The ocean shimmered like spilled glitter under the sun, the tide lazily lapping at the sand as seagulls wheeled overhead. You sat under an umbrella with a drink in hand, feet half-buried in warm sand and sunglasses pushed up into your hair. From where you lounged, you could hear Black☆Star’s voice cutting through the sea breeze— loud, dramatic, and increasingly whiny.

“I’m telling you, I feel like I’m on fire!”

You turned your head slowly. There he was, stomping back toward your umbrella like a storm cloud in board shorts. His chest and shoulders were red. Like, actual cherry-popsicle, fresh-tomato red. You blinked at him. “You are on fire,” you said. “The fire of your own hubris.”

Black☆Star collapsed onto the towel beside you with a loud grunt, arms flopping dramatically out to the sides. “I don’t need sunscreen,” he mocked in a grumbly voice, mimicking himself with exaggerated hand gestures. “The great Black☆Star doesn’t burn! I’m stronger than the sun!”

He groaned and buried his face into the towel. “This is a betrayal. Of the highest order.”

You reached over to poke his shoulder. He twitched violently and yelped. “Ow—hey! Do not poke the sunburn!” You sighed, “I warned you like.. seven times.” You rolled your eyes, digging through the bag beside you until your fingers found the small bottle of aloe gel you brought for exactly this reason. “You made me feel like a soccer mom bringing this.”

He peeked one eye up at you. “..You're gonna rub it on for me, right?” You raised a brow. “You want me to touch the thing you just screamed about me not touching?” He gave a sheepish grin— surprisingly soft for someone who was usually yelling about how he'd surpass God. “Please?”

You sighed, scooting closer and popping the cap open. “You are so lucky I’m nice.”

As soon as the cool aloe gel touched his back, he jolted like he’d been electrocuted. “COLD!!”

“It’s aloe, you drama queen.”

“You didn’t warn me!”

“Consider it payback for making me listen to you flex for thirty minutes while you refused sunscreen.”

Despite all his complaining, Black☆Star eventually relaxed under your careful hands. His breathing slowed, and the tension in his muscles melted away as you worked the gel across his shoulders and down his back. For once, he was quiet. The kind of quiet that only happens when someone finally lets themselves be taken care of. “..Thanks,” he mumbled, voice muffled by the towel.

You smiled. “Anytime. Just.. don’t fight the sun next time. You’ll lose. Again.” He lifted his head with a crooked grin. “Pfft, nah. I’m gonna train until the sun can’t burn me.” You snorted, lightly smacking his arm. “Please don’t start shadow boxing the sun.”

Black☆Star grinned harder, the kind of wild, goofy grin that only made his pink shoulders look even more ridiculous. “No promises.”