#genuinely believe phainon is just a happy smiley boy around you. he can't help it.

[harmonysanreads]

I just had the silliest dream 💀

I dreamt that I was play fighting with Phainon and he accidentally put me in a headlock, but the thing is that I liked it?! 💀 He was confused for a moment before he just looked around, saw that he had a few minutes before anyone would notice and he just held me like that.

He's been laughing for an hour straight — or at least, that's how it felt like to you, in retrospect.

“I know you can't keep your hands off of me, but in this semi-populated space? How bold of you, honeycakes.” a duvetyne whisper that raises to jitters of glee.

You roll your eyes just a little, not to actually look at the cause of your crescendoing irritation but to send the heat of it. The culprit graciously pretends your death glare in favor of giving another friendly squeeze around your neck, a breath caresses your cheek.

“Speak for yourself. Who's the one choking me like a snake?” you push somewhat experimentally against his grip, halted by the twitch of muscles beneath the fabric of his attire.

It was not news to you that this man couldn't be better than a stone wall if he wished to be, but possessed by the whimsy of being able to walk outside again, you went and poked the bear anyway.

You push down a sigh of regret — or rather, he does it for you with another squeeze that you can't tell is by intention or not.

“What a villainous image! I'm merely making sure the clumsy rabbit doesn't run away to twist someone else's arm!” he spins you by his clasp just in time to shield you from a group of passerbys.

It takes a second for you to regain your balance, “And it's fine if the rabbit twists your arm?” you feel your back press against his chest, involuntarily, you must stress.

“Yes.” Phainon's response is just a little too easily said for your brain to not buffer for a moment. You try to crane your neck to gauge what face he's making, but he decides to be disobedient.

“You're shameless.” you fire in frustration, stuck in his stubborn hold.

“I know that,” he purrs, right in your left ear. “And?”

He's really done it now, closing in on you from all directions like a nightmare entity ; luring each piece of your composure to loosen with his redolent trickery. There's a fulsome heat in your cheeks that you can't push away, or loathe fully because you did assist by giving him the opportunity to begin with.

“And...” the hero holds his breath, leaning just a little. “And this walk was a mistake.” you heave.

There's a few beats of silence before he loses his hold on his laughs. You don't bother schooling your expression in any picture of annoyance this time, letting your body go limp against him.

“Aww, are you pouting?” a poke to your cheek has some semblance of energy resurface, not that you utilize it to give him any more of a reaction.

Phainon finally, finally loosens his death grip around your head, but his arm itself stays in place. “Don't be. I'll let you win next time, honeycakes.”

He laughs at your push like it was but a nudge, refusing to budge an inch from your space. “Save it, I don't need your pity.”

“As you wish.” he nods with faux seriousness, giggling again at his own antics after not even a minute as if he's lost it. You offer nothing but exasperation on your face, considering very carefully the life decisions you've made.