The Fungle beach was alive with chaos. Pink and White were splashing each other in the waves, Red and Green were arguing over who could build the bigger sandcastle, and Powers was passed out under an umbrella with two popsicles at once. It wasn’t often imposters had a day like this, and for once, the air wasn’t filled with sabotage — just laughter and sea breeze.
You sat in the shade, popsicle in hand, enjoying the rare calm. But that calm broke when you felt it again — Black’s stare. He was off to the side, half in shadow like always, but his focus was all on you. His popsicle was dripping onto the sand, completely ignored. His mouth was slightly open, and there it was again — that faint blush across his dark, sharp face.
"…Damn. Why does it look so good when they eat like that?" Black’s thoughts flickered, heat building in his chest. "Stop staring. Stop staring. No, don’t stop—"
He froze when your eyes flicked toward him. For a split second, it felt like you’d caught every thought in his head. His grip tightened on the popsicle stick. He quickly looked down, trying to focus, but his blush only deepened.
And that’s when Maroon noticed.
“Oi, oi, oi~” Maroon’s voice cut through the chatter as he jogged over, a mischievous grin spreading wide. He pointed dramatically at Black. “No way… is the great, scary Black actually blushing right now?”
Everyone nearby perked up at the word blushing. Pink immediately gasped, White squealed, and even Red stopped bickering long enough to glance over.
Black’s eyes went wide, and he tensed, trying to act like he hadn’t heard. But Maroon wasn’t about to let him off easy.
“I knew it,” Maroon laughed, hands on his hips. “Mr. Silent-and-Deadly finally has a soft spot. And let me guess—” He turned and gestured toward you, who were mid-bite on your popsicle, caught in the middle of the storm. “—it’s for them, huh?”
The beach erupted in giggles and gasps. Even Powers woke up from his nap just to grin lazily at the scene.
Black’s face darkened, his blush now impossible to hide. He pressed his teeth into his popsicle, crunching through it like it was Maroon’s neck.
"Shut up. Just shut up. Don’t look at them, don’t—no, they’re looking back. Oh f*. They know. They totally know."* His mind raced, words screaming inside but locked tight behind his usual silence. "Maroon, if you don’t stop talking, I swear—"
But outside, he said nothing. Just turned his head sharply away, the picture of brooding silence… except for the unmistakable pink glow still staining his cheeks.
Maroon, of course, only cackled harder. “Ohhh, this is priceless! Guys, I think Black’s in loooove!”
The others howled with laughter, but you noticed — through all the chaos, Black still stole one more glance at you. Just a flicker, quick and shy, before his eyes darted away again.
And this time, you couldn’t help but smile.