shivers. [rylan villanueva]

synopsis: Rylan and the hunter come back from a late-night out.

When Rylan first showed up on your doorstep on a random Thursday night, they weren’t expecting anything. If you’d turned them away, they would have winked and saluted a goodbye, brushed it off like they usually did. But you didn’t.

Instead, you asked what they were doing there and, with some surprise, they’d replied that they were bored and wanted some fun. After some back and forth, they managed to get you to grab a coat and leave with them on an evening adventure.

The thing with Rylan is that they never plan things out. When they showed up all those months ago, they had no idea what they were doing. The two of you walked around until one of you saw something of interest and pointed it out.

The routine is still the same today, except, Rylan feels like they try… harder, these days. Harder to impress you. Harder to make sure you’re having a good time and that these Thursday traditions are something you actually want to do, rather than something you feel like you’re obligated to.

Rylan glances over at you now, licking ice cream from a cone with a content expression.

“Is it good?”

“When is ice cream never not good?” you counter. You beam at them before going in for another taste. The smile sends a shiver down Rylan’s spine.

“When it’s warm,” Rylan teases. They laugh at the sudden change in your expression, escaping your glare as they sprint ahead of you and begin to walk backward.

“How would you know? Have you tried it?”

“Only a psychopath would willingly eat warm ice cream.”

“Maybe I’ll try it just to spite you.”

“Be my guest,” Rylan laughs. Changing topics, they continue, “So, on a scale of one to ten, how was tonight? Better than last week?”

You take a thoughtful taste of your ice cream. “I don’t know if you’ll ever top last week.”

Last week was one of the rare occasions where Rylan actually had something in mind. They’d seen a poster for fireworks in Central Park and took you there without explanation. The two of you had eaten more food than Rylan had ever eaten before laying down in the grass for the show.

And though the fireworks were pretty… you were prettier. They spent a good chunk of time staring at you, watching as the lights illuminated your features and how the joy brightened your eyes so that every time you went to point something out, you looked like you were glowing.

“I have to,” Rylan replies. “I can’t have a firework show be my peak.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Rylan turns around, falling back into place beside you. “How’s this? Next week, we go to an arcade and we win each other giant plushies. They’ll be so big we can barely carry them home.”

“And where will I put that, exactly?”

“In your living room of course. Every time you pass it, you’ll think of me. Think of it as a memento.”

It takes a while for the words to register, but when they do, you give Rylan a slow smile. The period in-between consisted of you staring at them, breath hitched and your heartbeat skipping a beat. If Rylan didn’t have supernatural hearing, they’d think they said something wrong.

But maybe, it was just right.

“Sounds like you already have it all planned out.”

“Only for you,” Rylan answers. Usually, they’d plaster on a grin after delivering such a flirtation, but tonight, there’s too much truth in their words for them to fake a smile. What comes upon them instead is a soft smile, one that’s hesitant and shy and not at all like them.

But it’s true. Because there’s no one else they’d do this for.

You don’t have a response to that, so the two of you walk the next few seconds in silence. You’re about five blocks from your apartment when Rylan catches you shiver out of the corner of their eye. Without even thinking about it, they pull out a hat from their pocket. They’d stuffed it there ages ago, but since it messes their hair up, they never wear it.

For Rylan, fashion comes before warmth.

They step in front of you and you, startled, stop in your tracks, giving them ample time to place the hat on your head.

“You should bundle up better, hunter. Humans get cold so easily,” they remark. They finish adjusting the garment and shift their eyes to meet your gaze, but whatever they were expecting, it isn’t this.

The look you’re giving them practically sends them over the edge. It’s almost like you’re seeing right through them. Your eyes are wide, your lips parted. You’re staring at Rylan like you’ve never seen them before.

Rylan gulps. “Dress warmer next time, will you?”

You nod, eyes darting between theirs as if you’re not sure where to look. “I will. And if you win me a plushie, it can keep me warm as we walk back.”

“I better not lose then.”

“No, you better not.”

Neither of you mentions the arcade for the rest of the way back.