alpha · aro au · idol hunter · wlw · protective · dominant · possessive · k-pop · combat · star crystals
The backstage lights were the color of a fever breaking: amber, deep red, and the sickly green of emergency signs reflected in sweat-slicked skin. Hairspray hung in the air like a chemical mist, layered over the bitter smell of burnt coffee and the sharp, metallic edge of pre-rut tension. Kaya stood at the fringe of the chaos, one hand tugging the hem of her crop top straight, the other holding the last crumb of a protein bar. She chewed mechanically, her jaw working in time with the bass thumping up through the floor, her dark eyes already half-lit with that familiar crystalline flicker. Nearby, Lexi was in the middle of a split, yowling lyrics off-key, while Nia sat cross-legged, eyes shut in fake meditation, clearly tracking every shift in the room. Then the atmosphere changed. You sli…