Yo what's up.

So yeah this is like, still chapter 3 but not. Aftermath I guess.

Sorry though, had to put this on pause for various reasons.

One of them is not because I have an unhealthy obsession with Persona 5 I got for my brother's 18th birthday. Oh no. Not that.

Yes I do have a job.

Chapter 3.5 - Cautionary

It's five in the morning. Not the most standard time to wake up on a Saturday.

Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, crows are transforming.

And through the curtains, the squint-eyed Neptune trying to make sense of his current situation with a certain Faunus.

Sure he agreed to be the 'little spoon' in the bed, so he wouldn't fall off, but he expected the wall to be the first thing he wakes up to.

Not to have half his face squished and smothered by Sun's amazing pecs. "Out of all the things to happen...!" He easily said in his mind as his mouth failed to do so. Just kinda hung open and wiggly, unable to emit any kind of sound aside from balloon-like squeaks. There's no way anyone could keep calm under these circumstances. "Not good. I'm... in his chest... BUT HOW DO I GET OUT?" His eyes scanned around for any solutions of escape.

What Neptune could see was Sun's left arm wrapped around his waist, protectively, the other above his head on the pillow.

From what he could feel was Sun's loosely locked legs trapping his calves, occasionally rubbing for warmth.

He involuntarily shuddered, his blush spreading all over his skin. "Suuuun...! Get off of me! This is just...!" He struggled to even chance to lift a finger without waking Sun up. Moving too soon would result in a very, to put it lightly, 'displeased' looking Sun. Nobody wanted that.

Neptune sincerely thanked the gods above for blessing the Faunus with a shirt, albeit with boxers. Sun used to sleep butt naked but had to put an end to it after several protests and begs from the rest of team SSSN.

One could argue that the issue contributed to Sage and Scarlet moving rooms.

Still, Neptune needed to calm himself down. Heck, he's not even sure what to focus less on; Sun curling inwards and burrowing his face in Neptune's unkempt hair, his soft snores vibrating around Neptune's head or the gentle rise and fall of Sun's chest pushing in his face firmly enough for Neptune to hear his heartbeat making his own in turn erratically flutter. There's only so much a teen his age can take before something starts rising up and cause a hell of a predicament.

Sun didn't help matters with his body still rubbing on Neptune's in ways only one should only do to themselves.

Despite all of this, Neptune's not too surprised this was actually happening; Sun has always been kind of clingy to others.

Just not in his sleep.

The routine of Sun's sleeping pattern consisted of several minutes of thrashing around, knocking stuff off the shelf and eventually folding his body in formations that seemed physically impossible to do.

But today? Nothing.

It's like Neptune's sleeping with a completely different person. He would almost think Sun to be conscious, as the latter seemed to have adjusted entirely.

Should he feel... special?

He vigorously shook the thought away. This was not the time to self indulge. "I shouldn't... but..."

On the other hand, there are some perks to this. He can continuously admire the blond's features and smile at the minuscule details one could miss unless they were specifically looking. Like how Sun's lips would pucker during every inhale or the way his eyes squeezed when a disagreement was made in his dreams.

It's almost scary how this paralleled to yesterday's intriguing imagery.

'And don't get me started with your tail hair. You know how nasty and annoying that could be?'

"Jerk." Neptune growled hand curling into a fist. If he could go back in time and slap himself for saying that stupid line, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

"I gotta make it up to him." he quietly said to himself, a determined spark filling his eyes. Even if they patched things up last night, both admitting to their crimes, the one compelling need to do something for Sun would not leave Neptune's mind. Not because he felt guilty in particular, nor that he wanted to make Sun owe him a favour.

But quite possibly for keeping Sun smiling forever.

"Smile..." Neptune's eyes widened. Since when did he ever go to such lengths for one person? Like properly? And for a male teammate, to be exact? Rarely did he have any issues reeling girls in with cheesy one liners and flashing his pearly whites because the result, all part of a well thought out plan via web search, would always end up with the lucky recipient succeed in asking him out. But this method of Neptune actually putting the effort in his 'work' was completely foreign, yet at the same time, it didn't feel too out of place because he knew it's for Sun.

Still, the idea itself got him flustered. "I-I mean it's not like I like, LIKE, him or anything! Hahaha... just wanna hang out with my bud! I mean he's a good looking dude, and his muscles are sharper and smells like my shampćƒ¼HE USED MY SHAMPOO?!"

As much as he wanted to wallow in this discovery, brainstorming was his main objective. "I got it! The monster movie!" he quietly hummed. It's perfect; something everyone can enjoy. "I know a guy who knows a guy that can totally get me two tickets for free!" He couldn't celebrate too early though. The current problem he had to tackle was how to initiate the proposal without making the Faunus throw questionable brows his way.

"Maybe if I say it as a joke..." He mused as he painted a clear picture of the two of them in his mind, casually strolling through Beacon grounds, laughing and being merry. And then Neptune would turn to Sun, doing his trademark finger pistol wink thing he likes to do too much of.

'How about a date?'

'A date? Dude, I don't even like raisins.'

"GUHH..." Neptune's eye twitched. "Maybe... I'm overthinking this."

"Hnghh..." Sun groaned in his sleep.

"Oh shit...!"

In an instant, the comforting cradle morphed into an iron maiden attempt. Even his tail volunteered in the entrapment of Neptune's legs. "Gahh... too hard...! Squeezing... TOO HARD...!" the feeling in his limbs slowly slipped into paralysis. What is he, a Snake Faunus now? Neptune's running out of options here. And perhaps air too.

"Okay Neptune. Think. You can do this, you're an intellectual. Just narrow the choices you have."

Move him.

"Agh, no. He'll wake up."

Then stay like this.

"MY SANITY CAN'T TAKE THIS!"

Looks like you better move him.

"But... he looks so peaceful..."

Tickle him?

"What would that accomplish?!"

How about a kiss?

"ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY, BRAIN?!" He blushed again, head tilting and eyes unconsciously roaming over Sun's vulnerable lips. The heat coming from the Faunus' mouth was absolute torture on Neptune's forehead. How dare he make Neptune feel so damn comfy and safe? And make his choice waver to actually do it or not?

He gulped. "How would he even react...?"

"Neptune... shaddap..." Sun grumbled and kissed his head.

He kissed him.

Neptune blue screened.

Arms flopped around Sun's upper body. Configuring. Nuzzle mode activated. "Oh man, I don't even care any more~!"

"What the heck is this nerd doing?" Sun's eyelid opened halfway.

He's been awake for a while now but couldn't find the right time to let Neptune know that.

I'm cursed with constant overthinking. Send help.

On the bright side, I am currently working on a picture for this.