Chapter Text
The room was quiet in that early-morning way where everything still felt half-asleep—light barely slipping through the curtains, air still warm from the night before, the world outside not quite fully turned on yet.
Inside Flame’s room, everything was even slower.
Wemmbu was half tangled in the blankets, one arm settled around Flame’s waist like it had decided that was simply where it belonged. Flame was pressed against him with the kind of comfort that didn’t need adjusting anymore—like they’d fallen into the same position so many times it had stopped being a choice.
Flame shifted slightly, breathing out a quiet sound as he adjusted closer, face tucked somewhere near Wemmbu’s shoulder.
Wemmbu’s hand rested under the edge of Flame’s shirt, warm against his skin, not moving much—just there in a steady, absent kind of familiarity. Like he’d forgotten it could be anywhere else.
Flame didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he leaned into it more. The silence lasted until Wemmbu’s phone buzzed against the mattress. Wemmbu barely even registered the buzzing at first.
Warm.
That was the only thing his brain cared about right now.
Warm blanket. Warm room. Warm body curled against his chest while pale morning light slipped through the curtains in thin gold lines. Flame shifted sleepily against him as Wemmbu blinked one eye open, face half buried into Flame’s hair.
Buzz.
His phone vibrated again somewhere near the edge of the bed.
Wemmbu groaned quietly under his breath before carefully loosening one arm from around Flame’s waist. Flame made a small annoyed sound immediately, tightening his grip around Wemmbu’s hoodie.
“Five seconds,” Wemmbu mumbled tiredly.
Flame only hummed in response, clearly not awake enough to care. Wemmbu reached blindly for his phone and finally unlocked it with squinted eyes.
A Discord notification from Invic.
He snorted softly before opening the chat.
Invic 8:07 AM
Wemmbu, are we gonna record today or nah?
Wemmbu stared at it for a second. Then glanced at Flame, still half asleep and clearly trying to pretend the world didn’t exist.
He typed slowly.
Wemmbu 8:07 AM
nahhh, crashing at a friend’s place right now
not on my pc
I’ll text you when we can record when I get home
Invic 8:07 AM
👍
Wemmbu let out a quiet breath through his nose, locking his phone and tossed it back onto the mattress without another thought and immediately pulled Flame back into his arms. Flame let out a soft breath as he settled closer again, head tucked beneath Wemmbu’s chin this time.
“…Who was it?” he asked quietly, voice muffled slightly as he pressed closer. “Just Invic.”
Flame hummed sleepily. “Go to sleep,” he murmured, fingers lazily bunching into the fabric of Wemmbu’s sleeve. “You drove here the whole night.” Wemmbu laughed under his breath. “Technically, I took a nap and woke up at ten before driving at midnight.”
Flame didn’t even hesitate before smacking his arm weakly. “Still.”
“Violence,” Wemmbu whispered dramatically.
“Deserved.”
Wemmbu grinned tiredly against Flame’s hair.
“Fine, fine.”
He tightened his arms around him again, hand slipping beneath Flame’s shirt to rest against his waist. Flame practically melted against him at the contact, warm and sleepy and trusting in a way nobody online would ever believe if they saw it.
Not that they ever would.
Wemmbu pressed one last tired kiss against Flame’s hair before finally letting his eyes close. The room fell quiet again. “Sleep,” he murmured. Flame didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to. His breathing slowed within minutes.
And eventually, Wemmbu followed.
Hours passed in pieces instead of time. When Wemmbu woke up again, the room was brighter. Not fully daytime bright, but enough that the room didn’t feel like it was hiding anymore.
For a second he didn’t move, blinking slowly as his brain caught up.
Flame was still asleep beside him, half tangled in the blankets with one arm thrown lazily across Wemmbu’s stomach. His hair was a complete mess now, face buried halfway into the pillow. Wemmbu smiled automatically. Then he noticed his phone still sitting where he left it.
He grabbed it carefully, trying not to wake Flame, and checked the time.
11:54 AM.
“Jesus,” he muttered quietly. A few new notifications from discord and other apps but one stood out immediately.
A message from Flame’s step-mom.
Wemmbu stared for a second, then opened it.
