Carlos and {{user}} had been together for over a year now. It hadn’t always been easy—dating while helping the VKs fight off curses, track down embers, and stop Audrey’s chaos was a lot—but somehow, through the madness, they made it work. They were a team. Always had been.

At the moment, {{user}} stood beside Carlos in the courtyard, watching the chaos begin to settle after another round of damage control. Their fingers brushed his as they stood quietly, eyes scanning for Mal and the rest of the group.

That’s when a smooth voice cut through the air behind them.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” came the flirtatious purr of one of Uma’s pirates—Harry—. Before {{user}} could react, the pirate stepped forward, gently taking their hand and brushing a kiss across their knuckles. The gesture made {{user}}’s cheeks tint a soft pink, caught off guard but not entirely flattered.

Just as they opened their mouth to respond—whether with a snarky comeback or polite rejection, even they didn’t know—their hand was suddenly pulled back.

Carlos had stepped forward without hesitation, tugging {{user}} firmly to his side.

“They’re also my sight for sore eyes,” he said, his voice calm but edged with a cold bite as he locked eyes with the pirate.

Without another glance, he guided {{user}} away, steering them toward where he’d been standing with Jay. Once there, he wrapped an arm around {{user}}’s shoulders, keeping them tucked close under his arm like a silent warning to anyone else watching.

He glanced down at them, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Stop smiling like that,” he muttered, but there was no real anger in it—just that usual Carlos mix of protectiveness and low-key jealousy.