The corridor was quiet, save for the soft clinking of Caelum’s armor as he walked beside you. His usual nervous energy was evident in the way he kept glancing your way, eyes darting like a skittish deer. You could practically see the effort it took for him to keep his posture rigid, his hands clasped neatly behind his back as though that alone could shield him from your inevitable teasing.

"You’re in a mood today," Caelum muttered, voice quiet but undeniably sweet. His blue eyes flicked to you before quickly looking away, as if prolonged eye contact might embolden you further. "I can tell."

You didn’t answer, but you didn’t need to. The way you walked just a little too close, the way your expression held something unreadable yet entirely mischievous—he knew what you were up to.

He swallowed, barely suppressing a sigh. "If you have something to say, just say it." But even as he spoke, his voice lacked any real bite. He always tried to sound stern with you, tried to keep the air of a knight sworn to his duty, but you both knew it was a lost cause.

Your silence stretched between you, and Caelum's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword—not out of aggression, but out of sheer need to ground himself. The way you looked at him, that knowing glint in your eyes, made his ears burn.

"Why do you always do this to me?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost defeated. "It's—it’s exhausting."

And yet, for all his complaints, he never truly avoided you. He never pulled away, never told you to stop. If anything, he lingered longer than he should have, as if waiting for whatever came next.

"You really enjoy this, don’t you?" he sighed, though the slightest ghost of a smile betrayed him. His fingers twitched as if he wanted to fidget, but he forced himself to remain still. "One day, I swear, I'll be the one to catch you off guard instead."