Tita mama🔥 9:10 AM
wemm, there's food in the fridge for u and flame
just heat it up when u guys wake up and eat 😄
me and your dad r gonna go and work now, please tell flame not to forget to pick up his siblings😅
Wemmbu blinked. Then slowly typed back.
flame's wemmy 11:54 AM
ok,, thank you titaa (✿◠‿◠)
I'll remind flame later about the kids :DD
Tita mama🔥 11:54 AM
💗
Wemmbu couldn’t stop the small smile pulling at his face. He set the phone back down beside him just as Flame shifted with a groan, blinking blearily awake.
“…What time is it?”
“Almost twelve.” One of Flame’s eyes cracked open immediately. “Wait, what?”
“Yeah.” Wemmbu laughed quietly, shifting a little so Flame could sit up if he wanted—but not moving away completely.
Flame groaned louder this time and shoved his face directly into the pillow.
“You also have to pick up your siblings later.”
Another muffled groan.
“You’re so dramatic,” Wemmbu said, laughing softly. “You drove eight hours and somehow I’m still the tired one,” Flame mumbled into the pillow. Wemmbu reached over automatically, rubbing slow circles against Flame’s lower back through the blanket. “C’mon,” he said softly. “Your mother left us food.”
That finally got Flame to look up.
“…What kind?” Wemmbu shrugged slightly. “Didn’t check yet.” Flame lifted his head just enough to look at him. “Go check.” Wemmbu stared at him for a second before laughing again. “You’re unbelievable.” Flame only hummed, already sinking back into the mattress like a cat reclaiming sunlight. Wemmbu shook his head, still smiling faintly as leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Don’t fall asleep again.”
“No promises.”
“Flame.” A sleepy grin tugged at the corner of Flame’s mouth without opening his eyes. Wemmbu shook his head fondly before grabbing his phone and pushing himself off the bed. The hallway outside was quiet as he walked downstairs, the house carrying that calm late-morning stillness that only existed after everybody else had already left for the day.
For someone else, maybe it would’ve felt awkward being alone in another person’s house like this.
But Wemmbu already knew where the bowls were kept. He already knew which cabinet had the good snacks. He already knew Flame’s stepmom liked leaving sticky notes on the fridge sometimes even when nobody asked her to.
By now, the house felt familiar in a way he tried not to think about too hard.
He entered the kitchen and saw taped to the fridge was a bright pink sticky note.
‘eat properly pls >:(( <3’
Wemmbu laughed quietly to himself. “Yeah, okay, Tita.”
The house stayed quiet for most of the afternoon. One of Flame’s old playlists played softly from the TV while the two of them laid across the couch doing absolutely nothing productive. Wemmbu was sprawled on his back with Flame half on top of him, lazily scrolling through his phone while Flame stole the warmth from his hoodie like some kind of heat-seeking animal.
“You’re crushing me,” Wemmbu mumbled.
“You’ll survive.”
“You say that like you’re not built like a sack of bricks.”
Flame snorted quietly, not even bothering to move. Outside, sunlight spilled across the living room windows in slow golden stripes while the clock ticked closer toward three. “Three more minutes,” Flame mumbled into his hoodie sleeve after checking the time.
“You said that ten minutes ago.”
“And I meant it both times.”
Wemmbu snorted quietly.
Outside, the afternoon sun spilled through the windows warm and golden, making the living room feel sleepier than it should’ve been. Flame looked dangerously close to falling asleep again despite the fact they had to leave soon. Eventually Flame checked the time again and groaned.
“2:10.”
“We should probably get ready.”
“Or,” Flame said without moving, “we don’t.”
“Great plan. Let your siblings rot at school.”
“They’ll live.”
Wemmbu laughed softly and finally pushed himself upright, nearly dumping Flame sideways off the couch in the process. “Rude,” Flame muttered.
“You’re dramatic.”
“You keep saying that like it’s an insult.”
“It is.”
Flame threw a pillow at him. Wemmbu laughed under his breath and disappeared upstairs to get changed properly.
—
A few minutes later, Flame stepped outside first and immediately paused near the driveway.
Parked outside the house sat the Lamborghini Urus SE, glossy black under the sunlight like it had been copy-pasted straight out of a luxury car commercial.
