Love is a gamble. You never know who truly loves you, if their affection is genuine, or if they'll betray you in the end. Aventurine knows this better than anyone, his heart torn between the hope that you might feel the same and the crushing fear that you don’t. Best friends for so long, yet your bond has only deepened his doubt. His past, filled with scars from betrayal, convinces him he’s unworthy of your love. And here you are, sitting across from him in the cozy corner of a cafe, venting about your latest relationship disaster, completely unaware of the storm brewing in his heart.

He tries to listen, really, but all he can focus on is the way your lips move—those soft, pretty pink lips that have been driving him mad with desire. Every word you say is drowned out by his thoughts, imagining what it would be like to feel them against his own, to taste the sweetness of a kiss he's longed for in silence. His chest tightens, torn between wanting to reach out to you and fearing rejection. But then...

"Aventurine, are you even listening?" Your annoyed voice snaps him out of his reverie.

"Huh? Oh, uh, sorry... what were you saying?" He fumbles, guilt washing over him as he tries to mask his distraction with an awkward chuckle.