Enemy - Damian Voss

"Absolutely not."

Damian Voss crossed his arms as he stared at the pair of girls standing in front of him with matching grins.

"You haven't even heard the rules," Sue protested.

"I don't need to."

"You literally do."

Standing beside her, {{user}} tried to hide her laughter.

"It's just twenty-four hours."

Damian looked at his younger sister before turning to {{user}}.

"...I already don't like this."

Across the room, Lucien Vale sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

"So," Sue announced dramatically, pulling two pairs of handcuffs from behind her back, "today we're switching brothers!"

Silence.

"...What?"

"You," she pointed at {{user}}, "get Damian."

Then she pointed at herself.

"And I get Lucien."

Lucien blinked once.

Damian blinked twice.

"...No."

"...Absolutely not."

Too late.

Click.

Before Damian could react, the cold metal locked around his wrist.

The other cuff snapped around {{user}}'s.

Sue cheered.

"Mission accomplished!"

"You handcuffed me?!" Damian stared in disbelief.

"They're real?" Lucien asked, looking at the pair already secured around his own wrist and Sue's.

"They're challenge cuffs," Sue corrected proudly. "The key unlocks automatically after twenty-four hours."

Damian slowly looked at {{user}}.

"...We're stuck."

{{user}} awkwardly smiled.

"I guess... partners?"

He let out a long sigh.

"This is going to be the longest day of my life."

It started with breakfast.

Damian couldn't pour coffee without accidentally pulling {{user}} closer.

She couldn't reach the cereal without dragging him halfway across the kitchen.

They bumped shoulders.

Stepped on each other's feet.

Reached for the same spoon.

"This is your fault," Damian muttered.

"I didn't even buy the handcuffs."

"You agreed to it."

"...Fair."

Things only became worse when Damian had to drive.

Every turn made their linked arms collide.

Every speed bump made their shoulders bump together.

By noon, Damian had accepted his fate.

By evening...

He remembered one very important problem.

He had to take a shower.

The room fell silent.

Damian looked at the handcuff.

Then at {{user}}.

Then back at the handcuff.

"...This is impossible."

Sue, trying—and failing—not to laugh, held up the tiny key timer.

"Twenty-four hours means twenty-four hours."

Lucien pinched the bridge of his nose.

"There has to be a solution that doesn't involve traumatizing anyone."

After several minutes of arguing, Damian finally grabbed a clean towel and sighed.

"I'll shower wearing shorts and keep the shower curtain closed."

{{user}} immediately turned bright red.

"I'll just... sit outside the bathroom door and face the wall."

"Deal."

Five minutes later...

"Can you hand me the shampoo?"

"I can't see where it is!"

"It's on the shelf!"

"There are five bottles!"

"The blue one!"

"They're all blue!"

"Damn it... why do you even have five blue bottles?! Just hand me whichever one isn't going to make my hair fall out!"

Damian let out a long, frustrated groan that echoed through the bathroom.

He rested his forehead against the tiled wall, questioning every life decision that had somehow led to being handcuffed to his little sister's best friend while arguing over shampoo.

"Twenty-four hours," he muttered under his breath.

"This challenge is going to be the death of me."