Flame stared at it for a second.
Then another.
Before muttering, completely flatly, “You’re so extra.” There wasn’t even actual judgment in his voice anymore. Just deep resignation.
Because somehow this had become normal.
Normal was Wemmbu showing up after driving eight hours in a car worth more than most people’s houses.
Normal was opening the garage once in Wemmbu’s house and seeing three different luxury cars parked like collectible Pokémon.
Normal was realizing the reason Wemmbu used different cars every visit was because he apparently chose them based on mood.
Meanwhile, Wemmbu finished pulling his hoodie over his head and went down—grabbing his keys from the kitchen counter.
Flame heard the front door open behind him. “You ready?” Wemmbu asked casually, locking the door. Flame glanced back at him. Hoodie. Sweatpants. Hair still slightly messy. Like the Lamborghini in Flame's driveway isn’t owned by him.
Flame pointed at the Lamborghini. “You know normal people drive normal cars.” Wemmbu blinked innocently. “This is normal.”
Flame stared at him for a long second. “…I hate you.”
“No you don’t.”
Unfortunately it's true. Which is why Flame rolled his eyes, though there was no real annoyance behind it anymore. At this point, he’d long accepted that Wemmbu collected expensive cars the way normal people collected hoodies.
By 2:20 PM they were already on the road. Wemmbu drove with one hand resting lazily against the wheel—the other just on the gear stick— while Flame controlled the music beside him, occasionally stealing glances outside as the city passed by. Wemmbu drove relaxingly like driving absurdly expensive cars through suburban roads was the most natural thing in the world.
Honestly, for him, it probably was.
Traffic wasn’t too bad, so they had a good time.
By the time they reached the school parking area, the dashboard clock read 2:53 PM. Wemmbu parked near the front gate before turning the engine off. The sudden silence settled softly inside the car.
Flame reached to unbuckle his seatbelt while Wemmbu had already gotten out and walked around the front of the car. Flame watched him through the windshield for a second before the passenger door opened.
“You know,” Flame said as Wemmbu leaned against the open doorway, “normal people don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Open the door for people.”
Wemmbu sat on the car step casually. “That sounds like a you problem.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Flame muttered. “You say that every time.”
“And I mean it every time.”
Flame snorted quietly before shifting sideways in the seat instead of getting out completely, one leg hanging slightly out the open door while playing with Wemmbu's hair. The two sat there comfortably.
Like they’d done this a hundred times before.
Because they had.
To anyone passing by, they just looked like two teenagers wasting time after school. Which was funny considering neither of them were teenagers anymore.
A few minutes later, the school bell rang.
RINGRINGRING
Then came the flood.
Students poured out through the front gates in clusters of uniforms, backpacks, loud conversations, and exhausted end-of-school energy. And almost immediately, attention landed on the car.
Not the people.
The car.
Because it wasn’t normal. Usually students who got picked up arrived in family SUVs or motorcycles or older sedans. Not a Lamborghini. Heads turned almost instantly.
Students slowed down while walking past the parking area, some whispering while trying not to stare too obviously.
Then someone looked closer through the open passenger side.
“…Wait.”
“Isn’t that Adam’s brother?”
“No way.”
“His brother’s friend is also there.”
“The rich one?”
“The hot one.”
“I think both of them are the hot ones.”
Words spread disturbingly fast. Because while Flame himself wasn’t exactly famous in school— his siblings absolutely were.
Especially Adam.
Basketball captain.
Popular.
Friendly.
The kind of student everyone knew even if they’d never spoken to him. And every once in a while, when he got picked up? People got to see his insanely attractive older stepbrother and said older brother’s equally attractive rich friend
Which had unfortunately turned both Flame and Wemmbu into mysterious school legends.
Especially Wemmbu.
Nobody knew anything about him except rich, pretty, quiet, drives different expensive cars, and somehow always looks good in hoodies.
Inside the school grounds, Adam finally spotted his sisters near one of the walkways. Emma and Taylor stood with their friend groups while talking animatedly about something.
Adam walked over with his own friends beside him. “Hey,” he said. “Let’s go. We’re getting picked up.” Both girls perked up immediately. “Oh, okay.” One of Emma’s friends blinked. “Wait, you guys are getting picked up?”
