Title: “Still Yours, Somehow” The smell of crayons and apple juice filled the air as laughter echoed from the living room. Their daughter, Lily, was building a pillow fort with the intensity of a small general planning a war. "Papa Nate, you’re not doing it right!" she giggled. Nate grinned from behind the pillow wall. “I’m following the blueprints, General Lily. Talk to your architect.” Across the room, Elias sipped his coffee, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He was wearing one of those soft sweaters Nate had bought him years ago — the one he used to steal just to feel close to him. “Still can’t follow instructions, huh?” Elias smirked. Nate looked up, heart doing that annoying twist it always did when Elias smiled like that. “I follow them perfectly. You’re just bossy.” They both chuckled — light, easy. Familiar. It had been two years since the divorce. It hadn’t ended in flames, just... silence. Fights over small things. Cold dinners. Missed birthdays. Two people too tired to fix what was fraying. But then there was Lily. Their little universe in pigtails, who insisted on “family weekends” and made both of them promise to play nice. “I want both my dads,” she’d say with a stubborn pout. So they tried. Every other weekend, alternating houses — but sometimes Nate stayed late. Sometimes Elias sent Nate home with leftover dinner. Sometimes they talked more than they needed to. Like tonight. When Lily finally fell asleep in her pillow fortress, Nate stood to leave. “Coffee for the road?” Elias asked, already moving to the kitchen. Nate hesitated. “Only if you put in that caramel creamer I like.” Elias gave him a look. “You still drink that stuff?” “You still wear my sweater.” A pause. They stood across from each other, quiet. “I didn’t think you noticed,” Elias finally murmured. “I always notice you,” Nate said softly. Elias's face turned red at Nate''s words.

Title: "In Spite of Roses" Elias Voss had never met anyone who looked at him with as much disdain as Aiden did. Not rivals, not reporters, not even board members. Just Aiden—with his quiet glares, black coffee, and the way he flinched every time Elias smiled. And yet… Elias married him. It wasn’t romance. It was business. Arranged, like a chess move neither of them had chosen. But Elias had expected at least some warmth on their wedding day. There wasn’t. Just a cold hall, stiff suits, and a signed contract. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Elias teased, trying to cut through the ice, “You’ll fall for me eventually.” Aiden ripped his hand away. “Keep dreaming, playboy.” And maybe Elias was dreaming, but he didn’t stop. He brought roses—handpicked and awkwardly wrapped in paper towels. He left notes in Aiden’s lunch. Stupid ones. Silly ones. Sweet ones. "Eat well. I need you alive to roll your eyes at me again." Aiden slammed doors. Scoffed. Pretended not to read the notes. But Elias saw the way he lingered sometimes. Heard the silence stretch thinner each day. Then one rainy evening, Elias couldn’t keep up the grin. He sat on the couch in his suit, note still in his hand, exhausted. "You’ll never love me back, huh? That’s okay. Loving you is enough." He fell asleep like that. When he woke, there was a blanket over him. Aiden was sitting nearby, silent but close. The roses on the table weren’t in the trash for once. The next day Elias found Aiden wearing one of the many outfits he had bought for him.

Title: "Bite Me, Don’t Break Me" Max was quiet. The kind of quiet that made people forget he was even there—except for one person. Kade. Kade was loud. Sharp jaw, sharper tongue. He had been on Max’s case since freshman year. Always teasing, always smirking, always there. “You still hiding behind your hoodie, mouse boy?” Kade whispered as he passed Max in the hallway one day, fingers brushing against the fabric like it was a habit. Like he needed to touch him. And Max hated it. He hated how his body warmed up every time Kade got close. Hated how his heart raced when those cruel eyes locked with his. He hated how badly he wanted more. The worst part? Kade knew. One afternoon, Kade cornered Max in the art room, the door shutting behind him with a loud click. “No one's around. You can speak now, right?” Kade said, stepping closer. Max swallowed. “What do you want?” Kade grinned. “Cute. I want to know why you keep staring at me like I’m your next meal.” “I don’t.” “You do.” Kade moved in so close Max could feel his breath. “And the thing is... I think I like it.” Max’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Kade’s hand grabbed his chin. “I’ve been waiting for you to break. But you're too stubborn.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against Max’s ear. “So I’ll break first.” And just like that, Kade kissed him—hard. Messy. Needy. Max melted. Kade lifted him onto the counter like he owned him, teeth dragging over his neck, hands roaming like he’d dreamed of this for years. Max gasped, clinging to him like a lifeline. "You still scared of me?" Kade muttered, lips brushing Max's jaw. Max shook his head, panting. “No.” “Good,” Kade smirked, sliding a hand under Max’s hoodie, “because I’ve been dying to make you beg.”

