Archive of Our Own

ONE

Humming quietly to herself, walking with the lightest pep in her step, Grian gets to the studio bright and early. It's not unusual for her to show up early, especially when she has music to record—Jimmy always whines that work is the one thing Grian will actually be on time for. Which isn't true, thank you very much. She just likes to show up a few minutes late for Jimmy, purely to make him squirm. It's funny, and part of her job as his sister to mess with him.

Still, when it comes to her job, she's usually on time or early, and today is no exception to that.

She walks through the front doors at nine on the dot, a rapid flutter immediately squeezing her heart like hands. Butterfly wings dance and beat in her chest as her heart is enveloped by something—someone, warm, slowly spreading to her lungs and ribs. It grows with every step she takes, born from a pure form of excitement. That warmth comes with a raw happiness that rarely shows itself to her nowadays. It's a happiness that is soft and gentle, sitting upon her shoulders, over her heart, and warming her to her core.

That isn't to say Grian never feels happy coming to the studio—she certainly does. But there's another reason for such joy to hold her in its hands and conduct a rapid rhythm with her heart. There's someone special she's waiting to see later.

Grian continues to hum a quiet melody as she takes her usual path, passing by the front desk. Not many people appear to be around, though it's not like they have a big staff anyway. She shrugs and moves on, turning down the hall to head toward her office.

"Good morning Ari!"

Someone falls into step beside her, causing Grian to turn her attention away from her path and to her side. She finds one of her managers next to her, smiling cheerfully.

"The fact that you always have so much energy in the morning is scary sometimes, Impulse," she comments teasingly. Seriously, it's like he wakes up every day with nothing but positive energy and endless smiles to give. She can only wonder what that's like.

Impulse chuckles in return, "That's all Skizz, actually. He makes great coffee that perks me right up." He then leans in, conspiratorially as he adds, "Couldn't tell you what his secret is, I've been trying to get the inside scoop for years."

"Of course." She nods along, not questioning it much. "Leave it to Skizz to have an encyclopedia of tricks up his sleeve."

"I swear that man has a library of things locked in his head." Impulse follows the comment with an affectionate smile, the lilt of his voice syrupy sweet and laced with fondness. It doesn't linger long, however, as Impulse glances at her with a raised brow. "Is it just me or do you seem uh, glowy today?" he asks.

Her eyes momentarily widen before Grian forces herself to relax, only sparing him a quick look. They're almost at her office, and she'd like to escape this conversation before she gives herself away. "I have no idea what you mean," Grian coolly answers, shrugging. "I'm always sunshine and rainbows." Despite that, she can feel something giggly and excitable rising in her chest, scratching at her ribs in a desperate attempt to be freed.

God, how do people do this?

Impulse snorts, "Yeah, okay." By the sound of his voice, he doesn't believe her a single bit. "I can't put my finger on it but there's just something different about you today. Like you woke up on the right side of the bed but there was a bonus."

Grian tries to give her manager her best really? stare, looking both unimpressed and unmoved. "Maybe I'm just having a good morning," she retorts as they walk past a trio of workers. She waves pleasantly at them as the pair turn the corner of the hall. "Is that really so weird?"

"It's nothing like that, no," Impulse shakes his head. "If anything it's a good thing! It's a nice change compared to how you've been recently."

There's some kind of witty response resting on Grian's tongue as they reach her office, a teasing and how have I been recently, Impulse? Except the words and their syllables fall apart, spilling soundlessly from her lips as she opens the door, finding someone already inside waiting for her. The only sound that properly escapes her is a strangled breath of air as her eyes land on the familiar figure. Behind her, she hears Impulse say her name, confused as to why she stopped short suddenly.

Grian doesn't offer an answer, too busy rooting her feet in place, too busy staring at the Sun in front of her. Her mouth is open the slightest bit, shock filling her expression. Leaning effortlessly against her desk, hip pressing into it, arms crossed over his chest, is the very person she had been waiting to see—Scar.

He's clearly made himself comfortable, judging by the relaxed slant of his shoulders. He stands there as if he owns the space, free to do as he pleases. His head raises as she pushes the door open, standing at attention. Grian simply stares at him, at a complete loss for words. Scar's dressed in Hotguy memorabilia, a track jacket she's seen before with his logo on the back and dark pants with his colors running down the side of his legs in thick stripes.

It's weird, to see the mask securely back on his face, protecting an identity that she now knows. An identity she wants to know more of.

Scar meets her gaze with his own, green eyes brightening, shimmering with mirth and the very same thing she feels—excitement. It doesn't take long for a small smile to curl around his lips like it lives there. Maybe it does. The smile manages to make his expression soften even further, the corners of his eyes crinkling some. Grian isn't sure how long she spends staring at him, at his smile. It's as if she's trying to memorize what he looks like when he's staring at her, trying to etch it into her mind so she never forgets his beautiful smile.

No one speaks.

Grian gets caught up in looking at him, tracing over his mask with eyes alone, picturing the man underneath. Her heart beats pleasantly in her chest, a sweet little harmony that leaves her warm and fuzzy. The world narrows to just the two of them, everyone else being lost in favor of the sea of green. Scar's eyes are beautiful, she thinks. She's grateful she gets to see them now without the shield of his visor.