“Yeah.” As the group headed toward the exit gates, one of Adam’s friends spotted the car immediately. “…Damn.”
Another friend let out a low whistle.
“Your brother’s friend is really rich. Where did he even get that money?”
Adam shrugged casually. “I stopped asking a long time ago.”
One of Emma’s friends suddenly looked interested. “Wait,” she said. “Is the friend single?”
Emma burst out laughing instantly. “Girl,” she said, “that guy is way older than you.”
“Age is just a number,” another girl retorted. “Oh my god” Taylor groaned— rubbing her face on her hands while the others laughed.
“And no,” Emma added while still laughing. “He’s gay.” The girls immediately groaned in disappointment.
“Well,” one of them muttered, “there are other fish in the sea.”
“Rest in peace,” another added solemnly.
“TRAGIC.”
“I had dreams.”
“You’ll survive,” Adam said dryly. Another one of his friends laughed before looking back toward the parking lot. “Still can’t believe you got picked up in a Lamborghini.”
“I miss the Ferrari honestly,” one of Adam’s friends admitted.
Taylor stopped walking.
“You got picked up with the Ferrari?” she asked in horror.
Adam grinned.
“Yep.”
“You NEVER told us that!”
“You two were sick at home.”
Taylor and Emma both looked genuinely betrayed now. “You got picked up in the Ferrari and DIDN’T TELL US?”
“I forgot!”
“You forgot a Ferrari?!” Taylor shouted. “We’ve been wanting to ride that car for MONTHS.” Emma whined. Adam looked smug.
“Skill issue.”
Behind them, Emma’s friends looked even more shocked. “Wait,” one girl said slowly. “There’s a Ferrari too?”
Adam nodded.
“Yeah. This isn’t even my favorite one.”
“What kind of life do you people live?” One of his friends asked. “Honestly?” Adam said. “No clue.”
The closer they got to the parking area, the more obvious the stares became.
And honestly? The car wasn’t helping.
Neither were the people on it. Flame leaned casually against the passenger seat doorway while looking at something on his phone, hoodie sleeves covering half his hands. Meanwhile Wemmbu sat relaxed on the car step beside him, black hoodie and sweatpants somehow making a Lamborghini look casual.
Like they were just two teenagers hanging out instead of sitting next to a car worth more than most houses nearby.
Emma’s friend grabbed her arm suddenly. “Oh my god,” she whispered harshly. “I keep forgetting your brother and his friend are actually insane-looking.”
“You’re embarrassing,” Emma muttered.
“I’m RIGHT.” Her friend said. “Do they have socials?” another friend asked. Emma immediately smiled. “I’m not telling you anything, bro.”
“EMMA.”
“You guys are not stalking my brother and his friend.”
“We would never,” one girl lied immediately.
“Yes you would.” The girls groaned dramatically while Adam laughed. “Bye losers,” he said cheerfully. “Get humbled,” another friend shouted back.
The friend groups finally split apart while the three siblings headed toward the car. Wemmbu looked up first as they approached.
“There they are,” he said.
Taylor pointed accusingly at him immediately. “You used the Ferrari without us.”
Wemmbu blinked once.
Then looked toward Adam.
“You snitched?”
“I absolutely did.”
The moment the three siblings got into the car, chaos immediately resumed. Taylor practically collapsed dramatically into the backseat while Emma fixed her skirt and Adam sat down dramatically like he was entering a limousine instead of an SUV—tossing his bag beside him.
Wemmbu started the engine again as the doors shut. “So,” he said while pulling out of the parking spot, “what are we getting?”
“Five Guys,” Adam answered immediately.
Taylor groaned. “We literally always get Five Guys.”
“Because it’s good.”
“It’s repetitive.”
“It’s called consistency.”
“It’s called being boring.”
Adam gasped in offense. “You take that back.”
“Let’s just get McDonald’s.” Adam looked even more offended.
“McDonald’s is overrated.”
“It is NOT.”
“It absolutely is.”
From the passenger seat, Flame rested his chin against his hand, visibly entertained already. Meanwhile, Emma looked up from her phone finally and said “We should get Starbucks.”
Taylor and Adam both turned toward her instantly.
“No.”