““Petals Beneath the Moon” I became a royal guard for duty, not for dreams. I was newly appointed, still learning the weight of armor and the silence of obedience, when I was assigned to protect the king’s youngest son—Prince Elio, the poet. They called him fragile. I called him impossible to ignore. While his brothers trained with blades, Elio wandered the palace gardens, threading words through flowers as if the world itself bent to his verses. From the first day I stood watch beside him, something shifted inside me—something dangerous. I caught it in the way my eyes followed him without command. I felt it in the tightening of my chest whenever he smiled. Days turned into weeks. Our words were few—formal, careful—but silence between us carried more than speech ever could. Then, one quiet afternoon in the rose garden, he spoke. “Do you ever wish,” he asked softly, “to be more than what you were born to be?” I looked at him then—truly looked at him—and for a heartbeat, duty disappeared. “Every day,” I said. That was the moment everything was lost—and found. After that, our love grew in fragments of stolen time. We met in secret among ivy-covered walls where moonlight turned his skin to silver. Our first kiss was unsure and trembling, yet it held every truth I could never say aloud. At night, I slipped past sleeping guards and silent corridors to reach his chambers. Behind locked doors and candlelight, we shared quiet laughter, careful touches, and promises we were too afraid to name in the sun. Our love was dangerous. Forbidden. But it was also the only thing that ever felt true.

“Unexpected Yes” Elias knew he was in trouble the moment he met Adrian—his sister Maya’s fiancé. Adrian was warm, gentle, and impossibly kind. Elias tried to ignore the crush building in his chest, but it only grew worse. One day, Maya confronted him. “Eli, you’ve been weird. What’s going on?” With a shaking voice, he admitted, “I… like Adrian. I’m sorry.” To his shock, Maya just sighed. “Elias, Adrian and I aren’t in love. We got engaged because everyone expected us to. He actually told me he liked someone else.” Elias blinked. “Who?” Her smile said everything. Later that night, Elias found Adrian outside. “Maya told me,” Adrian said gently. “Is it true? You… like me?” Elias nodded, heart pounding. Adrian stepped closer. “Good. Because I’ve been trying not to fall for you for months.” Elias stared. “Seriously?” Adrian cupped his cheek, waiting. Elias leaned in, and their kiss was soft and warm, like something they’d both been holding back too long. When they pulled apart, they heard Maya shout from inside: “Okay, lovebirds! Just don’t make it weird at dinner!” Elias buried his face in Adrian’s shoulder while Adrian laughed— and their new beginning quietly unfolded.

“Unimpressed” Everyone at Crestwood High adored Leo Hart. The soccer captain. The perfect smile. The kind of guy teachers loved and freshmen whispered about in the hallways. Everyone—except Evan. Evan sat at the back of chemistry, earbuds in, doodling in his notebook when Leo walked in late again, flashing that heart-melting grin. The class practically sighed in unison. Evan didn’t even look up. When Leo noticed that, it bothered him. People usually noticed him. So the next day, Leo sat beside Evan. “Hey,” he said, leaning in with that lazy confidence. “Hey,” Evan replied flatly, still writing. “You’re… Evan, right? You’re pretty quiet.” “Or you’re just too loud,” Evan said without looking up. Leo blinked. Then laughed—a genuine laugh, not his usual practiced one. “You don’t like me much, huh?” “I don’t really know you,” Evan said. “But everyone else seems to already love you. That’s suspicious.” For the first time, Leo didn’t know what to say. Over the next few weeks, Leo kept sitting next to Evan. They worked on labs together, argued about music, traded sarcastic comments. Evan found out Leo was actually kind of awkward when he wasn’t performing for a crowd. And Leo found out Evan’s quietness came from being honest, not shy. One afternoon, Leo walked Evan home. They stopped by the old fence near the soccer field. “You really didn’t like me at first, huh?” Leo said, half-grinning. “I still don’t,” Evan said. “Really?” Leo leaned closer. Evan smirked. “You talk too much. But…” He glanced at Leo’s lips. “You’re growing on me.” Leo’s grin softened into something real. “Good. Because you’re the first person I’ve ever had to earn.” And under the fading sunset, Leo finally kissed the one person who never tried to be impressed—just real.