She's not sure how long they stand there just staring at each other. Seconds. Minutes. Is it the surprise at seeing him so early? Or perhaps the excitement nestling between her ribs and stretching across her lungs? Maybe both.

"Hey," Scar finally greets quietly, voice almost shy and reverent as he looks at her. He breaks the beats of silence they fell into the moment she opened the door.

The sound of his voice greeting her pulls Grian out of her love-induced trance, reminding her of where she is. As if needing to embarrass herself more, Grian offers him a small wave and a sweet smile, "…hey."

Scar beams at her like she's just hung the sky for him.

"That was one of the weirdest interactions from you two I've ever seen, ooookay," Impulse cuts in, startling them both. "Good morning to you too, Hotguy."

Matching blushes paint both Grian and Scar's faces pink as they glance at him. Scar in particular jerks up for a quick save, "I-Impulse! Why you beat me to the punch there!" He follows it with what sounds like an awkward laugh, shaking his head. Grian hears the nervous undertone that he tries to hide, lips quirking. "But a very good morning to you my good sir! Is that a new shirt?" Scar frantically gestures to the t-shirt Impulse is wearing. "Looking good man, amayzin' even!" He winks. "Yellow is definitely your color."

"Uh… thanks?" Impulse blinks, glancing down at himself. "This is the same shirt I've always had though."

Grian has to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.

"O-Oh! A trick of the light then!" Scar chuckles, leaning a hand back on Grian's desk. He follows it with a charming smile, and honestly the recovery is just impressive.

"Right…" her manager trails off, eyeing him. "I'll just—leave you two to your business." Impulse takes a step back, gaze trailing to Grian. "Ariana, don't forget your two o'clock meeting with Glam, you're filming an advert for them later today."

"You got it." She offers a little salute as the man leaves, shutting the door behind him.

Scar practically deflates when it's just the two of them, setting a hand over his chest. "Oh my god that was stressful," he exhales. "Do you think I oversold it?"

Grian shuts the door behind her as she slowly approaches him, setting her bag down. "What do you think, Mr. 'Is that a new shirt?'"

"I knew I should've complimented his hair instead," Scar clicks his tongue, pouting slightly.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Grian inquires, tilting her head. "I thought you weren't supposed to show up until the afternoon."

Scar walks away from her desk, moving toward her instead. He takes a peek behind her at the door and any potential spots someone could see them. When he finds they have one hundred percent privacy, he slips his arms around her waist to pull her close. "Not happy to see my handsome face first thing in the morning?" he cheekily teases, smirking.

Grian rolls her eyes, "I didn't say that, doofus." She hesitates before setting her palms against his chest.

Scar chuckles quietly, the sound ringing warmly in her ears. "No, no, it's fine. I can read between the lines. You don't want to see my face until it's on the schedule."

"Oh my—now you're just making assumptions!" she huffs at him, grumbling. It's not like she's just going to admit how happy she is to see him. That's… that's too much.

"Alright, alright," Scar eases up, dropping the bit they've wandered into. "Honestly I just… really wanted to see you. I couldn't wait until later so, surprise!" He smiles, cheeks pink. "I moved some things around so I'm free all day now rather than just later on."

Grian stares at him with surprise, heart drumming against her ribcage. Lightly, her fingers curl in Scar's jacket. "You… did that just to see me earlier?" she parrots back, as if the concept is foreign to her. It's almost hard to believe that someone would do such a thing to see her. Was he really that excited to be around her that he couldn't wait?

For her?

"Well, uhm. Yeah." Scar glances away from her, his cheeks dusting as he lifts a hand to the back of his head. "U-Unless I'm in the way..."

Quickly, she shakes her head. "Scar, you're literally my bodyguard, you being here early gets in the way of nothing," Grian refutes. "And it's… not like it's a bad thing. Seeing you. That is," she quickly follows with, words a little terse and stilted as embarrassment takes root deep in her chest. She curses how awkward she sounds.

Yet judging by the way Scar's hand falls back to her waist while he beams at her like she's hung the sun, it's well received. "Good, good!" he cheers. "I would've brought you some flowers too with the surprise visit, but I thought that might draw too much attention." He follows it with a bashful laugh, smiling.

Grian giggles, her hands sneaking up to his shoulders. "When has that stopped you before, Hotshot?" She can name at least three different occasions where Scar brought her flowers, four when she counts their first date.

"Well—yeah! But I was still fresh meat back then." He pouts again, only rousing another round of laughter from Grian. "I'll just have to bring you the most beautiful bouquet next time to make up for it," Scar confidently declares, wisely nodding his head.

Looking at him with a little smile, Grian's gaze turns softer, affectionate. Leave it to Scar to find some way to throw her off entirely. "Well, thank you," she returns, her hand finding a home on his chest once again as she looks up at him. "Maybe be a little less tense with Impulse next time, though? The less suspicious we act, the better."

"Of course, of course," Scar hums, pulling her in a little closer. His eyes light up then as a thought strikes him, smile turning mischievous. "Although, can I suggest something else that one may consider suspicious?" He wiggles his brows, making her laugh.

"Depends on what it is, good sir." Grian leans in, voice quieting.

"A kiss? Or even two, if you're feeling generous," Scar murmurs, "Help a hopeless man in love?"

