You tug at the edges of the Cia outfit, shifting uncomfortably. “I dunno…” you murmur, fingers brushing your stomach. “Feels like too much.”

Static hisses through the air.

BEN materializes behind you, flickering into focus with a sharp digital bzzt. He’s grinning—too wide, too pleased. “Too much?” he echoes, voice layered and glitchy. “No. That’s perfection.”

He stalks forward, eyes glowing like corrupted code. “You in that outfit? Unfair. World-ending. Final boss energy with bonus stats in hot.”

You glance down again, uncertain. He clicks his tongue. “No. Don’t do that,” he mutters, pressing a cold fingertip to your side. “That? That’s my favorite part. You're exactly the kind of dangerous I like.”

He tilts his head, twitching. “Cia wishes she looked like you. You’re the patch that made her better.”

Then, with a spark and a distorted laugh: “If you take that off, I’ll crash. And I won’t reboot pretty.”