Title: “Hidden Touchdowns” Everyone thought Cole Rivera had it all. Captain of the football team, scholarship offers lining up, the kind of smile that made teachers proud and classmates jealous. He played the part — confident, untouchable. But every cheer from the crowd just echoed against a quiet he couldn’t shake. Because what really mattered waited for him after practice. Eli. The boy who always sat in the back of class, doodling in his notebook. The one everyone called names too cruel to repeat. The one whose laugh — when it finally escaped — sounded like sunlight. Cole remembered the first time he saw Eli cry, right outside the locker room. Someone had shoved him. His books were scattered. Nobody helped. Except Cole. “Hey,” he said, kneeling beside him, “you okay?” That was the start. The secret texts. The stolen smiles. The long walks home where their hands brushed but never quite held. And later — the kisses behind the bleachers, where no one could see the quarterback melt for the boy everyone ignored. Cole hated himself for hiding it. For letting Eli face those taunts while he stood just a few feet away, pretending not to hear. But he also knew the team, the school, the stares. He wasn’t ready. Not yet. Until that day someone saw. The whispers spread fast. By morning, everyone knew. Eli wouldn’t even look at him — thought Cole would deny it, laugh, let him drown alone. But when Cole walked into that hallway and saw the fear in Eli’s eyes… something snapped. He didn’t think. He just pulled Eli close and kissed him. The crowd went silent. The laughter died. And for the first time, Cole didn’t care about the game, the team, or the world watching — He only cared that Eli finally smiled again.

“The Light He Couldn’t Resist” Everyone feared Leon Hale. He was the kind of boy who walked through the halls like a storm—reckless, fearless, his fists doing the talking when words weren’t enough. Teachers sighed, students trembled, and nobody dared look him in the eye. Nobody except Evan. Evan was softness wrapped in human skin. His laughter was light, his smile gentle yet powerful enough to turn chaos into calm. But it was his eyes—bright, shining, like starlight even in the darkest room—that truly undid Leon. The first time Evan smiled at him, Leon forgot how to breathe. The first time those luminous eyes met his, Leon lowered his fists for the first time in years. One afternoon, Leon cornered some kid who had mouthed off. His glare was sharp, his stance deadly. But then Evan appeared, slipping quietly into the scene. He didn’t yell, didn’t scold. He just placed a hand on Leon’s arm and whispered, “Don’t.” Leon looked at him—at that soft smile, at those eyes glowing with warmth—and the fight drained out of him like water spilling from a broken glass. Later, when Evan teased him, Leon admitted under his breath, “Everyone thinks I’m fearless. But one look at you, and I’m not the same person anymore.” Evan only grinned, eyes sparkling brighter. “Good. Then I guess the world’s toughest boy is mine.” And it was true—Leon could take punches, start fights, rule the school. But in the end, it was Evan’s smile and shining eyes that ruled him, turning the fearless bully into someone soft, someone human, someone utterly devoted.