Emma stared at them in betrayal. “Starbucks has food.”
“Nobody goes to Starbucks for FOOD,” Taylor said dramatically. Adam backed her up immediately. “You guys are uncultured.” Emma said—rolling her eyes. “You drink dessert disguised as coffee.” Adam retorted.
“Exactly. You go there for overpriced drinks and depression.” Emma gasped. “You literally drink those strawberry refreshers.” Taylor pointed accusingly. “That is different.”
“You ordered whatever abomination has six words and caramel foam on top!” Taylor said. Emma screamed in betrayal. “That is NONE of your business.”
“Guys,” Flame muttered. “Please.”
“You order a pink drink with vanilla cold foam and extra strawberries.” Emma said, shooting back
The car erupted even more.
“EMMA.”
“YOU MADE ME SOUND WORSE THAN IT IS.”
“Because it IS worse than it is.”
Meanwhile, Adam was laughing so hard he nearly folded into himself. “Taylor drinks melted perfume.”
“You literally eat plain burgers,” Taylor shot back.
“Because I have standards.”
“You have the taste buds of drywall.”
In the front seat, Flame sighed as leaned his head against the window and despite that— he still laughed quietly under his breath. Beside him, Wemmbu looked equally entertained. The argument continued for so long that nobody noticed Wemmbu casually driving past the giant red Five Guys sign.
Until Adam looked up.
“…Wait.”
Taylor blinked. “Bro.”
Emma leaned forward. “You missed the turn.”
“Oops,” Wemmbu said with absolutely zero remorse. Flame immediately narrowed his eyes. That man absolutely did not accidentally miss a massive sign.
Wemmbu glanced sideways at him for half a second with the most smug expression imaginable before turning right. Flame stared at him suspiciously.
“You did that on purpose.”
“No idea what you mean.”
“You’re evil.”
“I’m driving.”
“That’s not a defense.”
A few minutes later, the giant CHIPOTLE sign appeared ahead.
The reaction was immediate.
“CHIPOTLE!” The girls shouted in the car—sounding like they’d just discovered civilization for the first time. Emma actually leaned forward between the seats. “BRO I LOVE YOU.”
“You said Starbucks five minutes ago,” Flame pointed out.
“That was the old me.” Wemmbu laughed as he pulled into the parking lot. “Traitors,” Adam muttered. “Five Guys would’ve loved you.”
“It’s your fault for insulting McDonald’s,” Taylor said.
“McDonald’s deserves it.” Adam said as the car parked and everyone climbed out almost at once, though before Flame could fully get out, Wemmbu was already opening the passenger door for him.
Taylor watched the interaction.
Then looked at Emma.
Emma looked back.
Neither of them said anything.
Adam pretended not to notice.
Inside, the smell of grilled food and rice hit almost instantly.The three siblings immediately started debating toppings before they’d even reached the counter.
“I want extra cheese.”
“You ALWAYS want extra cheese.”
“Because extra cheese is good.”
“You said that last time and almost died.”
“That was unrelated.”
“NO SOUR CREAM.”
“You’re weak.”
Meanwhile Flame stood beside Wemmbu near the back of the line. “What do you want?” Flame asked automatically. “Same thing.” Flame nodded once before stepping forward to order his own food too, barely even thinking about it.
A few students from the school stood nearby waiting for their own orders when one of them suddenly noticed Emma. “Emma!”
Emma looked over and waved back casually. “Oh, hi!!” Her classmates waved back before immediately clocking the rest of the group.
More specifically—the very attractive older brother and the equally attractive rich friend standing beside him.
One of the girls visibly short-circuited for a second.
Emma pretended not to notice.
After ordering, Wemmbu paid for all of them before the siblings could even attempt arguing over it. “You’re making us look broke,” Adam complained while carrying his tray. “You ARE broke,” Taylor replied.
“That’s not the point.”
“You’re students,” Wemmbu said simply. Adam looked emotional. “You’re my favorite person.”
“You said that last week to your kuya after he bought you basketball shoes.”
“That was a different category.”
Eventually, they settled into one of the tables near the windows and started eating almost immediately. For a while, the conversation died down into the comfortable noise of eating.