Grian's heart skips a beat, and she laughs again, quieter this time. Her hands move up the length of his torso to his neck, where her palms cradle his jaw. "I think I'll need a more convincing argument," she decides.

"I can be very convincing." Scar nods in her hold, green eyes shining. "See, there's this beautiful woman in front of me that I'm just dyin' to kiss," he starts, voice dipping low, as if he were making a sales pitch to her. "It's been a few days since I've seen her, you wouldn't rob a man of his chance to kiss the love of his life, would you?" He bats his eyes, making Grian snort. "And maybe in exchange, I can bring her ice cream tonight if she agrees…"

She makes a show of humming, head tilting in thought. She doesn't miss the way Scar's eyes linger on her, shining and hopeful. He's too cute for his own good, honestly. Grian brushes her thumb across his cheek, smiling as she leans until her lips are ghosting over his, "I think I can agree to that."

Closing the distance between them, Grian allows for her eyes to shut. Scar's mouth is warm on hers, soft and sweet as he presses their lips together. His kiss brings a feeling of safety and care, feelings that Grian willingly allows herself to fall right into. She brings him in, cradling his face as her lips move in gentle motions against his, smiling into it. Scar tightens his hold on her, giving her middle an affectionate squeeze as he quietly hums. Kissing is still something very new to them, still something unknown. But Grian loves it already, never wants to stop doing it. There's just something so… satisfying, so lovely, about the way Scar's lips slot against her own, how right it feels.

And even when they pull away, neither of them stray very far. Scar's forehead comes to rest against hers as Grian's eyes flutter back open. When deep green meets dark brown, he smiles at her. "The ice cream shall be yours, m'lady," Scar murmurs, playful.

Pleased, Grian grins at him. "I'll look forward to it." She then pats his cheek lightly before stepping back. "C'mon, we should probably stop standing around before Mumbo or Skizz come in and find us snogging." As much as she'd like to stand here with Scar and kiss him, they're still at the studio, and she's got a lot on the schedule today.

"Awe, but I like snogging you." Scar pouts while letting her go. He turns around to follow her with his eyes as Grian makes her way over to her desk.

"There'll be plenty of time for that later," she huffs lightly, glancing back at him. "Besides, I've got a long day of work ahead of me."

TWO

Sighing, Grian rubs her temple as she stands in front of the entrance to the Third Life movie set. Security is with her, checking both her ID and the paper bag she's brought with her. One of the guys is on a walkie talkie, trying to get further verification on her identity. She really should've grabbed her visitor's pass from last time. She can't believe she's wasting her Saturday morning on this—she could still be at home, dozing off with her cats instead of getting scrutinized by security like she's an undercover criminal trying to sneak in. Unfortunately for her, Grian is a great cousin, and has come to Martyn's rescue.

When Martyn first called, Grian's initial thought was 'oh boy, what happened this time?' Her cousin isn't the type to just randomly call out of the blue, not unless it was some kind of emergency. And even then, most of the time Grian and her siblings find out that something happened after it's been dealt with. They've all scolded Martyn plenty of times for it (and yes, the irony isn't lost on her). So it was only a natural assumption for Grian to guess that it was in fact some kind of emergency situation.

And, well, it was and wasn't.

Her paper bag is refilled with the items that she brought, given the all clear as it's handed back to her. "Thanks," she says dryly before heading onto set.

Just like the last time she was here, there's plenty of hustle and bustle going on. The cast and crew are all hard at work, probably stressed beyond relief with the movie's release next month. She's seen firsthand how stressed Scar has been with it, constantly critiquing himself and questioning his performance. There's a lot of movement, lots of noise. Grian tries to stay out of their way as she searches for Martyn, not wanting to make their job any harder.

She ends up spotting Xisuma first, talking with three actors. His arms are crossed as a hand rests on his chin, brows pulled tautly together. One of the actors beside him talks with wide gestures and a confused expression. Grian grimaces, knowing that look well from the director. She tries to walk around them, not wanting to disturb Xisuma, however that plan ends in utter failure as the man himself notices her from the corner of his eye. His head lifts up, hand dropping from his chin as his gaze shifts toward her. "Oh, hey! You're Martyn's cousin, yeah?"

Grian pauses where she stands, caught. "That's me. Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt." She offers an apologetic smile.

Xisuma shakes his head, lips lifting some. "Is there anything I can help you with? Martyn didn't mention you'd be on set today."

"I'm just here to drop something off for him," Grian answers. "Said he forgot a notebook that had some thoughts for the movie."

"Ah!" The director's eyes light up with recognition, giving a quick nod of understanding. "Last I saw him he was with some cast members by the Dogwarts set up."

"Thanks!" Grian gives Xisuma a smile before heading off to find her cousin. It's been a while since she was last here, and between everything that's happened since then, her memory of the place is a little hazy.

So, she ends up wandering around for a bit. She forgot how big their set was, they must have had a huge budget for the movie. She tries to avoid peoples confused gazes as she wanders, the thought of drawing attention to herself anxiety inducing. Yet when she reaches a set that looks like a small village, she's about ready to swallow her pride (and anxiety) and ask someone for help. She turns with a groan, "He's gonna owe me big time for this…"

"Grian?" someone asks from behind, causing her to freeze mid-step. She knows that voice, quite well in fact.

