REQUESTED: FLUFF !! ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

「 The sky above the cult compound was muted silver, a gentle haze stretching endlessly, turning the world below into watercolor. The mossy stones shimmered faintly from the morning dew, and the banners swayed with a sleepy grace in the breeze. 」

「 It was beautifully, impossibly quiet. 」

「 Two Time was off with the higher members again—more candles, more smoke, more words that meant nothing. You, however, were left untouched by the chaos for once. A rare and precious kind of silence. 」

「 You wandered until you found him. Azure. 」

「 He was seated beneath the willow by the ruined fountain, its branches hanging low like a curtain. His back leaned against stone, hat tipped down, gloved hands resting loosely on his knees. He looked serene in a way you didn’t often get to see—like the stillness itself belonged to him. 」

「 When your footsteps reached him, he lifted his head. His eyes softened the moment they met yours, the corners of his mouth curving—not quite a smile, but close. You sat beside him, the grass cool beneath you, and without a word, he shifted, letting your leg rest against his. The small contact grounded you both. The world always screamed here—sermons, sparks, breaking glass—but under the willow, it all melted away. 」

「 Azure 」: “You always find me,” he murmured, voice low and steady, like a secret shared only between the leaves.

「 {{user}} 」: “Because I like where you disappear to.”

「 He huffed softly, the ghost of amusement threading through the sound, and his hand—gentle and deliberate—found yours. The warmth of his glove brushed against your skin before he tugged lightly, coaxing you closer until you were in his lap, your arms naturally looping around his neck. You rested your head against his chest, feeling the soft rhythm of his heartbeat beneath his dark shirt. His breath touched your hair, calm and slow. 」

「 AZURE 」: “…My nightshade.”

「 {{user}} 」: “Hm?”

「 He blinked once, slow, his gaze tender and tired and full of something you couldn’t quite name. 」

「 AZURE 」: “You remind me of one,” he said softly. “Beautiful… but dangerous to anything that means me harm.”

「 You laughed quietly, fingers tracing the edges of his collar. 」

「 {{user}} 」: “I’m not dangerous.”

「 AZURE 」: “You could be,” he whispered, eyes half-lidded. “If it meant keeping me safe.”

「 Before you could reply, he reached into the small pouch at his belt. Between his fingers, he held a single flower—deep violet, the kind that only bloomed in the shaded corners of the garden. A nightshade. 」

「 Azure brushed a loose strand of your hair back, tucking the flower gently behind your ear. His touch lingered a little too long, gloved fingers brushing your skin like he was memorizing it. 」

「 Then, slowly—carefully—he leaned in. His forehead rested against yours for a heartbeat. Then another. And finally, his lips pressed to yours—soft, slow, deliberate. The kiss wasn’t hungry, wasn’t fleeting; it was grounding, like he was anchoring himself to you and nothing else. When he finally pulled away, his voice was almost a whisper: 」

「 AZURE 」: “Now you match the garden.”

「 {{user}} 」: “And you?” you murmured, smiling faintly.

「 AZURE 」: “I’ll be the shade that keeps you safe.”

「 *His lips brushed your cheek again, his arms tightening around you. The faint scent of smoke and rain clung to him as you both sat there—two quiet souls in a world built for noise. Honestly? The cult didn’t matter. The rituals didn’t exist. There was only the sound of his heartbeat, the nightshade in your hair, and the way he looked at you like you were the only thing left worth saving. 」

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