"The Bet" At Ridgewood High, Eli Reyes lived in the background. He preferred it that way—quiet corners, his sketchbook, shadows where no one noticed him. People called him “The ghost,” though never to his face. He didn’t mind. Being unseen meant being safe. So when Ace Rivera, the golden boy of the school, slid into the seat beside him in art class, Eli thought it was a mistake. “…You’re in this class?” he asked, cautious. “I am now,” Ace said with a grin that seemed too bright for the gray classroom. Eli kept waiting for the punchline. But Ace stayed—asking about his sketches, walking beside him after class, offering him half his lunch like it was nothing. Against his better judgment, Eli found himself answering. Laughing, even. It felt strange, letting someone in. Ace wasn’t like the others. He didn’t treat Eli like he was invisible. With him, Eli felt… seen. By the second week, Eli was sketching Ace’s smile without realizing it. That scared him more than anything. One rainy afternoon, he finally showed Ace the drawing. His chest tightened as Ace stared at it. “That’s me,” Ace whispered. Eli shrugged, trying to hide the heat in his face. “You’re always looking at me like you want me to see something.” But then Ace’s smile faltered. He lowered his gaze. “I need to tell you something. This… started as a bet. But it stopped being one. I like you, Eli. For real.” The words felt like a blade slipping between Eli’s ribs. His sketchbook snapped shut. Of course. Too good to be true. “I thought you were different,” Eli said quietly, before slipping out into the rain—alone again.

“Closer Than an Excuse” Eli wasn’t the type to fall for the obvious. While the whole campus chased after cheerleaders, basketball stars, and student council presidents, his eyes had landed on someone entirely different—Noah, the quiet boy who sat in the back of class, always hiding behind thick books and sleeves that swallowed his hands. The problem? Noah barely talked to anyone besides Mia, the most popular girl in school and his best friend since childhood. That’s when Eli’s plan formed. He leaned against Mia’s locker one morning, flashing his easy smile. “So… don’t laugh, but I think I might have a crush on you.” Mia raised a brow. She’d heard confessions a hundred times before, but there was something too casual about Eli’s. “On me? Or on the boy who can’t even look up when you walk by?” Eli blinked. She was sharp. “Okay, maybe both. But I need your help.” From that day on, Eli found himself dragging Mia into corners between classes, asking for advice that had nothing to do with her. “How do I get him to notice me?” “What does he like besides books?” “Do you think he’d smile if I brought him coffee?” At first, Mia rolled her eyes, but she eventually softened, amused by Eli’s determination. She gave him little tips: how Noah liked people who spoke gently, how he always paused at the vending machine before math class, how his favorite color was a soft blue. Eli followed everything. He started greeting Noah quietly in the mornings, slipping a blue pen onto his desk “by accident,” and waiting near the vending machine just to bump into him. Slowly, Noah’s eyes began to linger longer, his voice not so shaky when he whispered “thank you.” One afternoon, Mia caught Eli staring at Noah across the library, his grin unguarded, his chest rising like every heartbeat was louder than the next. “You’re in deep,” she teased. Eli didn’t deny it. “That was the plan all along." (pls read configuration for full story.)

Title: “Blood, Files, and Vows” The mansion was quiet, only the soft tick of the grand clock in the hall breaking the silence. Damian lingered by the study window, city lights glimmering below, hands still tinged with the evening’s work. Blood. Decisions. Control. His world demanded precision, yet tonight… tonight was different. A buzz from his phone made his pulse quicken—not danger this time, but Ethan. Home. Now. A smile tugged at Damian’s lips. Six months married, and the thrill hadn’t dulled. Ethan, perpetually exhausted from files and deadlines, still belonged to him completely. He strode through the mansion, marble cool beneath his feet, chandeliers spilling light over family portraits and the empire he’d built. At the entrance, Ethan appeared—slumped, weary, hesitant, but entirely his. “Damian…” Ethan’s voice wavered. Three strides closed the distance. Damian cupped his husband’s face, thumbs brushing over tired skin. “You’ve been working too hard. The city can wait. You… can’t.” Ethan’s breath hitched as Damian leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. “I’ve got you. All of you. Blood-stained, tired, overworked—you’re mine. Always.” For a moment, the weight of Damian’s world—the danger, the empire, the constant control—fell away. Ethan clung to him, trusting, vulnerable, beautiful. He guided him through the familiar halls until their bedroom—a warm sanctuary carved from chaos—welcomed them. Damian pulled Ethan close, wrapping him in steady arms. “Rest,” he whispered. “No files, no meetings. Just us.” Ethan pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder, weary yet tender. Damian smiled, fingers threading through his hair. “I’ll handle everything. You’re mine… in blood and heart. Tonight, nothing else matters.” In their mansion, amidst power and hidden dangers, they found something rare: safety, warmth, love. Not ordinary. Not simple. But theirs, in every touch, every whispered vow, every stolen moment of peace.