Just the sound of her name has her heart skipping a beat, and Grian wishes she could grab the damn thing and smack some sense into it. Yet when she turns around to face the very person responsible, Grian's lips lift into an involuntary smile as she meets those gorgeous green eyes. "Hey, Scar," she greets, chest bubbling with little bursts of joy at seeing him. For a moment, she forgot that running into him was a possibility when coming to see Martyn.

(Briefly, she can't help but feel a bit panicked at seeing him. She's suddenly too aware of herself, her clothes, her hair. Thank god she decided to put on makeup this morning, hiding her disliked parts away and out of sight. If Scar had seen them… She has to take a second to breathe in, trying to relax herself.)

Scar's eyes light up at the sight of her, gaze growing soft and excited all at once. "Fancy seeing you here, cutie." He grins as his voice drops to something quieter, stepping closer to her. He keeps some distance between them for the sake of keeping up pretenses, not wanting to draw attention to them.

Traitorously, Grian wishes he could move even closer until their breaths mixed. But that would immediately put the spotlight on them, drawing too many eyes, lighting the spark for any rumors to take life. Not the time. "I'd say right back at you, but it's kind of your job to be here right now," she teases instead. "Unless you've picked up extra hours again since it's crunch time." She squints.

Scar lets out a nervous chuckle, scratching his head and quickly avoiding her gaze. "Me? Extra hours? Pshhh, I'm just—showing my dedication! Mhm!" He rapidly nods, leaving Grian to sigh in exasperation. This man. "Anyway, my totally healthy work habits aside, what brings you to set?" He leans in a little closer, "Trying to surprise me with your beautiful self?"

Grian can't help fondly rolling her eyes, lifting a hand to gently flick him on the forehead. "Unfortunately for you, no. Martyn asked me to drop something off for him," she explains. "It was something he couldn't wait on and I just happened to be free so…"

The look Scar gives her in return is his classic kicked puppy look, to which Grian huffs.

"You're not good at being subtle, y'know," she says, voice lacking any heat or irritation. If anything, Grian's quite amused by his antics. And there's a softness she feels, seeing how he's so comfortable being this playful, even in public.

"I'm a master at subtly, thank you!" Scar retorts, eyes widening, indignant. Grian, in her infinite kindness, doesn't mention the many other cases in which he was very much not subtle.

Instead, she shakes her head fondly. It's truly a marvel how Scar hasn't been discovered as Hotguy yet with the way he is sometimes. How can a man be so careless yet so careful at the same time? He's a walking conundrum most days.

"Have you found Martyn yet then?" Scar questions, returning her focus.

"Not yet," Grian sighs. She takes a look around, frowning slightly. "I bumped into Xisuma and he gave me some general directions, but it's been so long since I got a tour that I completely forgot the layout."

Scar perks up, sneaking a quick glance at the watch on his wrist. His eyes flick down momentarily before they return to Grian, and he offers her a small, hopeful smile. "I've got some time on my hands, I could help you find him if you want," he offers, almost shy in it.

"Are you sure?" Grian's frown deepens some, brows lightly furrowing. "If you've got a break right now I don't want to take up your time."

"Never." Scar quickly shakes his head, eyes softening. "You're never taking up my time, G. Besides, spending my break with you sounds amayzin'." He grins, subsequently melting Grian's heart with just a few words. If they weren't in public she'd pull him in to kiss him.

At most, all she can settle for is a grateful smile and acceptance of his offer. "Alright you sweet-talker. I'll take you up on that then."

Scar's grin brightens, "Our search begins, then!" He goes to grab her hand, intending to lace their fingers together and pull her along. However, he stops just as their hands brush against each other, jolting as he remembers where they are. Reality is quick to set in. Right. They're not in her office, not at her apartment. It isn't just the two of them. They're on set, wrapped up in the larger world where privacy is a thinly veiled construct. There are prying eyes all around them, watching. He's already noticed some people looking their way as they walked by. He can't go acting too familiar with her, lest he wants more rumors to start flying.

Because nobody would just assume we're friends.

It's like a cold shock of water being dumped on Scar as his lips dip low in an unhappy frown. His fingers twitch slightly as a wave of gentle sadness washes right over his head.

He knew hiding their relationship wouldn't be easy, but there's an ache in his chest as such a small detail hits him. He hadn't even thought to consider it before, it's so small and simple, a thing he'd do because it's second nature. But now he can't. He can't even hold her hand in public. And maybe it shouldn't be that big of a deal, there are other things they're barred from doing. But being unable to hold her hand hits him hard.

Dismayed, Scar pulls his hand back from her, clearing his throat. "Let's start at Dogwarts, yeah?"

Feeling that same pang of disappointment, Grian tries for an easy smile. Her feelings slip through anyway, seen by him. "Lead the way."

THREE

"Ariana? Uh, Ariana?"

A hand blocks her vision, waving back and forth to grab her attention. It's a quick and effective method, as Grian snaps back into focus, the world no longer blurring around her. Her gaze centers on the interviewer before her, watching her with polite confusion. His smile is a tad strained around the edges, brows pulled together. Something awkward sits on his expression as he waits for her to answer him.

"Ah, sorry, what was your question?" Grian inquires, hiding a wince. Distantly, she's aware of the flashing cameras behind her, focusing on other big shots nearby, and quietly hopes that there aren't a lot of people paying attention to her.

