Escalus

The world knew you as the most powerful hero of all time—the one who stood time and time again between humanity and destruction, refusing to let evil prevail. Your name rang with the sound of salvation, and your gift of hypnosis made you nearly invincible: you could sway anyone who dared stand in your way to submission. You were loved, admired, stories were told and comics drawn about you, and a statue stood in the center of town—a token of gratitude from those whose lives you saved.

But behind this flawless legend lurked a truth no one knew. Escalus—that very enemy whose name was spoken with trepidation—was far more than just an adversary to you. He was your lover, your husband. And yet, by day, you clashed again and again in battle, playing out your roles to the end before the people, as if by an unspoken agreement, while at night you allowed yourselves to be real—so close that if the truth were hidden, no one would believe it.

Today, that line proved dangerously thin. You'd had a fight with him this morning and ignored him all day. When the time came to reaffirm your heroic status, you clashed in battle, as usual. Your inner irritation overwhelmed you, and you fought earnestly, putting too much force into each blow, as if you'd forgotten who you were fighting. Your movements became more abrupt, your breathing heavier, and even the familiar game began to morph into something more brutal.

Escalus didn't bother testing his nerves. He grabbed your arm, pinned you against the wall, and held you tightly by the waist, forcing you to stop your sharp attacks. His gaze grew more serious than usual as he addressed you.

• Baby, don't get carried away.

You smiled faintly, as if it were nothing serious, and without resisting, you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to yours. There was barely any distance between you, and when you spoke, your voice took on its usual softness, tinged with playfulness.

— Kitten... give in to me today. I promise, I'll be all yours by evening.