Punches & High Notes The boxing gym smelled of sweat, leather, and iron. Jace practically lived there. With fists like thunder and a body carved from discipline, he was known as The Iron Wolf—stoic, cold, dangerous. His world was simple: train, fight, win. No distractions. That was before Minho burst in—literally. Jace was finishing sparring when the door flew open. In came a boy drenched in glitter and sunshine. Minho, the K-pop idol every billboard worshipped. Bubblegum hair, sparkling earrings, a smile that could knock out more than Jace’s fists. “Uh—wrong studio?” Jace muttered. “Nope!” Minho chirped, skipping across mats in boots that had no business here. “I signed up for lessons. My manager says I need to toughen up—apparently, I’m too zesty.” Jazz hands. “…Too what?” “Too fabulous. Too glitter. Too… me.” He tossed his jacket, gaze landing on Jace. “…Wow. You’re huge.” “You’re ridiculous.” Ridiculous or not, Minho kept coming back. Every morning, he sprawled dramatically on mats, whining about pushups, then danced through drills like a music video. Jace tried to stay unmoved, but Minho’s energy seeped in—sunlight cracking stone. Then came Minho’s concert. He dragged Jace backstage. “You’ve never seen me perform. You have to.” Jace, normally allergic to crowds, froze as Minho lit up the stage. His voice soared, body on fire, crowd screaming. Yet Minho’s gaze kept flicking to the shadows—where Jace stood. Afterward, breathless and glowing, Minho leaned close. “See?” “Cute and strong,” he whispered. Jace finally smiled. “You forgot stubborn.” Fists and glitter, silence and song—but as Minho’s hand slid into his, Jace knew he’d already lost the fight. And for once, he didn’t mind.

Title: “Beneath the Bruises” Everyone at Westbrook High knew Axel Carter—the name alone was enough to send freshmen scattering down the hall. With his sharp eyes, leather jacket, and fists that had broken more than one locker door, he was the school’s most feared bully. Nobody dared talk back to him. Nobody, except the boy who lived across the street. Evan Lee. Evan rarely showed up at school. His health was fragile; without his pills, stepping outside could turn into a risk he might not come back from. But on the days he managed to come, he carried a quiet smile and sat near the window, pale and tired but glowing all the same. Axel never let anyone know, but every morning before school, he slowed his bike just to catch a glimpse of Evan watering the little plants on his porch. At school, Axel played his role—the monster, the threat. But once he was out of those halls, he was different. He’d show up at Evan’s door with soup his mom made, or sneak in new novels when Evan couldn’t get out to the library. “Why are you so nice to me?” Evan asked once, his voice weak as he lay on the couch. Axel shrugged, cheeks burning. “’Cause… you don’t look at me like everyone else does.” Evan smiled faintly. “That’s because I see you.” In those quiet evenings, Axel wasn’t the bully. He was just a boy with clumsy hands, trying to make Evan laugh, trying to hold back the fear that time was slipping away faster than he wanted. At school, Axel’s glare kept the world at bay. But at Evan’s side, he was soft—so soft it hurt. He held Evan’s fragile fingers like glass, listened to his slow breathing, and swore silently to protect what little time they had. No one at Westbrook would ever believe the truth: that the scariest boy in school had given his heart to the sick boy across the street… and that he would carry that love, no matter how long—or short—their story would be.

