The warehouse was silent except for the faint hum of settling dust. Nyx and Vario had finally allowed themselves a moment—a real, unguarded moment. Her hands rested lightly against his chest, his shadow looming over her like a protective wall. Every word they had exchanged, every fear and confession, seemed to settle around them, binding them together in the quiet aftermath of chaos.
And then the doors crashed open.
Bella came barreling in like a cannonball, legs pumping, arms flailing, her usual intensity turned up to maximum. "NYX! VARIO! I—"
She froze mid-step. The world seemed to slow. Her eyes locked on the scene before her, and her mouth fell open like she'd seen a ghost—or worse, something unthinkably scandalous.
Nyx's head snapped back, cheeks flaming. Vario's eyes widened, and even the shadows that normally clung to him seemed to pull back, sensing the intrusion.
Bella's knees buckled. She tried to step forward, tried to process what she had just seen—but her body refused to cooperate. With a theatrical groan, she collapsed onto the concrete floor, landing in a dramatic sprawl just a few feet away from Nyx and Vario.
The sound of her collapse echoed across the warehouse, bouncing off walls, crates, and metal beams. Dust swirled around her like a spotlight on her fainted form.
Nyx groaned, throwing a hand over her face in frustration and embarrassment. "Oh no… oh no… she cannot have seen this…"
Vario, for once unsure of how to respond, stepped back a few feet, hands raised slightly in a gesture of peace. "I… I don't think she's hurt," he said cautiously. "She just… fainted. Completely."
Nyx knelt beside Bella, shaking her gently. "Bella! Come on, wake up! Please! You can't just faint at the most inconvenient time in the world!"
Bella's arms flopped limply. Her mouth opened and closed, making soft, incomprehensible noises. Nyx sighed heavily and muttered under her breath, "Of course it's her. Of course it had to be her… the most dramatic timing possible."
Vario's shadow shifted slightly as he leaned against a nearby crate, smirking despite the tension. "She's… extremely dramatic," he said, his voice calm but amused.
Nyx shot him a glare, cheeks still burning, though a small, reluctant laugh escaped her. "You find this funny? She just ruined everything!"
Vario shrugged. "Not everything. Just… the very specific part I was curious about."
Nyx groaned, feeling like the universe itself had conspired against them. She crouched beside Bella, pulling her arms around the unconscious elf and checking for injuries. "No, she's fine. Just… asleep. Or passed out. But seriously, why now?!"
Minutes ticked by. Bella didn't stir. Nyx flopped back against a crate, exasperated. "I can't believe this. We finally—finally—have a moment, and she dies right in the middle of it."
Vario chuckled softly, a low, teasing sound that made Nyx glare at him again. "You're flustered," he said simply, voice smooth. "Admit it. You were caught off guard."
Nyx groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I'm not flustered! I am… dealing with… uh… a situation!"
Vario stepped closer, careful not to disturb Bella, and offered a hand to help her stand. "Situation or not," he said quietly, "we'll have to wait for another quiet moment, apparently."
Nyx peeked at him through her fingers, eyes wide, cheeks redder than ever. "Another… quiet moment? In this apartment? Or warehouse? Or anywhere? You do realize who we're talking about here, right?"
Vario's smirk widened. "Yes. And that's exactly why it'll be fun."
Meanwhile, Bella snored softly on the floor, oblivious to the chaos she had just caused. Dust settled around her like a halo, marking her as the ultimate interrupter.
Nyx huffed, standing and brushing off her clothes, still embarrassed but slightly amused despite herself. "Well," she muttered, "I guess we're going to need a new plan. Or at least a much safer location for… that."
Vario chuckled, shadows flickering at his feet. "Agreed. But for now, enjoy the calm… as much as we can."
And for a few precious seconds, the warehouse felt almost peaceful, even if Bella's fainted form on the floor reminded them that chaos had a way of showing up at the worst possible moment.