Tonight she's found herself at another red carpet event, having been invited mainly for networking purposes. Mumbo and Impulse thought it'd be a good idea for her to go and make some appearances for both the connection and early teasing for a new album she's had in the works. To them, it was a win-win all around. If only she wasn't so distracted by… other things.

To her dismay, the interviewer doesn't let the moment just slide on by, instead looking at her with amusement. "A little distracted tonight, Ariana?" he asks, taking that uncomfortably familiar tone that many interviewers tend to take with her. It always makes her skin crawl, how some of them—the men especially—talk to her sometimes with no regard for her personage. He smirks a little, and oh does Grian immediately want to punch it right off his face. "I couldn't help but notice a missing person at your side tonight… missing your sweetheart?"

Faintly, Grian feels her eyebrow twitch. Any questions she gets about Hotguy now don't bother her nearly as much as they used to, considering she's dating the man. There's no annoyance she feels towards him as a person, anymore. However, what does still annoy her is how some people seem to think that she can't go anywhere without him, or that her career revolves around him. It's been like that since the start, but tonight in particular it especially grates on her nerves.

She takes a few measured breaths, because she isn't Grian right now, and she has to remind herself of that. There are too many possible eyes around, and she finds herself feeling like a lamb that's stepped right into the wolves' den. There's too much potential for scrutiny that could arise from one small misstep. As much she may want to scream I'm still my own person at him, Ariana wouldn't do that. She's a little snarky at times, sure, but she's meant to be confident and self assured, comments like that shouldn't get to her. She has to keep her shoulders squared, chin tilted up, and smile sweet. Besides, Hotguy isn't even why her focus isn't entirely on the event.

"Not at all," Grian laughs lightly, hoping it doesn't sound forced. "Hotguy is a busy man, and while he may be sweet, he isn't sweet enough to miss." And oh that couldn't be farther from the truth. "But if you'd like to know what I've actually been distracted by, I think I share a hint or two," she says it teasingly, appearing completely unaffected and unbothered.

"Oh, uh, sure." The interviewer nods with hesitation, and Grian finds more enjoyment than she should out of popping his ego-filled balloon. "I'm sure fans would love to know what you've been up to."

A self-satisfied and triumphant smile dances along Grian's lips, not even bothering to hide it. "Well, you could say I've been in the booth a bit more frequently as of late."

Whatever the man is about to say in response is stopped as his eyes travel past Grian, focusing on something behind her. "Oh! What a surprise," he exclaims, easily drawing her interest. Assuming he's spotted someone walking nearby, she turns back to see whoever it is. Of course, it just so happens to be Scar, the actual reason why her attention initially was elsewhere. She… may have caught him earlier and pulled him into the nearest secluded and hidden corner she could to kiss the lights out of him prior. Grian wills her cheeks to stay cool as the interviewer calls out to the man, encouraging him to come over. "Mr. Scar! Looking sharp."

Scar's eyes flicker right over him, landing on Grian first and foremost. His stare, previously glazed over as he walked, refocuses and softens on her. He immediately changes his path, coming toward them as the slightest of smiles tugs at his mouth. "Why hello there," he greets as he comes to stand beside Grian.

"Nice to see you!" The man smiles. "I was just speaking to Ariana here about what she's been up to as of late." His eyes dart between the two of them, "Oh, have you met Ariana yet?" There's a sliver of expectation to his voice, as if he's already assumed that the two of them have never interacted before.

Grian feels another spark of indignation in her chest, even if she and Scar have technically never interacted in public. Maybe she just hates this guy, that could be it. Scar's smile brightens some as he turns to her and holds his hand out for her to take.

"I don't believe we've had a proper introduction before, Ariana," Scar hums, his voice smooth enough that it sends shivers down her spine. "I'm a big fan, your music is amazing," he says, echoing what he said when they met at the charity event. The smile he gives her is downright teasing, and Grian wants to shake him around for it.

Her hand moves almost robotically as she takes Scar's hand, as if they hadn't been shoving each other against the wall twenty minutes ago. "O-Oh, thanks," she stammers slightly. She shakes his hand, clearing her throat. "I'm a big fan of your work as well."

They hold onto each others hands for just a moment too long, neither wanting to let go as the man beside them is forgotten about. Scar pulls back and keeps that damn smile on his face, which Grian tries not to glare at him for. She does narrow her eyes just a little, signaling her exasperation with him.

She'll get her revenge when she sees him again later.

FOUR

"Grian, you know you really don't have to—"

"Nope, I've made up my mind B!"

"It really wasn't a big deal though. Sure you had me worried but you got back to me in the end."

"Nuh uh, not hearing it. Now go do your job while I do mine, mister."

With a fond, but exasperated sigh, BigB leaves her to the cake batter she's mixing, shaking his head. He heads back out to the front of the bakery, taking up his position at the register. Grian smiles in victory as he leaves, glancing down at the bowl in her arms. She's taken it upon herself to help out a bit more at the bakery to make up for giving him the scare that she did a little bit ago. She had gone with the excuse that she passed out as soon as she got home, though she's not quite sure he fully believes her.

She's been coming to the bakery whenever she had free time to sit around and do nothing, which admittedly was a lot better for her than rotting away in her bedroom all day. Next time BigB tries to tell her she didn't have to stay, she could try that one on him. Maybe then he wouldn't say anything at all.

