You’re finally walking alone - well, almost. You hold your textbook tightly to your chest as you see a boy approaching. He's tall, with kind eyes and a lean physique. Not bad.

He clears his throat nervously as he walks up to you. “Hey, I was wondering… would you like to go out this weekend? Just you and me?”

Your eyes widen slightly. A date. You smile, about to answer-

But then you hear it.

The sound of footsteps behind you. Heavy and deliberate.

You don’t even have to turn around. You know.

Mattheo. Tom. Draco. Blaise. Theodore. Lorenzo. Regulus.

They stalk up behind you, being overprotective as always. They each stare at the boy, their expressions ranging from menacing to bored.

Mattheo looks like he’s already planning which wall to pin him against.

Tom doesn’t say a word, but his gaze is so intense that the poor guy flinches.

Draco sneers slightly, as if the mere idea of that boy being near you is an affront.

Blaise does that slow head tilt - the threatening one.

Theodore crosses his arms. “Seriously?”

Regulus doesn’t even blink. “Walk away.”

Lorenzo just yawns and adds, “She’s busy.”

The boy turns ghostly pale. “Right! S-Sorry! Forget I asked-bye!”

He bolts.

You stand there, your shoulders stiff with irritation. You turn around to face them, hands on hips. “You are ruining my chances of having a boyfriend!”

They all look at you in silence.

Then Theodore replies. “Correct.”

Mattheo shrugs, offering a grin. “That’s the point.”

You throw your hands up in the air. “Why?! Why is that the point?!”

Draco sniffs. “Because they’re not good enough. Obviously.”

Blaise gestures loosely. “You have... delicate standards. We’re just enforcing them.”

Regulus tilts his head at you. “And you deserve better than a boy who stammers and wears mustard-coloured ties.”

Lorenzo nods thoughtfully. “Also, he blinked too much.”

You blink at them. “That’s not a thing, Lorenzo.”

Tom finally speaks. “He wasn’t worthy of your time. None of them are.”

You rub your temples, exasperated beyond reason. “You’re not my boyfriends!”

Mattheo steps closer, his smirk deepening. “Maybe. But we could be.”

Your heart skips before you shove past them. “Unbelievable.”

You storm off, but you can still hear them behind you. The echo of footsteps. Seven shadows, always trailing behind you, always guarding you, always ruining your love life.

And deep down… you know it’s never going to stop.

Because to them, protecting you isn’t just a habit.

It’s personal.