your question?

The typing bubble appeared, then disappeared for a moment. It appeared again, which made Illuga more curious.

Lohen: Can I ask you a HUUUUGEEE favor?

Lohen: Pretty please?

Well…that was unexpected. Lohen rarely asked for anything. Usually, he was content with flooding Illuga’s phone with nonsense until he became too flustered to respond properly.

Illuga: Depends.

Lohen: Okay, look…I kinda need a plus one for a work event.

Illuga slowed his pace, his eyes widening. “Huh?”

Illuga: What?

Lohen: I know it’s so sudden. But I need a plus one.

Lohen: A guest.

Lohen: A companion.

Lohen: A beautiful man to accompany me into battle.

Illuga: Good thing it’s not me, huh? Lolll…

Lohen: Anyway…my boss is hosting a party for our company to become partners with this other company. He told me I had to bring someone

Illuga: Then bring someone

Lohen: I am trying.

Illuga stared at the message and stopped walking. His brain promised the request, and he realized Lohen was trying to ask HIM to go to the event with him. With his ears turning red, Illuga shook his head as Lohen could see it.

Illuga: Wait, are you asking me?

Lohen: Yes.

Illuga: Like…me?

Lohen: Yes.

Illuga: …

Lohen: Please?

Illuga sighed, not knowing how to feel. 

Illuga: Why me? 

For once, the answer didn’t arrive instantly. It took Lohen a good two minutes to type out his response, which should’ve been pretty simple to answer.

Lohen: Because I’d rather spend the evening with you

That definitely made Illuga blush. His heart gave an uncomfortable little thump, and he felt…giddy for some reason.

Lohen: Besides…my boss already knows about you

Illuga: Excuse me??

Lohen: :) 

Illuga: LOHEN!!!

Lohen: What?

Illuga: What do you mean your boss knows about me??

Lohen: I may have mentioned you…twice

Illuga: Mentioned me?

Illuga: How many times is twice in your eyes???

Lohen: Double it.

Illuga: Oh my gods

Illuga shook his head again, already feeling a little irritated. Great. An unknown man knows about him against his will. He must look like a fool now that he’s thinking about it…he’s been standing on the sidewalk for a good minute now. A passing pedestrian nearly bumped into him. But seriously, why was Lohen like this?

Lohen: Relax. He knows that you’re handsome and I’m really happy.

Illuga: I hate you :/ 

Lohen: Nah. you don’t hehe

A few moments passed as Illuga began to walk again. Another message appeared.

Lohen: You don’t have to come

Lohen: Really

Lohen: I just thought it’d be nice if you were here

Lohen: And we could hang out more and you could meet people I know

Illuga bit his bottom lip. Now he feels guilty for not wanting to go…

Illuga: When is it?

That typing bubble appeared immediately. Far too immediately for his taste. Then again, it’s Lohen.

Lohen: I knew you loved me <333

___________

This was a mistake. 

A horrible, terrible mistake. 

Why did he have to accept the invitation from Lohen? He was just being nice, but on the day of the party. Lohen sent him the details, and it was only a day after he told him. That barely gave Illuga any time to not only mentally prepare, but also look for something to wear.

With a heavy sigh, Illuga turned toward his closet and slid the door open. 

He kinda wished he hadn’t now. 

There was nothing. Jackshit. Nothing. 

All there was were work uniforms, comfortable sweaters, a few jackets, and several shirts he refused to throw away, despite them being older than some children who live down the street. And exactly zero outfits suitable for a formal event. He grabbed the nicest shirt he owned and held it up. 

“...No.” He threw the shirt back in the closet. There was a mysterious stain on the sleeve. The next shirt looked promising until he noticed it was missing a button.

“Also no…” 

The third shirt just looked ragged altogether. He didn’t even remember where it came from. 

“And…no.”

He flopped back on his bed with a loud groan. He covered his face while kicking his legs up. “Ugh! Why don’t I go clothes shopping? I don’t have anything!!!” 