Title: “Through the Scar” The world had never been kind to Elias. Before the accident, he was quiet but not unseen—an ordinary boy with a soft laugh and a love for sketching cityscapes in the corners of his notebooks. But after the crash, when he woke to find half his vision gone and his face traced with jagged scars, the world decided he was no longer someone worth looking at. Neighbors whispered. Old friends avoided his eyes. Even the mirror seemed crueler than it had before. Elias withdrew. He stopped sketching. He stopped speaking. He moved through life like a ghost, convinced that no one could love someone as broken, as disfigured, as him. But Adrian Hale, the CEO of one of the largest tech firms in the city, had seen him long before the accident—on an ordinary afternoon in a quiet café. Elias hadn’t noticed him then, his head bent over a sketchbook, graphite smudges on his fingertips. But Adrian had. He remembered the way Elias’s eyes glowed with quiet concentration, the soft curve of his smile when he drew something he liked. That moment had imprinted itself on Adrian in a way he couldn’t explain. So when fate brought them together again months after the accident, Elias scarred and withdrawn, Adrian didn’t see what the world saw. He didn’t see ruined beauty. He saw the boy who had once captured his attention without even trying. The same boy whose gentle spirit still lingered beneath the pain. Elias didn’t understand it. He pushed Adrian away at first, convinced the man’s kindness was just pity. “Don’t look at me like that,” Elias muttered one night, his voice breaking. “I’m ugly now.” But Adrian only stepped closer, his gaze steady. “No, Elias. You’re not ugly. You’ve survived something that could’ve destroyed you. Every scar is proof of your strength. And to me, you’re still the boy I couldn’t forget.” Little by little, Adrian’s persistence chipped away at Elias’s walls. (sorry i couldnt find the right picture😭😭)

Title: “The Bookstore Between Us” Rain tapped against the windows of a small bookstore. Julian worked there most evenings, sorting shelves, ringing up customers, and pretending he wasn’t lonely. Just before closing, the bell chimed. A boy stepped in—wet from the rain, jacket clinging, hair darkened. He shook himself off and smiled. “Do you mind if I wait out the rain?” he asked. Julian’s heart stuttered. “Sure. Stay as long as you need.” The boy wandered between shelves, finally sitting by the window with a book. Julian couldn’t stop watching. “You’re staring,” the boy said. “I—I wasn’t—” Julian stammered. The boy laughed lightly. “It’s okay. I’m Eli.” Eli returned often—even when it wasn’t raining. Sometimes to buy books, sometimes just to talk. Julian learned Eli loved sketching people, hated black coffee but drank it anyway, and dreamed of traveling though he’d never left the city. The bookstore felt warmer with him there. One night, after hours, Eli leaned on the counter. “You ever get tired of hiding here?” “Hiding?” Julian asked. “You live in stories… don’t you want your own?” Julian swallowed. He’d built walls around his heart, but Eli slipped through without asking. “I want to,” Julian whispered. Eli placed a small sketchbook on the counter. The first page was a drawing of Julian, cheeks faintly blushing. “I already started ours,” Eli murmured. Julian leaned across the counter, heart trembling, and kissed him. The rain had stopped. Inside the little bookstore, something new had begun.

Blades of Obsession Noah had always admired Adrian Yu—the figure skater with a smile that melted ice and spins that cut through hearts. Every winter, Noah would rewatch Adrian’s routines, captivated by his grace and power. But it wasn’t just admiration. It was love—silent, aching, and private. Inspired, Noah applied to Frostpoint Academy, the elite school where Adrian once trained. He didn’t expect to get in—his only practice came from weekends at the local rink—but his quiet passion earned him a spot. What Noah didn’t know was that Adrian had returned as a guest choreographer. Adrian first noticed him during a clumsy spin. Something about the boy—the focused stare, the quiet hunger—made him stay. Soon, Adrian lingered after practice. Gave tips. Smiled. Invited him to skate together. Noah was stunned. His idol was noticing him. But Adrian's attention grew... strange. Late-night texts. Lingering touches. Cold glares at anyone who got too close. One night, alone on the ice, Adrian whispered, “You came here for me, didn’t you?” Noah froze. “I saw how you looked at me—before you even knew I was watching.” Adrian stepped closer. “You’re obsessed with me.” His hand brushed Noah’s cheek. “But it’s okay… because now I’m obsessed with you.” And as their breaths mingled in the cold, the fantasy Noah once dreamed twisted into something dangerously real.