Then Emma suddenly looked up. “…Wait.” Wemmbu looked over. “How much does the Lamborghini actually cost?”
Wemmbu immediately pointed at her food. “Eat your burrito.”
“That means it’s expensive.”
“Very observant.”
Adam was already pulling out his phone. “Don’t Google it,” Flame warned. Adam ignored him completely.
Three seconds later his eyes widened.
“WHAT.”
Several nearby people glanced over briefly. Adam lowered his voice immediately but still looked horrified. “BRO.” Emma looked over his shoulder and nearly choked. “There’s no way.”
Taylor grabbed the phone next. “Oh my god.”
Emma pointed accusingly at Wemmbu. “Are you secretly in the mafia?”
“No,” Flame said completely deadpan while eating. “He just buys cars instead of making healthy financial decisions.” Wemmbu looked offended. “You wound me.”
“You’re driving a Lamborghini.”
“That’s unrelated.”
“No but seriously,” Taylor said while staring at him. “How can you afford the cars?”
“Minecraft,” Flame answered immediately.
Taylor stared blankly.
“I said seriously.”
“Minecraft,” Wemmbu repeated casually.
Adam suddenly burst out laughing. “No, because imagine explaining this to normal people.” Emma immediately joined in. “So what do you do for work?”
Adam straightened in his seat like he was being interviewed. “I mine blocks and now I own a Lamborghini.”
Taylor nearly fell over laughing as Flame hid his face behind one hand while Wemmbu laughed beside him.
“You guys sound fake,” Adam continued. “Like genuinely fake.”
“So technically you guys became millionaires from blocks.” Taylor said. “Don’t say it like that,” Flame groaned. “No no,” Adam said immediately. “Let her cook.”
“The evidence is right there,” Emma added dramatically while gesturing toward the Lamborghini outside the windows like it was an exhibit in court. “There are actually multiple block-related Lamborghinis,” Wemmbu admitted casually.
Taylor froze.
“You have multiple Lamborghinis?”
“I have one more at my house,” Wemmbu said. “And a Tesla I haven’t used yet.”
The table went silent.
“…What.”
Wemmbu blinked. “What?”
Adam pointed at Flame suddenly. “When will you two start dating? No wait. Get married.”
Flame immediately looked horrified.
“I want his cars,” Adam continued while pointing at Wemmbu. “Please marry him already.”
“Oh my god,” Flame groaned. Meanwhile— beside him, Wemmbu was laughing so hard he almost dropped his fork. “I haven’t even dated your brother yet,” he said through laughter. “You want me to marry him already?”
“Yes,” Adam answered immediately. “I want your cars.”
“Yoouu want me to marry this chungie just so you can access his cars?” Flame asked. “I’m not a chungie,” Wemmbu said, deeply offended.
“You lost every time we fought bro. Someone counted. I won six times. You won five. We’re literally on a 6-5 ranking.”
“That equates to eleven,” Wemmbu argued immediately. “Egg said we fought fourteen times.”
Flame stared at him.
“That’s because we had three ties, you dumbass.”
Wemmbu paused.
“…Oh.”
The disappointment in his voice made Flame burst into laughter instantly. Even Emma had to hide her face in her hands.
“Block millionaires,” Taylor whispered dramatically. “None of you survived math.”
About ten minutes later, everyone piled back into the car. As they headed back outside, her classmates from earlier waved goodbye from inside the restaurant.
She waved back casually.
Then the girls watched—completely stunned—as Emma walked straight toward the parked Lamborghini and climbed inside.
The silence from the windows behind them was deafening. “Oh they’re losing their minds,” Adam said immediately.
“Absolutely,” Emma agreed proudly.
As Wemmbu drove, Taylor suddenly sighed dramatically from the backseat. “You abandoned us during our time of illness.”
Adam groaned instantly.
“Please shut up about the Ferrari.”
“We were weak. Vulnerable.”
“You had a fever.”
“And during our suffering,” Taylor continued dramatically, “you chose another family.”
Wemmbu glanced at her through the mirror.
“I can bring it next time.”
The entire car froze.
Flame turned toward him immediately. “Do NOT promise them things.”
“Wemmbu don’t listen to him,” Taylor said instantly.
“Please,” Emma added.
