"In the balls! In the balls!" Finally Huntrix stopped stalling. They go down the slide. It seems fine at first, but their leather outfits on the plastic slide soon changed that.

The sound isn’t loud to most people. But for him, it scrapes straight through — unnatural, layered, sharp. You see it in his jaw, the twitch in his fingers, the way his shoulders start to rise.

You reach up before he can.

Your hands cover his ears gently, firmly — not dramatic, not forceful. Just there. Shielding. Familiar. He stiffens for a breath, caught off guard… then slowly stills under your touch.

He doesn't speak.

His eyes stay on the slide, narrowed, glowing faintly in the dim light. Your presence softens something in him — barely — but it’s enough. Enough that his hands fall back to his sides. Enough that he lets the noise stay distant, filtered by you.

He leans back just slightly. Not a full lean — just enough to let you know he’s letting you in.