How was he supposed to do this? The people attending the event probably wore clothes worth more than his monthly grocery budget. Lohen had mentioned executives. And managers and investors. He hasn’t the slightest idea what Lohen does at his job. All he knows is that Lohen is an executive. Well, vice-executive. But he said he might be promoted soon. All of these important people were going to be there, and here he is attending the event like some kind of…fraud. He feels like a fraud! These people knew which fork to use at fancy dinners. And here, Illuga is, barely remembering to separate his laundry colors. 

This is great. Such greatness. 

What was he supposed to do? Maybe he could rent a suit? Money isn’t a problem, but his insecurity is. And just as he was about to spiral, there was a knock at his door. He perked up, not expecting visitors, and he walked out of his room and to the front door, where Aedon was sleeping soundly inside his cage. He opened the door with a shocked face, not expecting the person standing there.

“Yoimiya!” He opened the door wider as she waved excitedly with one hand. The other held a coffee holder with three cups of coffee sitting inside neatly. 

“Hi hi!” She grinned. “I thought I would stop by and hang! And I brought someone else with me!” She stepped aside, and behind her was someone Illuga hadn’t seen in a long time. Illuga burst into a grin as he grew even more excited.

“Aether!!”

“Hey!” Aether grinned as well, walking toward his friend and pulling him into a tight hug. “Illuga! It’s been so long!”

“I know, right?!” Illuga hugged back. “How’s college treating you? And how’s Lumine? Actually, come inside!” The grey-haired male welcomed Yoimiya and Aether and shut the door behind him. Aedon woke up from the new intruders, and he immediately began chirping from his cage. 

“Oh! Aedon!” Yoimiya gushed, putting the coffee holder down on the coffee table and running over to the cage with stars in her eyes. “Look at you, little guy!! You’ve gotten cuter since the last time I saw you!”

“He’s gotten bigger!” Aether commented while standing next to Yoimiya to observe the nightingale, who was enjoying the new attention. Illuga stood behind them with his arms crossed.  

“Ah, you think so?”

Aedon nodded his head, as if he understood the conversation. 

Aether laughed, standing up straight and looking around the living room. “I missed this place…”

“It’s only been a few months.”

“Still though…you’ve changed some things. Also, Lumine apologized in advance. Since it’s our spring break, she decided to go to Fontaine and stay with Furina.” 

“That’s fair…” Illuga nodded, understanding. The three settled down for a moment on the couch. Yoimiya handed out coffee while Aether talked about his college life and his new relationship. The guy’s name is Xiao, and from what Illuga put together, he seems like a good guy. He listened with genuine interest, making a few comments here and there. It had been a while since he’d seen his friend in person. Eventually, however, Aether narrowed his eyes. 

“So…I heard through the grapevine that you have a new boyfriend?” 

Illuga rolled his head. “Not a boyfriend, but yes. I am talking to someone at the moment.”

“See how he downplays it?!” Yoimiya complained. “He rarely tells me anything about his boyfriend!”

“Friend.” Illuga corrected while taking a sip of his coffee. “But yes…I am very happy with my…relationship with him.”

“He used to also be a super famous boxer!” Yoimiya cut in, which earned a glare from Illuga. She laughed sheepishly, apologizing. 

“Oh wow. A boxer?” Aether raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes. Lohen.”

“Oh, him?” Aether began to think. “Yeah, yeah, I remember he used to be all over the news all the time. He was a good fighter from what I saw.”

“He’s really nice,” Illuga sighed. “And funny and…considerate. He makes me really happy…” He looked away with a blush as Yoimiya and Aether whistled. “It’s not that serious, yet, okay? And I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Illuga stood up, running a hand through his hair and placing his cup of coffee on the table. “He invited me to this work party event, and I don’t have anything to wear.”

“He what?!” Yoimiya gasped. “By the gods above, I couldn’t have picked a better time to visit! How come you didn’t tell me this sooner?!” 

“A work party, huh?” Aether smirked as he stood up as well. “Next comes marriage.”

“Please, stop.” Illuga groaned. “But I realized I have no good clothes to wear, and the party is tonight. I hadn’t really had the chance to go shopping.”

“I’m sure we can throw something together quickly. Show us your closet.” Aether said. Yoimiya stood up last, a bright grin on her face. 