Truly, Grian feels pretty bad about worrying him all night. She couldn't exactly help the concussion and all that, but still. She feels bad about it, especially because it was BigB she worried. He's one of the people in her life she makes an extra effort to try not to make concerned about her well-being. Some days that feels like an impossible task, honestly.

Stopping that train of thought before it can go any further, Grian returns her focus to what's in front of her. Right, cake mix. Nodding to herself, Grian drags the mixer in repeated circles, watching how the sugar, flour, eggs, and water all mix together until it looks like a soupy purple mess. She stops for a second to assess the color, pursing her lips together. Squinting for a second or so, Grian reaches for the small bottle of purple food dye, going for two more drops into the batter.

Off to the side, the oven beeps, and Grian pauses with the food dye to grab the oven mitts and throw them on. She pulls the oven door open and slides a tray of cupcakes out before setting it down on the counter top. Instantly, the smell of vanilla fills the air, the scent washing over her as she returns to mixing batter.

The next hour and a half passes by in a blur as Grian gets lost in her process. She finishes with the cake batter, putting that in the oven next, and switching over to decorating the freshly baked cupcakes. BigB had told her this month's cupcake theme was animals, and she was already cringing at how much her hand would be cramping before even starting. It takes her a painstakingly long amount of time to decorate each cupcake, deciding to pick three different animals and make a bunch of them.

Later, she'll be dragging BigB back here to help her finish them.

Eventually though, she finishes the first tray and carefully arranges the decorated cupcakes on a sheet so she can bring them out for display. She then grabs hold of it, trying to be as careful as possible. Grian heads out of the kitchen, pushing the door open with her elbow as she steps out. She's focused on not dropping the sheet, keeping her eyes locked on it, that she doesn't notice BigB currently ringing up a customer. She's vaguely aware of buttons of the register being pressed on, little dings sounding with each tap, and the feeling of eyes landing on her.

Grian only glances up at BigB, walking behind him to get to the display case. "'scuse me B," she mutters as she slips past him, and he quickly moves aside for her.

"You sure are determined with those cupcakes. Such a fierce stare you've got there."

"I spent so long decorating them, if I drop them it's over for me and my hand cramps," Grian responds without thinking, earning a laugh that doesn't quite sound like BigB's. It's only when she sets the cupcakes on the counter that she finally looks up and sees the cheeky face of her boyfriend watching her. "You—!" she exclaims, startled. Her eyes quickly fly wide, mouth falling open slightly.

"Me?" Scar tilts his head, deep emerald eyes shining with enthusiasm as he smiles.

"What are you—" Grian stammers, caught completely off guard by the other. Scar hadn't told her he was stopping by today (not like he knew she'd be here), and while she's happy to see him, she's startled by his sudden appearance.

Amusement flickers in Scar's eyes, bright and endearing, softening the crinkle at the corners of his eyelids. "Why I'm here to enjoy the sweetness of BigB's amayzin' pastries," he teases her, "but I think my day just got a whole lot sweeter."

Grian has to suppress the urge to roll her eyes at him, giving a minute shake of her head instead. "Flatterer," she grumbles under her breath, far softer than it should be. She catches the way Scar's smile curls further, lighting up.

BigB looks between the two of them, the edges of his lips lifting up some. "Oh yeah, I should've mentioned that Scar comes around to the bakery sometimes." He gives her a knowing glance. "Must've slipped my mind."

"Slipped your mind?!" Grian gapes, sharply turning to look over at BigB with furrowed, unhappy brows. That means he's come by The Box more than once, to the point that BigB is clearly familiar with him, and BigB never told her—wait, how long has he been coming to the bakery then?

Scar laughs joyfully at her, "BigB's pastries are the best in the business! Although I may have just found another reason to pop in more frequently." He winks, flustering her and leaving her want to shake him around. "Lovely to meet you, I didn't know BigB had such a talented baker working for him."

He's not serious right now, is he? Grian squints at him, brows furrowing. Yet Scar's expression only brightens, and fine, she'll play along. "I'm not actually working here," she quickly says, while her menace of a friend watches quietly, finishing up Scar's payment. "Just a family friend helping out from time to time."

"Is that so?" Scar hums, "That's a shame… I'm sure pastry sales would skyrocket if someone as lovely as you worked here all the time."

From the corner of her eyes, she spots BigB's brow lifting at Scar's not-so subtle flirting with her, and Grian thinks she should just sink into the ground. Stubbornly, she pulls her gaze away from him, the softest hint of a pink hue in her cheeks. "Has anyone ever told you that your flirting is totally shameless?"

Scar laughs at that, delighted mischief twinkling in those gorgeous forest green eyes of his. It's cheeky and full of confidence. "A very close friend has told me more than once." The way he says it is directed, pointed at her even if he doesn't actually say it. Grian simply huffs in response, amused.

It's then that BigB clears his throat, and Grian offers him a mental apology for making him a third wheel. "Well, if you're done being friendly with my friend, that'll be $14," he hums with a smile, and cherry red quickly blossoms in Scar's face. He seems to straighten, as if suddenly remembering that he and Grian aren't the only two people in the room, and they're not meant to be playing a terrible game of subtly.