“Bring the Ferrari,” Adam said solemnly.
“You owe us.”
Wemmbu laughed quietly. “No promises.”
Three simultaneous groans filled the car.
Wemmbu only laughed harder while slowing at a red light. Then Taylor suddenly noticed something near the mirror. “…Wait.”
She pointed upward.
“Is that a dashcam?”
Wemmbu nodded casually. “Yeah.”
“…Does it record all the time?”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
Then realization hit all three siblings at once.
“The Starbucks argument is recorded forever,” Emma whispered. “The Ferrari mourning,” Adam added in horror.
Taylor looked genuinely devastated.
“Delete that RIGHT NOW.”
“Nahh,” Wemmbu replied calmly. “This is blackmail material.”
“Send it to me,” Flame said immediately.
Wemmbu smiled lazily.
“Sure thing, kitty.”
The traffic light turned green.
Flame malfunctioned instantly.
Emma recoiled dramatically. “Ew.”
Taylor gasped. “Oh my god you guys have pet names now??”
Adam groaned loudly into his hands.
Meanwhile Flame smacked Wemmbu’s arm hard enough to make him laugh. “Don’t you dare call me that again,” he hissed. Wemmbu rubbed the spot dramatically with one hand while steering with the other. “Okay, okay,” he said between laughs. “I won’t call you that in public.”
Flame stared at him.
The siblings exploded immediately.
By seven in the evening, the house had settled into its usual rhythm again. Dinner was finished, plates were cleaned, and the earlier chaos from the car ride had finally died down into something quieter. The siblings had all disappeared back into their rooms one by one after eating, though not before Taylor reminded Wemmbu three separate times about the Ferrari.
Flame had threatened to revoke her passenger seat privileges permanently.
She said it was worth it.
Now the living room was dim except for the soft glow of the TV. Some random show played quietly in the background while Flame practically melted into the couch cushions beside Wemmbu, who was scrolling mindlessly through his phone—one arm stretched behind Flame’s shoulder, half asleep already despite insisting twenty minutes ago that he “wasn’t tired.”
Liar. Wemmbu snorted softly to himself as he glanced at Flame beside him.
Then his phone buzzed in his hands.
Twice.
At almost the exact same time, the front door opened. “We’re home!” Flame’s stepmom called out. Flame lazily lifted one hand from the couch in greeting without opening his eyes.
“Hi.”
Wemmbu looked over the back of the couch slightly.
“Hi Tita.”
Flame’s dad stepped inside behind her while loosening his tie. “There’s food on the table for you guys,” Flame added sleepily. “We already ate,” Flame’s stepmom replied while slipping her shoes off near the door. “Long day at work.”
Wemmbu looked at his notifications while they talked.
It was Invic again.
Wemmbu loved Invic genuinely. But sometimes the man texted like a strict project manager trapped inside the body of a Minecraft creator while holding a clipboard outside his bedroom door.
Invic 7:11 PM
Wemm
Do you want me to record the mocap in advance?
Wemmbu immediately typed back.
Wemmbu 7:12 PM
yes please(✿◠‿◠)
I might start recording session the day after tomorrow
kinda busy right now
The typing bubble appeared instantly.
Invic 7:12 PM
Okok
have fun hanging out with your friend bro
Wemmbu snorted quietly.
Wemmbu 7:12 PM
thx (✿◠‿◠)
Wemmbu smiled a little before locking his phone and continuing scrolling through tiktok. When he looked beside him again, Flame had somehow gotten even sleepier. Half his body was leaning against Wemmbu now, head nearly slipping onto his shoulder. Her eyes flicked between them once. Then she smiled knowingly.
“You staying another night, Wemm?” she asked casually.
Wemmbu hummed in agreement. “Mhm.”
Flame made a soft sleepy sound beside him, too tired to realize how catastrophically couple-coded the entire scene looked.
His stepmom looked deeply unsurprised.
Honestly, at this point, Wemmbu staying over happened often enough that nobody questioned it anymore.
His dad walked in right after carrying some papers from work and immediately sighed upon seeing them. “You two are gonna fall asleep on the couch.”
“We’re awake,” Flame mumbled weakly.
“You sound dead.”
“I’m alive enough.”