“...Okay. But I’m warning you, it doesn’t look pretty.” Illuga led them to his room and opened his closet door to reveal the little clothes he had. Yoimiya’s bright grin slowly fell, and Aether’s followed shortly after. The room became painfully silent, which made a sweatdrop appear on Illuga’s cheek.

“That bad, huh?”

“...Yeah.” Aether blew out a heavy sigh. 

“It’s like my father decided to get his old clothes out of the attic…” Yoimiya shivered. “But…this is…this is okay!” He turned to Illuga, trying to see the bright side of things. “I can make a few phone calls to my friend who works over there at the Fontaine brand clothing store and get you a suit within your budget!” She ran off before Illuga could disagree, and the front door slammed shut. The silence that followed was short as Aether sighed again. He sat at the edge of Illuga’s bed with a half smile. “Well…” 

“Well…” Illuga stood where he was, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Sounds like you really like him.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh huh. You’ve smiled more in the last ten minutes talking about this guy than you did during your entire senior year.” 

“Oh come on. That isn’t true…” 

“It is,” Aether confirmed. 

Illuga opened his mouth, only to close it. Because, funny enough, there was some truth to Aether’s statement. 

“So, are you happy with him?”

The question caught him off guard, and his joking expression faltered. “Huh?”

“I said, are you happy with him?” Aether folded his arms in front of his chest now, raising an eyebrow. He waited patiently, giving Illuga time to answer. 

“...Yeah.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…except it’s just…weird.” 

“Weird how?”

“I haven’t talked to someone like this before…me…being happy and finding a relationship. It’s all new to me.” 

Aether nodded and listened. 

“He texts too much…like…insanely too much. I’m lucky he isn’t spamming my phone right now.”

“That bad?” 

“You have no idea…”

“How much is too much?”

“Like…one hundred texts before noon. I’m not exaggerating, either.”

“Oh, woah. That’s…impressive, actually. Xiao doesn’t even text me that much…” Aether mumbled.

“Right? It’s impressive!” Despite his complaint, Illuga found himself smiling again. Aether found it rather adorable. 

“Well, if you’re happy. I’m happy.” 

“Heh…” Illuga rubbed the back of his neck. “Thanks, Aether.” His smile soon disappeared as a new thought dawned on him. “Wait…I think I’m scared.” 

Aether blinked, his smile leaving his face. “Scared of what? The party?”

“Partly…” Illuga gulped. “What if he realizes I’m not what he expected? I mean, I know we hung out once, but that was weeks ago…”

Aether stared, frowning. “Huh?”

“I mean…” Illuga pulled himself off the wall, grimacing. “He used to be famous…he knows all these important people probably, and then there’s me…”

“Illuga…” Aether shook his head. “That’s probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” 

“Hey!” 

“I’m serious!” The blonde pointed directly at him. “If that man spends all day texting you, flirts with you, and invites you to a work event where he could’ve chosen at least a thousand other people…” He snorted, laughing under his breath. “I don’t think he’s confused about who you are.”

“...Oh.” 

“Yeah…don’t let his status overshadow you. You’re just as important if he chose you to go with him. If anything, I’m glad you’re going! It’s gonna be exciting!” 

“Yeah…yeah… you’re right.” Illuga took in Aether’s words and let them settle in his mind. Comparing himself to Lohen wouldn’t be right. Both of them have very different backgrounds and different experiences. He shouldn’t be quick to judge.

“Okay!!” Yoimiya came back inside the house, her voice ringing loudly like a firework. “Illuga, I made a few phone calls! Get your wallet cause we’re going shopping!”

_______________

The moment Illuga stepped out of the taxi, he regretted everything. 

The building before him looked less like a place people worked and more like a palace someone had accidentally dropped in the middle of the city, somewhere where he rarely visits. Towering glass windows stretched toward the night sky, reflecting thousands of golden lights. Marble columns framed the entrance, while elegant fountains flowed on either side of the walkway. Water shimmered beneath carefully placed lights, making the entire scene look almost dreamlike. 

Illuga stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs, pulling on his suit collar. “...You’ve got to be kidding me…”

This wasn’t a party. This was a royal gathering disguised as a work party. It has to be. 