"O-Of course! So sorry to make you wait." Scar hurriedly digs into his pocket for his wallet, practically jamming his hand into the material. He at least seems bashful now, and Grian holds back her laughter.

As he takes out his card to pay, Grian glances back at the tray of cupcakes she brought out with a curious, contemplative gaze. Her eyes roam over the fully decorated batch, and tilts her head slightly. Making up her mind, she picks up one of the cupcakes—decorated to look like a little panda—and holds it out to him just as he finishes swiping his card. "Here," Grian hums with a warm smile, "since you seem to enjoy sweets so much. It's on the house."

The way Scar's face lights up can only be comparable to the sun slowly rising at dawn, softening the dark sky and painting everything below in warm light. A smile curls along his lips, something gentle and serene, as his voice quiets the smallest bit, words lined with feathers, "If the baker herself is offering, how could I possibly refuse?"

He has no right sounding that soft with me, what the hell?! Her heart pounds in her chest, suddenly so warm—warm enough that she could probably melt into the floor and become a puddle of Grian. He carefully takes the cupcake from her, practically cupping her hand in the process. She only melts further when his skin brushes against hers, feeling intentionally slow and tender. The moment only lasts a second before it's over, and Grian almost wants to give him a second cupcake just to touch him again. And wow, she needs to get herself together.

The world feels blurred and syrupy sweet, and Grian feels like her glasses have been smudged, the lenses leaving her in a haze as Scar picks up his things and leaves. She's so lost in the lingering warmth of him that she doesn't even realize she's staring after him until BigB breaks into laughter, so painfully fond.

"On the house, huh?" he teases her, snapping her out of her Scar-induced haze.

Her face rapidly warms up, so hot she's almost certain there's smoke coming out of her ears. "Not another word," she groans, burying her face in her hands. Flirting with Scar is one thing, but to be caught yearning after him like some lovesick fool, by BigB no less, is something else completely. At least it wasn't Jimmy and Pearl.

BigB only laughs again, saying something about how adorable it was to watch them, and Grian nearly trips over herself in her attempt to run back into the kitchen.

PLUS ONE

The night always passes quietly. It's soft and gentle, noise from the day beginning to die down until it dulls, allowing for the crickets' symphony to be heard. Lights dim, television screens, phones, computers, all glow in the darkness of a room. Peace settles over the night, wrapping the world in their arms and shushing those still awake. Grian has always preferred the night, finding in peace's caring embrace, the quiet solace it brings her after a long day. She curls with her cats and something warm, and picks up whatever task her mind chooses to.

However, tonight finds her resting in her bedroom, comfy under a throw blanket, and eyelids drooping so low she may as well be asleep. Her hair is tied back in a pony tail, tangled between her shoulder and the couch. Her television illuminates her as something random plays, the volume turned down low. On the bed sits her laptop, now powered off, and beside it a plate with the residue of pasta sauce. Her head keeps dropping forward, glasses close to falling off her face as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

The week has been long, even longer than it usually feels, and she had been exhausted by the time she got home. Yet, there was still work to be done, and Grian hadn't wasted any time in doing it after she ate. She sat with her laptop in her lap for hours, until her work carried her late into the night. She had been on auto pilot by the time she decided it was time for a break, deciding whatever the television had on would keep her awake.

Except she's still nodding off, the warmth and comfort of her blankets whispering to her in the sweetest siren song.

Nearby, close to the window, a figure appears. The shadow is stretched over the floor with moonlight, one that Grian misses at first in her battle to starve off sleep. What she doesn't miss, however, is the sound of gentle knocking against the glass of her window.

"Knock knock?" Gentle knuckles tap the glass of her window, the sound muffled since it's outside.

The sound is enough to wake her, leaving Grian to quickly sit up as the knocks repeated. She quickly turns her head toward the source of sudden noise—while shoving her glasses back on her face—and exhales quietly. Shaking her head with a little sigh, she pushes herself off of her bed and walks over to the window. There she's greeted by the sight of Scar, fully dressed in his Hotguy attire and a shy smile.

"Scar?" Grian blinks, taken aback as she cracks the window open for him. Her brows knit together, lips pursed. He hadn't texted her that he was coming over, had he? "What are you doing here so late?" Silently, she gestures for him to come in.

"Hope you don't mind the little surprise drop in," he says, sounding a bit out of breath as he climbs through, as though he had rushed all the way to her apartment. When he's fully inside the apartment, he stands to his full height, setting his bow and quiver of arrows down. "I happened to finish my patrol early and well, no harm in paying my favorite person in the whole world a little midnight visit.” He offers her this bashful smile, one that makes her heart flutter so easily. He takes in her appearance then, brows creasing. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

Grian waves him off. "Sort of, but it's fine. I probably shouldn't have been sleeping sitting up anyway—so really, you've done me a favor."

"Oh, good, good…" he trails. "Wouldn't want your back to hurt in the morning." He shuffles in place for a moment, feeling a bit awkward. He's never really visited Grian after a patrol like this, and suddenly he's unsure. Is she expecting him to leave now that he's said hello? Or does she want him to stay? Maybe he should've texted her first.

Grian's feet draw her close to him, hands moving. She reaches out to him, palms framing his face as her fingers grip the edge of his visor. Scar's breath stills, and she can feel his eyes on her as Grian slowly pushes it up. "You don't have to stay masked in here," she murmurs to him, lips quirking. When the visor is off his head, Grian drops her hand to smile wider at him, free hand cupping his cheek. "There's my handsome man."

