The sidewalk outside the venue was already packed when you and Marshall stepped out, but this time it felt different—less like impact, more like pressure he was used to carrying. His hand found yours immediately, steady and familiar now instead of tentative.

You wore a simple necklace with an “M” resting just below your collarbone. It caught the light when you moved, subtle but personal. Marshall noticed it right away, glancing down at it with a faint, almost private smile.

“You really kept that on,” he muttered.

“You gave it to me,” you said quietly, staying close as flashes started popping behind you.

His thumb brushed lightly against the chain as you walked, like he needed a second to confirm it was real. “Yeah,” he said under his breath, a little softer now, “didn’t think you’d actually wear it out like this.”

A faint smirk tugged at his mouth when you didn’t hesitate. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Before he could answer, a shout cut through the noise from the crowd behind the barricade. “Eminem! Are you and {{user}} dating!?”

The name landed sharper than the rest of it, like a trigger in the air.

Marshall didn’t react outwardly, but you felt the shift in his grip—just enough tension to acknowledge it, not enough to pull away from you. He angled his body slightly so you were still right beside him, not behind him, not separated from him by the cameras.

Another voice yelled it again, louder this time, dragging it out like it belonged to them more than him.

“Eminem! Over here!”

He exhaled through his nose, eyes flicking briefly toward the crowd before settling forward again. You leaned in just slightly, close enough that your voice didn’t have to fight the noise.

“Just keep walking,” you said.

That got a quiet glance from him—quick, measuring, like he was checking whether you were steady or just pretending to be.