People moved in and out of the building dressed in expensive suits and dresses. Every person seemed perfectly put together, their clothes tailored and their shoes gleaming. Meanwhile. Illuga resisted the urge to check if his suit still looked okay for the twentieth time. The suit itself wasn’t bad. Yoimiya had somehow worked a miracle. He has a dark charcoal jacket that fits him perfectly against his shoulders. The white button-up under felt almost too crisp, and the tie around his neck still felt like a noose despite several attempts to adjust it. He wasn’t used to looking like this, or being somewhere like this…

His fingers brushed against his phone in his pocket. Part of him wanted to text Lohen, and the other part wanted to turn around and go home. The second option was becoming increasingly appealing. Just then, a black luxury vehicle pulled up beside him. He got out of the way as the door opened, and someone stepped out wearing a watch that probably cost more than Illuga’s entire house. The realization did absolutely nothing for his shaky confidence. 

“Oh, Kuutar above…” He whispered. 

Seriously, what was he doing here? Executives, investors, business owners…people who attended events like this regularly. And then there was him. A graveyard security guard whose greatest accomplishment this week was remembering to buy groceries, or else he’ll be starving. The contrast was painful. Even around him, the conversations that were being held felt expensive to even listen to. The soft laughter, the distant sound of music, the gentle clinking of glasses…everything looked completely out of place beside the anxiety currently eating away at his stomach. 

As Illuga glanced toward the towing entrance again, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and unlocked it to see that Lohen had texted him.

Lohen: Have you arrived yet?

Illuga: Unfortunately…

The typing bubble appeared instantly.

Lohen: Excellent :) 

Illuga: Why is your workplace a castle?

Lohen: Lolll

Lohen: Are you outside?

Illuga: Yes

Lohen: Don’t move. I’m coming to get you.

Lohen goes offline, and Illuga sighed despite his racing heart.

He stood exactly where he was, even after two minutes had passed since his last message. Mostly because Lohen had specifically told him not to move, and partly because he was afraid that if he moved too much, someone would realize he didn’t belong here and escort him off the premises.

The thought wasn’t really comforting…

Illuga adjusted the sleeves of his suit again, realizing he had done that not even a minute ago.

Stop fidgeting…don’t look so nervous. You’re alright… 

The entrance remained busy as men and women filtered through the doors, laughing amongst themselves. Some carried glasses of champagne while others discussed business in voices Illuga couldn’t quite hear.

Suddenly, a woman stopped in front of him. Illuga blinked, taking a step back in shock.

The woman was…elegant. Too elegant…

Her silver dress rivaled his grey hair, and the jewelry hanging from her neck could likely pay off a small mortgage. Her smile was pretty, but off. The kind of smile people wore when they weren’t actually smiling.

“My,” 

Illuga instantly knew this conversation wasn’t going anywhere good.

“What an interesting choice.”

Illuga looked left and right before pointing at himself. “Excuse me?”

The woman’s gaze swept over him quickly. Judging, measuring. Finding him lacking. “You’re one of the staff, yes?”

Illuga frowned. Him? A staff member? Was his presence really that low that he was assumed to be a staff member?

“No. No, I’m not.” Illuga stuttered, taking another step back.

“Oh.” Her smile remained the same, which somehow made this whole thing worse. “I simply assumed.” She gestured vaguely toward him. “The suit.”

“...My suit?” 

“It looks inexpensive, darling.” 

Well.

That was certainly one way to point out how poor he is compared to them. Illuga stared at her, unimpressed, but confused. 

“You should really speak to your employer,” She continued while putting a hand on her hip. “First impressions are important, you know.” And still, that damn smile never left her face. “If they’re going to have employees greeting guests outside, they should at least provide uniforms that fit properly.”

“Miss. I already told you I’m not—” Illuga gets cut off as she begins to rant even more.

“And honestly,” She sighed loudly. “The tailoring is just…dreadful! Did they purchase it secondhand?”

Illuga began to melt right then and there. A slow, painful death didn’t sound too bad right now.

“Though I suppose one can’t expect much. Standards have declined terribly these last few years.”

