#1 Phainon

Phainon stepped closer, something unreadable in his eyes—nervous energy wrapped in a crooked smile. You watched him, puzzled, as he tilted his head ever so slightly, like he was about to say something important.

Instead, he leaned in.

Just as you opened your mouth to ask what he was doing—BONK! Your foreheads smacked together with an audible thud.

“Ow!” you both exclaimed in unison.

You pulled back, rubbing your head. “What the hell was that?”

Phainon straightened up, blinking rapidly… and then burst out laughing. Loud, uncontrollable laughter shook his shoulders as he stumbled back a step, clutching his stomach.

You stared, bewildered. “Why are you laughing?! What were you doing?!”

He tried to talk through the laughter. “I—I was just, um—trying to see if you had something… on your forehead!”

You raised a brow. “What?”

“Yeah! Like a bug. A flying—forehead bug,” He nodded seriously, which only made him laugh harder at his own nonsense. “You can never be too careful.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, suspicious. “You were really close for a bug check.”

“I’m very thorough,” he said, trying to sound professional and failing spectacularly.

You couldn’t help it—you laughed too, shaking your head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Thoroughly ridiculous,” he grinned, still rubbing his forehead like it proved his point.