Scar's face immediately burns up, a lovely shade of red painting his skin. "Grian…" The way her name leaves his lips makes her stomach twist in knots, little butterflies fluttering about. And when he nuzzles into her palm, Grian wants to melt right into her apartment floor. He presses his lips to her hand in an affectionate kiss, slipping the visor out of her hand before tugging her close in an embrace. Grian falls into him without question, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and shutting her eyes with a content noise. "I missed you," he mutters into her hair, kissing the crown of her head.

"You just saw me yesterday," Grian chuckles, but she won't deny that she missed him too.

"Yeah." He nods. "But it never feels like it's enough," Scar exhales, squeezing her a little tighter. "Standing next to you as Hotguy, or being in public with you as Scar isn't the same as being able to hold you or kiss you." She feels him smile against her. "This here is perfect."

She feels the same. Grian presses a gentle kiss to his shoulder and quietly nods her agreement. She's with him so often, but it never feels the same. In the public eye, there's a carefully placed barrier between them, protecting them and their secret. It forces them to act, to hide their affection and regard each other as friends—and in some cases acquaintances at best. Sometimes it feels like hell, having him so close yet so far all at once. But here, in the safety of her home, all of that falls away. It morphs into something gentle and sweet, their masks dropping to the ground at their feet as there is no audience to hide from. They're free to embrace, to show every ounce of affection that they want, to just… be.

(Yet does her mask really fall? Does she even know how to take it off at this point? When Scar looks at her, and she tries to look into his eyes and be whatever they reflect? She blurs the lines between Grian and Ariana too much with Scar, and she doesn't know if that's what he wants or not. She just—can't stop pretending, can't really let her hair down and exist without anything to cover her. She wears her mask even now, hoping that it hides enough of her broken pieces that Scar won't notice. That he'll overlook all of it, that he won't notice her act hasn't ended, it's simply died down. She can't bring herself to fully let go yet, can't trust herself to give him exactly what he wants without knowing for sure.

It's a feeling that leaves her almost… empty. Exhausted. But she looks at Scar, at what he gives her, and god is every ounce of exhaustion worth it for him.)

When Scar pulls away, she almost mourns the loss of his warmth, his arms around her, and she watches him walk over to her chair to sit down at her desk. Grian herself returns to her bed, plopping down just on the edge, tucking one leg under herself while the other hangs down. She watches Scar untie his boots to pull them off, his visor sitting by her notebook.

As he sits back in the chair, Grian finds her nose scrunching in disapproval, displeased by her chair being his resting place of choice. Horribly cruel of him to hug her so snugly and then decide to sit somewhere she can't reach him. "You're too far away," she grumbles, making Scar laugh.

"My apologies, princess," he coos as he stands up, walking over to her bed. He crawls onto the mattress to seat himself beside her, leaving Grian infinitely more happy.

Picking up her laptop, she sets it in her lap while shifting herself to lean back on him. Scar easily wraps an arm around her waist, setting his chin on her shoulder. Her body practically sags right into him as Grian hums with content, feeling him press soft little kisses to her neck. His lips spread gentle tingles through her, skin warming at the contact and she tries to suppress her shiver. She never wants Scar to let go of her, to stay right here for forever.

She returns to typing, now utterly content with her favorite person beside her. As her fingers glide across the keyboard, she hears Scar's quiet sigh and smiles. "How was patrol? Find any bad guys out in the wild?"

"You make it sound like I'm looking for crime in a forest or something," Scar laughs. "There wasn't anything exciting tonight—just a couple attempted burglaries. Oh! I was a part of a car chase though. That was fun." He nuzzles his head against the crook of her neck, his eyelashes tickling her skin.

Grian cringes, "…if that's an unexciting night, I'm afraid to know what you considering 'exciting.'"

"I've seen a whole lot during my time as Hotguy. The stories I could tell you, Grian," he hums, his voice wistful as he seemingly recalls plenty of those heroic deeds.

"You've told me and my employees more than enough," she deadpans, earning herself a delightful laugh from him.

"Tired of my stories already, G?"

"When you use them as a way to flirt with me? Absolutely."

"So cruel!" Scar pouts into her neck, planting another kiss there. "And here I thought you loved me and thought I was the coolest."

Grian has to roll her eyes, fondly. "I do love you, but not enough to lie about how cool you are. You have your fans for that ego stroke," she teases him. She pauses her typing after, making a soft noise. "How was your day?" Grian then asks, her voice a bit quieter, tender.

She can practically feel the confused look Scar gives her. "I just told you," he says, and Grian huffs with a light shake of her head.

"You told me what Hotguy was up to. I want to know what you were up to," she refutes, because Scar will always be more than just Hotguy to her. She loves both parts of him equally, and she knows she's the first to.

The hand around her waist tightens some as Scar leans further on her, and when he speaks again, his voice comes out softer, light and happy. "It was surprisingly busy," he says. "I had a few interviews for movie press, and after all that we had our first table reading for Mother Spore…"

Their quiet conversation continues into the night, bodies and hearts held close. And if the pair fall asleep just like that? Well, there's no one around to see it.