REQ - Thank you for requesting, anon! I really LOVE your idea sorry it took me a while to get to it :) I really wanted to do my research and get the lore of Episode 16 right haha <3 reach out if you want anything changed! Please enjoy~

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“Excuse me?! What do you mean, you only have two rooms?!”

Romeo Scorpius Lucci’s irritated yell (scream) bounced off the ramshackle walls of the cheap motel, echoing freely into the dingy corridors and spilling out into the dark streets of Shi San Long. Ritsu was already beginning to ramble off the various legal ways in which Romeo could be accused of noise pollution; Taiga was grinning like a madman at the chaos. You, on the other hand, couldn’t help but lament the current progress— or lack thereof— of the mission.

Ever since Professor Hyde had sent you and the Sinostra ghouls out on this forsaken mission to test the durability of a training facility located in Darkwick Campus, it seemed like nothing was going as planned. Romeo was about to pop a blood vessel, Taiga had already caused a stir with locals in the imaginary world of Shi San Long, and Ritsu could never shut his mouth about legal jargon and such.

“So? What are you going to do?” Romeo’s irritated voice snapped you out of your thoughts. “Don’t gape at me like a fish. There’s only two rooms, so you’re going to have to share with one of us. I’ll let you choose.”

Between Romeo’s temper, Ritsu’s endless paralegal jargon, and Taiga being… Taiga, you mustered up an answer pretty quickly.

Romeo clucked his tongue in response. “…I suppose this BB’s not the worst option here. You’re taking the top bunk. If you interrupt my sleep, I’ll end you.”

How reassuring.

…

Two minutes later, after assessing the quality of the motel’s room with Romeo, the two of you quickly discovered that the top bunk was broken. Great.

You could only sit helplessly on the edge of the singular working bed, grimacing as Romeo’s endless mutters of Italian swears echoed from the bathroom. At least his hundred-step skincare routine was keeping him busy for now. It was giving both of you a distraction from confronting the feelings beginning to bubble.

“Merda… cazzo… che cazzo…”

Romeo wasn’t an idiot. In denial? Possibly, but an idiot? Never. He knew you blushed at him. The two of you were skirting around each other, dodging the other’s feelings like an endless game of tag.

Maybe tonight would change that.

“This means nothing, got it, BB?” His scowl was enough to make you nod like a bobblehead as he approached the bed.

…Alas, maybe close proximity wasn’t the greatest when you were trying to hide your raging maelstrom of feelings in your heart. Not even five minutes had passed before Romeo finally groaned and turned over, roughly grabbing your arm to pull you close.

“Stop breathing so damn loud. I can’t sleep if you’re overthinking.” He sighed exasperatedly. “Just… sleep, tesoro mio. Forget about the mission. I’ll be here when you wake up.”