Okay, now she was just being rude.

“Ma’am—” Illuga tried again, but she cut him off yet again.

“My husband always says—”

“Ma’am—”

“---that companies should be more selective about who—”

“Ma’am!” Illuga was about two seconds away from just telling this rude lady he wasn’t staff and that he was invited. Her insults hurt, yes, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t fight back. “If you just—”

An arm suddenly wrapped around Illuga’s waist. The motion was so unexpected that he nearly jumped in shock. The words in his throat died as a familiar scene reached his nose. Something warm…familiar…soothing.

His eyes widened as he turned his head. 

Lohen!

The taller man smoothly pulled Illuga closer to his side as though it were the most natural thing in all of Teyvat. His smile was bright, charming. Dangerous.

“Oh dear,” The words left him cordially. Almost apologetically. “I seem to have misplaced my date.” 

The woman’s expression froze, and Lohen’s arm remained firmly around Illuga’s waist. Far firmer than necessary. Not that Illuga was currently capable of thinking about it. His brain had completely shut down from not only shock, but from his bisexual brain. 

“Miss Valcourt,” Lohen grinned.

The woman stiffened. “Mister…Lohen.” 

“How lovely to see you again, darling, hmm?” Lohen copied her tone. 

“It…” The woman began to shake in her heels. “It has been some time, yes.”

“Far too long.”

Their exchange sounded polite, but that was far from the truth. Illuga felt like he was witnessing a knife fight. 

“And I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with my partner.”

The woman’s smile became strained. “Ah…”

“Mhm. I just want to clarify something, Miss Valcourt.” His arm tightened slightly just enough for Illuga to notice. “This gentleman isn’t an employee.”

The woman glanced at Illuga, then back at Lohen. 

“He’s my guest.” 

“I…see…”

“A very important guest.” Lohen’s smile widened. “My very important guest. So be a dear, and let your cheating husband know that I will be contacting him for our business deal. I’m sure Natlan has great weather this time of year. I’m sure your husband and his boyfriend are there right now.”

The woman’s eye twitched as Lohen nodded at her and guided Illuga toward the entrance. The moment they were out of earshot, Illuga looked at him, and Lohen looked right back. 

“Hello, Illuga.” 

“Lohen…” He shook his head, laughing awkwardly. “You…you…”

“I just saved your ass from Camille Valcourt? Yes. Yes, I did. She needed to be put in her place for some time now, and that was the perfect opportunity.” 

“You saved me!” Illuga clarified. “I…thank you.” 

Lohen grinned. “Any time.” 

The words came easily to Illuga’s ears. It felt so…natural. So calming…as though protecting him from rude strangers was simply something he did in his spare time. It made Illuga blush a little. 

“But still…” The grey-haired man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “You didn’t have to do all that.”

“Nonsense.” Lohen let go of his waist, and together they stood face to face. Lohen began fixing Illuga’s tie. “You looked uncomfortable.”

“...” Illuga looked down to see Lohen making his tie correct. 

“And…” The taller man hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t enjoy people speaking to you that way.” 

A strange flutter rippled through Illuga’s stomach. His chin was then gently grabbed by Lohen’s fingers, and his head was tilted up so their eyes could meet. Illuga felt like he was about to fall just by the way Lohen was looking at him. Before he could respond, Lohen slid his hand down to the small of his back, smirking. 

“Come.”

The touch was light. Guiding. Natural…

“Everyone’s already inside.”

Illuga nodded automatically, wiping away the drool from his mouth. “R–Right…”

Together, they entered the building. The lights were bright inside, the chandeliers visible through the windows. The marble floors were shiny with more elegantly dressed guests. Each step Illuga took made his confidence shrink even more. Of course, Lohen noticed because he leaned close to Illuga’s ear, whispering words that made him shiver.

“Don’t think too much about this, okay? If anyone gives you any more trouble…” His lips practically licked Illuga’s earlobe. “They’ll have to go through me first.” He pulled away and offered his arm. Like some gentleman from a romance novel.

Illuga stared at his waiting arm and accepted it with a nod. Lohen’s smile became victorious as they walked further into the building.

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