The autumn air was crisp as they walked down the neighbourhood, leaves crunching under their feet and the wind blowing through their hair. An absent sort of warmth wrapping around them. Certainly, one of Marley's favourite seasons.

“---Okay, but seriously, I still don’t get how that twist worked,” Emrys said, hands in his pockets as they strolled down the quiet, tree-lined path. “I mean, the villain? A time traveller? Come on, that’s lazy writing.”

Marley smirked, nudging him with his elbow. “Lazy writing? You were the one sitting on the edge of your seat the entire time.”

“Hey, I was waiting for something good to happen! Doesn’t mean it actually did. It’s like they threw everything in the pot and hoped for the best.”

“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Marley shrugged, watching the leaves crunch under his boots. “I mean, yeah, the twist was kind of ridiculous, but the characters weren’t half bad. The detective was decent.”

“Oh, the detective.” Emrys groaned dramatically. “He didn’t even solve anything. The plot just unfolded in front of him, and he was like ‘Oh, guess that’s what happened.’”

Marley laughed. “You’re not wrong. He did kind of stumble through the whole thing.”

“Exactly! And don’t get me started on the romance subplot. Forced. So forced.”

“You mean the two people who hated each other but ended up making out at the end?” Marley teased.

Emrys rolled his eyes. “Classic enemies-to-lovers nonsense. Totally unbelievable. They spent, what, five minutes together? Suddenly, they’re madly in love?”

“That’s the magic of movies for you.”

Emrys snorted. “Magic, right. I call it lazy.”

“You think everything’s lazy when you don’t like it.”

“Well, I just have standards.”

“Oh, I know. Your standards for movies are like your standards for coffee—ridiculously high.”

“Can’t help it if I like good things.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Marley smiled to himself, stealing a glance at Emrys. There was always something about the way he got so animated over stuff like this that amused him. Emrys could pick apart the most trivial things and still make it interesting.

“I’m telling you, though,” Emrys continued, “If I’d written that movie, the villain would’ve been someone we didn’t even suspect, like the detective’s partner.”

“Of course you’d go for the unexpected angle.”

“It’s better that way! Keeps you on your toes. I’d have the audience guessing the entire time.”

Marley chuckled. “You should’ve been a screenwriter.”

Emrys shot him a look, grinning. “Maybe I missed my calling.”

They turned the corner, and the sound of soft panting caught Marley’s attention. A small dog, a shaggy terrier with mismatched fur, trotted up to them, its tail wagging furiously. A quick glance revealed a thin leather collar and a friendly-looking owner trailing behind with a leash in hand.

"Well, hey there, little guy," Emrys crouched down immediately, offering his hand for the dog to sniff. The terrier gave him a curious sniff before pressing its nose into his palm, tail wagging even harder.

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Marley smiled, kneeling down beside him and reaching out to scratch the dog's ears. “He’s cute.”

The owner smiled warmly but stayed back, letting them enjoy their moment with the terrier.

“Yeah, reminds me of Menyn, in a way,” Emrys said, his voice softer now, a touch of nostalgia creeping in. He rubbed the dog’s back absentmindedly. “We haven’t had a pet since Menyn, have we?”

Marley shook his head, his fingers gently running through the terrier’s wiry fur. “No. Not since we moved into the house.”

“I miss having a pet,” Emrys admitted quietly. “Menyn was good company. Remember how she used to sit on your books while you were studying?”

Marley smiled at the memory, huffing lightly. “Yeah, she had a knack for finding the exact page I needed and sitting right on it.”

“She just wanted your attention!” Emrys chuckled. “I used to sneak her bits of food from the dining hall. Probably why she was so round.”

The terrier flopped onto its back, eagerly exposing its belly for a rub. Marley smirked, scratching the belly as the dog kicked its legs happily.

“Maybe we should get another one. Not a cat, though. Something different.” Emrys suggested

“What, like a dog?” Marley asked, still rubbing the terrier’s belly. “Or a parrot?”

Emrys raised an eyebrow, looking up at the dog’s owner as if to gauge their reaction. “A parrot? Seriously?”

Marley shrugged. “Why not? Could teach it to yell at you when you forget to lock the door.”

The dog’s owner stifled a laugh, and Emrys snorted, giving Marley a knowing grin. “Or teach it to remind you to eat when you’re too wrapped up in your work.”

At the callout, Marley blushed, sending a playful glare in his friend’s direction. The owner smiled knowingly before gently tugging on the leash to gather the terrier. “He’s a good one. You two should definitely think about getting a dog, man's best friend!,” they said with a wave, before walking off down the path.

He dusted off his pants and stood. The two of them continue on their walk, the gentle crunch of gravel beneath their feet filling the silence. Emrys had started humming softly, a tune Marley didn’t quite recognize, before breaking into a rambling monologue about something he’d read earlier in the week. It was one of those tangents Emrys was prone to—somewhat talking to Marley, mostly talking to himself.

Marley didn’t mind. It was… comforting, in a way. He watched as Emrys gestured with his hands, animated, lost in whatever thought had taken hold of him. The words blurred in Marley’s ears, fading into the background as his own thoughts took over.

Emrys had always been like this—loud in a way that wasn’t obnoxious, but lively. He filled the spaces Marley left, and Marley liked that about him. The way he could talk for hours, fill the silence, but never make it feel overbearing. Marley found himself smiling, just watching Emrys be himself, feeling a warmth in his chest that was hard to ignore.

He had a lot of feelings about Emrys, more than he ever let on, even to himself sometimes. But in moments like these, when they were just walking together, with no one around and nothing to rush toward, it all seemed to bubble up. How Emrys could make even the simplest moments feel special. How he always knew when to push and when to hold back, letting Marley come to him at his own pace. And how, despite all his noise and his teasing, Emrys was just… safe.

He made Marley feel safe.

He glanced over at him, watching as he continued talking animatedly, his hands moving with every sentence. Marley tried to picture it—tried to imagine Emrys feeling something more. The way Emma and Khairi talked, it was like they already knew.

What if they’re right?

The thought made his heart race a little. If they were right… If Emrys did have feelings for him, then what? Could Marley even handle that? He wasn’t sure. He’d spent so long convincing himself that this was just how it was, that Emrys would always be the person he relied on but nothing more.

But now, with those seeds of doubt—of hope—planted in his mind, he couldn’t stop the quiet hum of what if from growing louder.

He watched Emrys’s hair catch the late afternoon sun, the soft smile playing at the corner of his lips as he continued to rant on. How could someone so obvious—so entirely themselves—be hiding feelings like that? It didn’t make sense. And yet…

What if?

Marley’s chest tightened at the thought. It was terrifying in a way he hadn’t expected. But at the same time, there was a small part of him that wanted them to be right. Wanted to believe that the connection they shared could be something more.

He swallowed hard, his gaze dropping to the ground as he tried to refocus. He wasn’t ready to think about all of this yet. Not now. But the thoughts lingered, a quiet buzz beneath the surface, growing harder and harder to ignore.

And so, as Emrys hummed his tune, oblivious but happy, Marley walked beside him