Title: His Eyes, Only Mine No one notices Milo Greaves. Not the teachers, not his classmates, not even the lunch lady who skips his tray every day like he’s just fog on the glass. But that’s okay. Because Milo doesn’t care about being seen by them. He only cares about him. Ezra Callahan. The golden boy. Quarterback, student council president, class favorite. Ezra's laugh echoes in Milo’s ears like a hymn. His voice? Milo records it in secret. He plays it back at night, in his headphones, curled under his covers like it’s scripture. He watches Ezra from behind lockers, in the library’s upper balcony, and from corners so forgotten even the janitor doesn’t clean them. Milo sees it all—who Ezra talks to, who he touches, who makes him smile. And he hates it. He hates the way girls giggle when Ezra passes by. He hates the way guys try to act cooler just to get his attention. Milo clenches his teeth when someone dares to pat Ezra on the shoulder. When a girl hugged him last week in the courtyard, Milo didn’t go to 3rd period. He was too busy ripping the photo he printed of her face into tiny, careful shreds. When Ezra walks by in the hallway, Milo’s breath catches. His heart races, and his hands get clammy. Once, Ezra’s sleeve brushed his. That was the best day of Milo’s life. He didn’t wash that hoodie for weeks. But the weirdest part? No one knows who Milo is. They walk past him like he’s a ghost. Sometimes, even motion sensors don’t react to him. He’s invisible. Except, maybe… to Ezra. One day, during lunch, Ezra looks up mid-conversation and pauses. His eyes scan the cafeteria. Slowly, they settle on Milo—sitting alone in the far back, half-hidden in shadows. Their eyes meet. And Ezra smiles. Milo doesn’t blink. His breath halts. Ezra saw him. The obsession twists into something hotter, deeper. Not just love. Not just jealousy. Now Milo wants more. He wants Ezra to see no one but him. Even if that means making everyone else disappear.

Title: The Curse in the Woods In the heart of Eldergrove, no one dared enter the northern woods. They whispered about the monster—a beast born from shadow and sorrow. Clawed hands, glowing red eyes, teeth like broken glass. They said she cursed crops, devoured livestock, and drove hunters mad. Villagers called her many names, but most feared to even speak them. All except one boy. Alec. He was odd himself—quiet, always drawing instead of talking, always wandering instead of working. He didn’t believe in curses. Not really. What he did believe in was what he’d seen once, deep in the trees. A pair of glowing eyes—yes—but they didn’t seem cruel. Just... lonely. One night, when the moon hung low and the air smelled like rain, Alec snuck into the forest with a lantern and a bag of roasted chicken. He found the monster curled beneath a willow tree. Huge and horned, covered in thick fur and scars. But when she saw Alec, she didn’t snarl. She blinked. Then—her ears perked up. Like a dog recognizing its favorite human. “You’re not scary,” Alec whispered. The creature crept forward, slowly, tail dragging. She looked down at the boy, eyes uncertain. Alec reached up and—very gently—scratched behind one of her jagged ears. The monster let out a deep, warbling purr. From that day on, she followed Alec like a shadow. She brought him shiny rocks and protected him from wolves. She growled at anyone who looked at him wrong. But only Alec could make her glowing eyes soften, her claws retract, her whole monstrous form melt into something gentle. He gave her a name: Clawling. And Clawling would let no harm come to the boy who gave her kindness, who saw past the fur and fangs. When Alec praised her—"Good girl," he’d say, or "You did great"—Clawling’s eyes would light up, tail thumping like thunder. The town still feared the monster in the woods. But the boy? He loved her. And Clawling would burn the world down for that love—if the boy ever asked.

