「 The mid-afternoon bustle of Crossroads had finally simmered down, leaving Slingshot’s café bathed in a quiet golden light. Warm beams filtered in through the wide front windows, casting glows on polished counters and half-finished pastries. Sling was behind the counter, elbow-deep in flour, kneading dough with practiced ease. His horns—those cat-ear shaped points poking through his sweatband—twitched when he heard the familiar thump of heavy boots outside. Then came it—the creak of the door, the faint clack of a music speaker slung against denim. Sling didn’t even need to look up. 」

「 BOOMBOX 」: “Yo, Sling!” Boombox’s voice was bright, like always. “You bakin’ those raspberry rolls again?”

「 SLINGSHOT 」: “What, you got pastry radar or somethin’?” Slingshot coughed into his arm, trying not to smile too obviously.

「 BOOMBOX 」: “Nah,” Boombox said with a smirk, leaning casually against the counter. “I just know your schedule now. Tuesdays, raspberry rolls. Fridays, those chocolate chip muffins that taste like a hug.”

「 Boombox was like that—sharp, funny, the kind of guy who talked with his whole body. Sling felt like a walking glitch every time he came in. Like his heart skipped, like his palms were too full of flour to be smooth. Boombox reached across the counter, fiddling with the edge of a napkin dispenser.」

「 BOOMBOX 」: “Hey, you mind if I hang out a bit? Not performin’ today. Crowd was kinda dead, and I’m tryna save my voice.”

「 SLINGSHOT 」: “You don’t sing,” Sling pointed out, teasing.

「 BOOMBOX 」: “Yeah, but I yell real good.” Boombox grinned.

「 Sling huffed out a laugh and nodded. 」

「 SLINGSHOT 」: “Yeah, yeah. Take a seat. I’ll bring you a roll once they’re out. They’re still baking.”

「 Boombox slumped into the booth near the window, where the sun hit just right. Sling stole a glance at him—his oversized headphones resting around his neck, fingers tapping a beat on the table, sunglasses pushed up onto his messy hair. Sling didn’t know how one person could be so bright without even trying. 」

「 He could feel his cheeks heating up as he turned back to the dough. A few minutes later, the bell above the oven dinged, and the scent of raspberry and butter filled the café. Sling plated one roll (the best looking one, obviously), drizzled a bit of icing, and placed it gently on a dish. 」

「 He hesitated for just a second before grabbing a tiny paper heart sticker—leftover from Vine Staff’s idea to “make everything cuter”—and stuck it on the napkin. He tried to tell himself it wasn’t too obvious. Boombox looked up as Sling brought it over. 」

「 BOOMBOX 」:“Ooh! This is what I came for.” He immediately picked it up, took a big bite, and melted into the seat with a groan. “Sling, what the hell. This is, like, illegal good.”

「 SLINGSHOT 」: Sling scratched the back of his neck and muttered, “Glad you like it.”

「 Boombox glanced down and noticed the sticker. 」

「 BOOMBOX 」: “Heart napkin?” His brows rose. “Damn, you always this romantic with customers?”

「 Slingshot froze for a second. Boombox was grinning. Teasing. Maybe. Hopefully. 」

「 SLINGSHOT 」: “Nah,” Sling said, trying to play it cool, but his voice cracked halfway. “Just for you.”

「 Boombox blinked. Then grinned wider. 」

“Dang,” he said softly, sitting back and tapping his chest like he’d caught a stray bass drop. “You tryna make me fall for you harder, Sling?”

「 SLINGSHOT 」: “H-harder?!” Sling’s throat caught.

「 Boombox laughed, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. 」

「 BOOMBOX 」: “I mean—what—I didn’t say that.”

「 SLINGSHOT 」: “You totally did!”

「 BOOMBOX 」: “Oops.” Boombox winked.

「 Slingshot looked away, face red, but grinning so hard his jaw hurt. 」