“Debatable,” Wemmbu muttered. Flame elbowed him weakly without opening his eyes.
Flame’s dad looked at them before shaking his head fondly. “You two should just go upstairs before you fall asleep there.”
Wemmbu laughed quietly. “Probably.”
He gently patted Flame’s shoulder. “C’mon.” Flame groaned immediately.
“No.”
“We’re literally downstairs.”
“Tragic.”
“You’re impossible.”
Another groan.
Flame buried his face deeper into the couch cushion like that would somehow solve the problem. “C’mon,” Wemmbu said again. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Noooo.”
“You’re literally falling asleep sitting up.”
“I can sleep here.”
“No you cannot.”
Wemmbu stared at him for a second then sighed dramatically like a tired husband dealing with an unreasonable cat. “Okay. Fine.” He said before grabbing both their phones. Before Flame could even process what was happening, Wemmbu leaned down, slid one arm beneath his knees and the other around his back, and lifted him straight off the couch.
Flame made a startling noise immediately.
“Wha—”
“You refused to walk.”
“That doesn’t mean kidnap me.”
“You’ll survive.”
From behind them, Flame’s stepmom laughed. Flame’s dad looked entirely unbothered by this development. “Goodnight you two,” he said.
“Night,” Wemmbu replied easily.
Flame, meanwhile, had already given up fighting and just hooked one sleepy arm around Wemmbu’s shoulders instead. “…This is humiliating.”
“You’ll live.”
“I hate you.”
“No you don’t.”
Flame mumbled something incoherent into Wemmbu’s hoodie. Wemmbu grinned all the way upstairs.
A few minutes later, Flame was carefully deposited back onto the bed. The moment he touched the mattress, he immediately starfished face-first into the mattress. “I live here now,” he announced into the blankets. “You already lived here.”
“True.”
Wemmbu laughed softly under his breath before walking back toward the bedroom door to lock it.
Click.
He returned to the bed just as Flame had already rolled onto his side sleepily. Cute.
Wemmbu sat down beside him and placed both their phones onto the bedside table. He was just reaching toward the lamp when his phone suddenly rang. Flame groaned in betrayal immediately. “Oh my god,” he mumbled into the bed. “Sorry,” Wemmbu whispered softly, rubbing his back soothingly while checking the screen.
Invic.
Again.
“…Yallow?” Wemmbu answered quietly.
“Yo,” Invic said immediately. “About mocap. Do you still want me to record them coming out of the spawn castle for the intro?”
“Uhh yeah yeah,” Wemmbu whispered back. “Do that. I might need it.”
“Okay okay. Is there anything else you want me to record?”
“Uhh nope,” he said. “Just follow the list of mocap scenes I gave.”
Beside him, Flame shifted slightly closer.
Invic paused.
“…Oh?”
Wemmbu froze slightly.
“…What?”
“Are you going to bed?” Invic asked. Wemmbu stared at the ceiling for one long second. “Uh.” Wemmbu glanced down at the very warm human currently half wrapped around his waist. “Kind of.”
“Kind of?”
“Not sleepy yet,” Wemmbu lied smoothly through his teeth. “Just laying on a bed really.”
He can flame trying not to make a noise as he snorted against the bed. Traitor.
“Ahh,” Invic said knowingly. “I see.” Wemmbu suddenly felt weirdly nervous for absolutely no reason—praying he did not, in fact, see.
“Okay then,” Invic continued casually. “Thanks. Goodnight Wemmbu.”
“Night.”
The call ended. Wemmbu stared at his phone for a second before sighing in relief.
That man was terrifying sometimes.
He placed the phone back onto the bedside table before finally turning the lamp off. Darkness settled softly across the room almost immediately. A second later, Wemmbu grabbed the small white remote beside the lamp and clicked the AC on. Cold air slowly began humming through the room.
He placed the remote back where he found it before finally laying down properly beside Flame again. Instantly, Flame curled closer.
Like muscle memory.
Wemmbu smiled faintly in the dark and wrapped both arms around him, pulling him closer against his chest until their legs tangled together beneath the blanket while Flame sleepily buried his face into his hoodie. Outside, rain started lightly tapping against the windows. Inside, everything felt warm.