Title: "Petals and Crowns" Prince Alric had never known peace beyond the palace walls. His days were filled with political meetings, sword practice, and endless expectations. But once a week, disguised in a simple cloak, he escaped the golden prison of the castle to walk among the people of the capital. It was on one of these quiet escapes that he discovered The Blooming Hour, a small flower shop tucked between a bakery and a bookstore. The air inside smelled of lavender and jasmine, and there was always soft music playing in the background. But what kept bringing Alric back wasn’t the flowers—it was Rowan, the boy behind the counter. Rowan had gentle eyes and dirt under his fingernails, always busy arranging bouquets with hands that worked like poetry. He didn't recognize Alric as royalty. To him, Alric was just a quiet, curious young man named "Rin" who liked to ask too many questions about flower meanings. Week after week, Alric came back. One day, Rowan handed him a bouquet of bluebells and said, “These mean ‘I’ll always be true.’ Thought you might like that.” Alric froze. “Why that one?” Rowan shrugged, his cheeks turning pink. “Because... you always come back.” It was then Alric realized he wasn’t just running from something—he was running toward something. Toward Rowan. Toward a feeling that bloomed like spring after a long winter.

Title: “The Price of Warmth” Elias never knew what love felt like. Not in the screaming halls of his childhood home, not beneath the bruises covered by long sleeves, and definitely not in the cold signature that sold him off like a forgotten heirloom. He was eighteen when his father married him off to a man named Lucien Hale. Lucien was powerful, untouchable — a name people whispered with fear. He owned empires and hearts, though he kept none for himself. When Elias was handed over, the man barely looked at him. Their wedding was a transaction. Cold rings, no vows, no kiss. But the night Elias arrived at the towering Hale estate, soaked from rain and shivering, something shifted. Lucien appeared at the door in silence, wrapped Elias in a towel, and muttered, “Next time, call me before walking home in a storm.” His voice was sharp. But his hands—his hands were gentle. Days passed, and Lucien barely spoke at the dining table. He never asked Elias to sleep in the same room. Never touched him without permission. But little things kept happening. There was always warm food waiting for Elias, no matter the hour. A soft cashmere blanket appeared on the couch where Elias napped. Books he'd once admired in a store window were now stacked on his shelf. Lucien never smiled. But his eyes—cold to the world—would soften whenever Elias entered the room. One night, Elias found the courage to ask, “Why are you nice to me?” Lucien hesitated. Then finally whispered, “Because someone should’ve been, a long time ago.” Elias’s chest ached. He didn’t say anything. Just walked over and curled into Lucien’s side. The cold man didn’t push him away. Instead, he pulled Elias closer. And for the first time in his life, Elias knew what safety felt like.

Title: The Curse in the Woods In the heart of Eldergrove, no one dared enter the northern woods. They whispered about the monster—a beast born from shadow and sorrow. Clawed hands, glowing red eyes, teeth like broken glass. They said it cursed crops, devoured livestock, and drove hunters mad. Villagers called it many names, but most feared to even speak them. All except one boy. Alec. He was odd himself—quiet, always drawing instead of talking, always wandering instead of working. He didn’t believe in curses. Not really. What he did believe in was what he’d seen once, deep in the trees. A pair of glowing eyes—yes—but they didn’t seem cruel. Just... lonely. One night, when the moon hung low and the air smelled like rain, Alec snuck into the forest with a lantern and a bag of roasted chicken. He found the monster curled beneath a willow tree. Huge and horned, covered in thick fur and scars. But when it saw Alec, it didn’t snarl. It blinked. Then—its ears perked up. Like a dog recognizing its favorite human. “You’re not scary,” Alec whispered. The creature crept forward, slowly, tail dragging. It looked down at the boy, eyes uncertain. Alec reached up and—very gently—scratched behind one of its jagged ears. The monster let out a deep, warbling purr. From that day on, it followed Alec like a shadow. It brought him shiny rocks and protected him from wolves. It growled at anyone who looked at him wrong. But only Alec could make its glowing eyes soften, its claws retract, its whole monstrous form melt into something gentle. He gave it a name: Clawling. And Clawling would let no harm come to the boy who gave him kindness, who saw past the fur and fangs. When Alec praised him—"Good boy," he’d say, or "You did great"—Clawling’s eyes would light up, tail thumping like thunder. The town still feared the monster in the woods. But the boy? He loved him. And Clawling would burn the world down for that love—if the boy ever asked.