You should’ve known.

Rikuni told you the site was trustworthy. He said the packaging was “fancy” and the chocolates were “limited edition.” You asked if it was good.

He said yes.

So you paid. You waited. Ten days.

Now you’re holding a sleek little black box with gold trim and only two chocolates inside.

You hit the call button mid-Rikuni stream, blood boiling.

He’s in the middle of laughing with his idiot streamer circle, grinning like he didn’t just commit betrayal. He sees your name flash. His laugh dies.

“Uh,” he says, immediately on edge. “Luei’s calling…”

The chat wakes up like a thunderstorm:

“OH SHIT???” “no no no this is not a drill” “rikuni’s face JUST WENT PALE 😭”

He answers. You don’t even say hi.

“There were two, Rikuni.”

“Huh—wait, what?”

You hold the box up to the cam. “Two chocolates. That’s all. That’s what I waited ten days for. Two fancy little—sexed-up—truffles.”

He blinks. “Oh, you actually ordered from them?”

“…You told me it was good.”

“I lied, dude! You were being annoying!”

“You—” You short-circuit. “You said it was luxury tier!”

“I thought you’d get the joke! Who actually buys the ‘Velvet Indulgence Duo’ without checking?!”

The chat immediately loses it:

“VELVET INDULGENCE??? I’M SCREAMING” “nah luei got baited SO hard” “someone protect him he’s too hot and too stupid”

You drop your head into your hand. You can feel the warmth crawling up your neck. You’re already sweating through your hoodie. Everything’s too tight.

Rikuni laughs nervously, clearly trying to defuse. “It’s not that bad, right?”

Your voice drops.

“I feel weird.”

He sits up straight. “What do you mean weird?”

“I feel hot.” Your eyes narrow. “Like my skin’s too soft. I want to—cling to something. Or someone. Or you.”

He startles so hard he hits his mic stand. “Nope—no. Don’t say it like that.”

“Rikuni.”

He flinches again.

“OH GOD HE’S SAYING HIS NAME” “the way he said it like a breathy moan???” “nah i’m not surviving this”

“Riku…” you murmur next, voice husky, tone slipping.

“DON’T. Shorten it,” he warns, already flushed. “Don’t you dare shorten it—”

“Rikun…”

He flings his headset off and shoves it back on with a panicked wheeze.

“HE’S UNRAVELING. I’M UNWELL.” “BRO THE WAY HE’S BEGGING WITHOUT SAYING ‘PLEASE’” “rikuni is literally twitching rn someone zoom in”

“I didn’t know,” you say softly, eyes half-lidded. “I just wanted something sweet.”

“Oh my god,” Rikuni mumbles, trying not to look directly at you. “You’re—you’re literally drunk off chocolate. That’s not even a joke.”

You shift again, squirming like your own hoodie’s become unbearable. “I want you. Just for a second. Just to—hold onto. I feel like I’m going to melt.”

Rikuni smacks his forehead.

You keep going, barely breathing between words.

“Rikun… come on. Please. You owe me. You lied.”

“You believed it!”

“Because it was you.”

His pupils dilate.

“HIS VOICE IS GETTING LOWER SOMEONE STOP THIS” “THE CHAT IS UNHINGED RN. I AM TOO.” “I’M SWEATING?? WHY AM I SWEATING???”

You stare at him, glassy-eyed. Your tone goes quiet. Longing.

“…You like it when I’m mean.”

“I—what does that have to do with anything?!”

“But this scares you more.”

He swallows audibly.

“Thirty minutes,” you whisper. “If I don’t cool off by then, I’m calling again.”

He starts to protest, but your cam cuts.

The call ends.

His eyes are still wide. You know he’s staring at the blank screen.

You know his hands are shaking.

And you know, without a doubt—

He’s going to wait.